Questions re planning permission for a railing

ethansmum

Can anyone advise or point me in the right direction please?

We have just had railings put up around our front garden that are 110cm high, we have just been informed by the neighbours that we should have got planning permission for it because it is over 100cm. It confirms with the cosmetic appearance of the rest of the houses in the area. Can our neighbour complain to the council and what would the consequenses be for us? Can we get retrospective planning permission and would be be fined for not getting it originally? Its only 10cm above the limit.

Thanks!

bionic_banjo

Normally you need planning permission if you want to erect a fence, wall or gate over 1m high next to a highway used for vehicles. You refer to a 'rail', so the question is - is the rail a fence? and is it permanent? Personally I'd not bother worrying unless the Council approaches you. It would be a bit 'sad' of them to ask you to apply for planning permission for a 'rail' but if you get a fusspot with the time to make an issue out of the matter, then I think they could easily argue that even a 'rail' is a form of fencing - as it is designed to act as a fence does...so you may have to apply for planning retrospecively.

JennyP

bionic_banjo wrote:

Normally you need planning permission if you want to erect a fence, wall or gate over 1m high next to a highway used for vehicles.

In that case I've been misinformed. i was told that a wall couldn't be over a metre but that I could put railings on top of that to make it 2 m tall.
Out of interest, please could you tell me how much you paid for your railings? We've just had a quote and it was huge! Far more than I for one had expected!
Thanks!

ethansmum

Ah, you see we live on a new estate- 3 of our neighbours built walls, but we wanted railings. I think theres is sour grapes because we didn't conform.

Yes they are expensive aren't they? We have 19 metres, 110cm tall and includes a garden gate- just a simple design. The first quote was for £3200, the second £2500, both for galvanised iron, painted and fitted. The 3rd quote (we choose him because he was more professional and honest) was for £1450, but not galvanised. (He sends it away for galvanising and he estimated that would cost £400.) We choose to not bother about the galvanising and just use a good rust resistant paint.