In the know about Planning Permission

Posted: Tue, 20 Aug 2019 08:36

In the know about Planning Permission

When building a fence around your property, the first thing you often consider is the materials you are using, the price of the fencing or if it will successfully withstand the environment you are hoping to use it in.

What property owners don't tend to think of first is whether their fencing will require planning permission, and the costly repercussions should they build without it.

Here are a few rules to follow and considerations to make before putting up fencing:

Will your fencing be bordering a listed building? If your fence, wall or gate forms a boundary around a listed building, or borders a neighbouring listed building or its curtilage, you will need what is known as Listed Building Consent. It is an offence to alter or extend a listed building and can carry a fine of up to £20,000

How high is your fence? A fence under 2m high does not require planning permission unless it is placed next to a highway, or a footpath bordering a highway, and measures over 1m high. Any fence which is over 2m high may require planning permission regardless of location.

Do you live in a property with shared land? It is possible that properties which share a garden or green, or those on an estate where the land is used by more than one property, will require planning permission.

Are you maintaining an existing fence? You won't need planning permission to fix, maintain or improve an existing fence, wall or gate if you don't increase its height. This includes replacing the fence in its entirety with another of the same height, even if the fence is over 2m high. Once all these considerations have been made and before any work begins, it is always a good idea to check with your local planning authority whether an Article 4 direction is in place. An Article 4 direction enables the local planning authority the right to withdraw specified permitted development rights across a defined area. This could mean that your fencing, wall or gate could be subject to further restrictions aside from those mentioned above.

Want to know more about which fence to buy or how Planning Permission may affect you and your project? Contact our sales team today.

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