Planning permission
You do not need planning permission to build a fence, wall or gate, providing:
- it is within your domestic curtilage (‘domestic curtilage’ is the area of land on which a dwelling house / flat sits which is used for residential purposes. It does not include a field or other open land next to a house, even if it is in the same ownership)
- in the case of a dwelling house the property is not registered as a listed building or place (LBP) or a potential listed building or place (pLBP) and does not fall within an area of archaeological potential (AAP)
- in the case of a dwelling house the fence, wall or gate is not in front of the principal elevation if the building is in a conservation area (CA) (‘principal elevation’ means any elevation that faces and is within 20 metres of a public road. A ‘public road’ is a road or footpath which is maintained at the expense of the public)
- in the case of a flat, the building is not registered as a listed building or place (LBP) or a potential listed building or place (pLBP) and the land does not fall within an area of archaeological potential (AAP) or a conservation area (CA)
- the structure does not exceed 2 metres in height above ground level on either side and within 1 metre of the boundary if it is more than 2 metres from a road
- the structure does not exceed 900 mm in height above road level on either side and within 1 metre of the boundary when it is within 2 metres of a road
- the work does not involve the formation or widening of an access to a road, other than a pedestrian access
- where the work involves the creation of or widening of a pedestrian access to the property the access must be no more than 1 metre wide
- the structure does not create an obstruction to the view of a person using a road at or near a bend, corner, junction or intersection
Note: you will need planning permission if your 'permitted development' rights have been removed by a condition on a previous Planning Permit in the last 30 years or so.
Making an application - planning
Is my property or site listed?
Building permission
Fences, walls and gates do not normally require building permission. However, building permission is required for the construction of a retaining wall designed to retain earth or other material exceeding 1m high.
Making an application - building