Garden Fencing - Planning Permission

Primrose85

Hello,

My partner and I are moving into our first property later this month, and know little about planning permission. It is a corner plot house, next to a main road in a street that all seems to have matching 3ft high garden fencing - they are picket style and incredibly flimsy. We have a dog (Siberian Husky!) and it is essential we replace the fencing all around the property to something at the very least, 5ft tall. Not only that, but we would like some privacy from passers by and motorists. Currently, anyone walking past can see our whole garden and in through the patio doors. As well as this, we would like to change where the driveway is situated. It is currently bang in the middle of the back garden - we would like to move it around the front, where the other houses on the street have theirs. I thought all of this would be relatively simple - we could just go ahead and do what we like to our garden, but it seems much more complicated.

I am concerned we may need to apply for planning permission, but I don't know the first place to start!

I have read what I can on the internet, but it sounds too complicated for me to understand. I don't know how to apply for planning permission, what I need to include, nothing! Its safe to say I am pretty thick when it comes to this sort of thing.

So confused.. please help!

jbainbridge

I'm guessing you are talking about the back garden?

I think fences cannot exceed 2m ... so a 6ft would be fine and provide you with the security and privacy that you want. Good to talk to the neighbours before you do anything ... they may even contribute if it is a shared fence.

jhe

you should be able to ring or call into your local council planning dept, they should be able to answer your queries.
mine are always helpful when i have phoned them regarding height of fences and a greenhouse we wanted to put up.

Primrose85

Hi there - thanks for your replies!

I have every intention of asking my new neighbours their opinion on the fencing before we did anything, the last thing we want is a feud!

It is really the whole garden I am talking about, as its a corner plot anyone walking past can see our entire garden, front side and back. We want to enclose the bank garden completely with a gate at the side, and move the small gated driveway round the corner to where the front door is, like the rest of the houses on the street. I have contacted our local authority but they really weren't much help, they just diverted me to the council website with information and terms I don't really understand.

From looking at the area on google maps, nobody really has different fencing. If we were to go ahead and put in this fencing, it would really stand out. In my opinion, it would look really attractive! But my opinion isn't exactly what counts here. My mind is such a muddle!

jhe

not sure if this will help you but when i wanted an extension on my house i drew a rough sketch (and i mean rough sketch drawing is not my strong point!) not to scale but showing the outlay of the outside house, i took it down to the planning/building dept for an informal chat before i splashed out on paying for plans drawn up, they were helpful.

cyclonebri1

There may be some covenant that dictates the fence to the road cannot exceed a certain height, these are, I understand, sometimes time limited.

Don't ask here, go direct to the local authority, ;)

McKneff

Check with the council but I'm fairly sure you can have a fence up to 2 metres because it is classed as temporary (can easily be taken down' whereas a solid wall is normally 1m high.

you possibly need a bit more than 5ft, most adults are more that 5ft so they will still be able to see into your garden/house etc.

SailorSam

I live on a corner plot like you and have a 6' fence, and now i've started to plant bushes and small trees to 'soften' it and add a little extra to the privacy and security once they have grown.

ic

http://www.sefton.gov.uk/default.aspx?page=3751

Current planning legislation allows the building of fences and walls without the need to apply for planning permission. However, the height and positioning of such structures is limited to the following:

a) a wall or fence which is built adjacent to a highway (which includes the footpath) should not exceed 1 metre (approximately 3ft 3 ins) in height.

b) in other cases a wall or fence should not exceed 2 metres (approximately 6ft 6ins) in height

Where a wall or fence is higher than the above permitted limits, planning permission is normally required.

As you're on a corner plot, both the front and side will be subject to the 1 metre hight, unless you obtain planning permission. As advised earlier, talk to your council - sight lines for cars moving through the junction/coming round the corner may come into it.

fwor

As cyclonebri says, there may be a restrictive covenant in the deeds to the property.

Mine prohibits any fencing in the front garden, and also prohibits sheds in the back garden (!!!!!!?).

I wouldn't expect the local authority to be aware of this, and I don't ~think~ it would be their responsibility to check or enforce it.

cyclonebri1

ic wrote: »

http://www.sefton.gov.uk/default.aspx?page=3751


As you're on a corner plot, both the front and side will be subject to the 1 metre hight, unless you obtain planning permission. As advised earlier, talk to your council - sight lines for cars moving through the junction/coming round the corner may come into it.

IC, not sure where your quote came from as something appears to have been deleted.

I had this issue, non issue as it turned out to be.

My daughters fence was 2meters high from new, and a corner plot.
I'm 6ft 3 and couldn't see over it. It's also in a preservation area.

But it was the builders placement 20 years back when the homes were built, and was past it's best, you could see through it it many places.

It was further complicated by the fact that the deeds showed the boundary 5ft closer to the road than in actual fact.

In truth in tapered from zero to 5ft over 20 mtrs.

We simply corrected the anomaly, moved the fence out by 5ft to run parallel with the kerb.

Job done, now as per drawing, and no KFC, Mc donuts !!!!! littering no mans land.