In England, the usual limits are 2 metres, or 1 metre beside a highway used by vehicles, including its footpath. These are planning rules with conditions and exceptions, not permission to build on someone else’s land.
Check the whole proposal
Consider the total height, including an attached trellis, rather than treating each component separately. Check the current ground levels and how the height will be measured. Where the ground slopes or has been raised, ask the local planning authority for advice rather than assuming a measurement from one side is sufficient.
When might permission still be needed?
Restrictions can arise from a listed building, a planning condition or an Article 4 direction. Conservation-area controls can also affect removal. Planning Portal sets out the conditions, including rules for an existing fence above the usual height. Check the actual property and proposal before ordering.
Is 2 metres also a hedge-height limit?
No. A living hedge is not simply a fence for these rules. Certain high evergreen or semi-evergreen hedges can fall under a separate complaints procedure, after reasonable efforts to resolve the problem. A hedge above 2 metres is not automatically unlawful.
Does planning approval prove the fence is mine?
No. Planning permission and property rights address different questions. You still need to establish ownership, position, any covenant and any access arrangements. A permitted height does not authorise replacing a neighbour’s fence or shifting the legal boundary.
Before you proceed
- Check the local restrictions and any deed covenants.
- Confirm the overall height and relationship to the highway.
- Establish ownership and position separately.
- Keep a copy of any planning advice or permission.
The planning figures above concern England. Check the Welsh planning rules for a property in Wales.
Need help with the boundary evidence?
Send the property addresses, the disputed section and the key documents. We can confirm whether preliminary evaluation or a fuller investigation is appropriate.
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