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Fence height regs enforcement

Joined
9 Aug 2019
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United Kingdom
I'm looking to erect a boundary fence.

If I'm not mistaken I understand the maximum height for such a fence without planning permission is 2m in height.

However what I like to do is erect a 6ft fence with a 12 inch gravel board, this will take me over the 2m limit by 13cm!

If the council were to get wind of it, how likely would they demand I reduce the height to 2m?
 
Phone planning department. They will tell you.

Our area is 6 foot out back.
Foot out front
 
It depends, do not phone the council, complete waste of time. It's not unheard of for the planners to take enforcement action, happened round here albeit a fence next to the pavement. Nobody can tell you on here, you build your fence and takes your chances. Assuming this fence is on the boundary with your neighbour, do you get on with the neighbour, will it pee them off? Worst case scenario you have to lop a bit off the top.
 
Council will investigate a fence if requested (complaint) but they have better things to do and like everyone don't like petty behaviour.
They are happy to chat and advise though if you call.
 
i assume you are talking a rear/side fence behind the principal elevation [front face off the house]
otherwise its the 1m/[4ft if a historic old fence]
 
Just do it and see what happens. Unless you have beef with your neighbours or the fence backs onto a busy public area, I very much doubt anybody will notice or care.

You could just half bury the gravel boards? Will help keep next doors weeds out.
 
just place 2x6" gravel boards then remove 1 iff needed
is the fence in slotted concrete post if so that dictates the actual bottom level off the fence
 
I have concrete gravel boards, and mine are in a groove I dug in the ground, so slightly sunken, which keeps weeds and animals out.

In my case it also braces the posts against stormy winds which are an occasional problem. You ought to provide hedgehog highways though.

Mine originally had 5-foot panels giving a total height just under 6 foot, but the posts are higher enabling me to fit whatever takes my fancy, and I have replaced with boards when needed.

12 inch concrete gravel boards are quite heavy.

P.s.
My new fence is made of horizontal decking boards, which brace the posts together and are very durable. You can add ( or remove) the top board to make your fence a bit taller or shorter according to your whim. You might like to do that a few months after building it.
 
My fences are 12” concrete gravel boards, the side neighbour’s garden is 6” lower than mine.
then about a 5’ panel in concrete posts, leaving about 6” of post left.
arched trellis that’s 6” at the ends but closer to 12” at the crest.
Nobody’s complained.
 
Planning on installing the fence this summer, I mentioned I'm intending to install a 6ft fence with a 1ft gravel board.

Problem is, I would be 13cm over the 2m regulations. My plan is to therefore bury 13cm of the concrete gravel board into the ground and then backfill with soil to ensure I'm compliant. This will ensure I get no complaints from the neighbours or if in the event I get reported to the council.

I wanted to know if this would be acceptable as the fence will be installed on a slope or could the council still argue I'm over the height regs?

I also intend on doing the same with a 3ft fence panel with a 1ft gravel board and bury 22cm of the concrete gravel board to ensure I'm within the 1m regs

It's a boundary fence, I intend to start the installation at the highest point on the slope and then work my way down towards the property which is the lowest point of the slope using 9ft concrete posts.

Would appreciate your thoughts/advice and any useful tips for this type of installation.
 
Do you get on with your neighbours? If no, then I’d be careful and stick to the regs. But as said earlier, just get five foot panels, sorted.
 
13cm is little more than the diameter of a DVD, it's unlikely anyone will notice or care. Even less so on a slope.

Keep a minimum 15cm of gravel board above the ground, to keep the bottom of the timber fence away from splashing rainwater.
 

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