We have new neighbour’s opposite us who appear to be erecting a Berlin Wall of their own in fence form. The part they’ve had erecting so far is about 8′ high. Their garden is at the front of their house adjoining the pavement, the road and then us. I’m sure maximum height without planning permission I should 6’and I’ve also seen mention of 1 metre if I tried joins a pavement/ road. Anyone in Planning that knows the definitive answer and is it the same across England……many thanks

Sounds like they have screwed up – speak to the local planning dept.

Yep 1m adjacent to roads, 2m on other boundaries unless they’ve got permission to go higher

https://www.planningportal.co.uk/info/200130/common_projects/20/fences_gates_and_garden_walls

You will not need to apply for planning permission if you wish to erect a new; or alter, maintain, improve or take down* an existing fence, wall or gate if the following conditions are met:

In regard to its height:

It is next to a highway used by vehicles (or the footpath of such a highway) and it would not exceed one metre in height (from ground level); or
It would not exceed two metres in height (from ground level) if elsewhere; or
If an existing fence, wall or gate already exceeds the limits above, that its height would not be increased.
No part of the site is a listed building or within the curtilage of a listed building.
No part of the fence, wall, gate or any other boundary involved, forms a boundary with a neighbouring listed building or its curtilage.
the right to put up or alter fences, walls and gates has not been removed by an article four direction or a planning condition.
If any of these conditions are not met, then you will need to apply for planning permission.

Lifted off the planning portal. Its worth a look just to make sure the rules match the property. There may also be local conditions which apply

Ask them if they’re aware of PP, just a friendly word, instead of approaching the council. Every chance they’ve bought long posts, then can’t dig down as deep as they want, and plan to trim to height.

We have new neighbour’s opposite us who appear to be erecting a Berlin Wall of their own in fence form. The part they’ve had erecting so far is about 8′ high. Their garden is at the front of their house adjoining the pavement, the road and then us. I’m sure maximum height without planning permission I should 6’and I’ve also seen mention of 1 metre if I tried joins a pavement/ road. Anyone in Planning that knows the definitive answer and is it the same across England……many thanks

Sounds like they just want a bit of privacy to use their garden?

Is this one of those cryptic politics threads? Are your new neighbours the USA or Israel?

Is this one of those cryptic politics threads? Are your new neighbours the USA or Israel?

East Germany more like?

Sounds like they just want a bit of privacy to use their garden?

unless they live in a clown neighbourhood where people on stilts regularly walk past do the really need 8ft for that ?

Afterall – at 6ft 3 its not like i casually see over a 6ft fence as im walking along.

Equally i was reminded of the rules when i built my fence adjacent to a road thats 8ft high as it forms a wall of my shed …… they were remindede i was 7ft from my boundary – im not allowed anything at all on my boundary because its a minor to major road junction with poor sight line.

New neighbours + dodgy fence = 25 years of misery.

Thanks all. THE friendly word approach is our plan we just wanted to be sure of the rules. Our house is another 4 – 6 feet down from the road so as we look out of our window it makes the fence seem even bigger, in fact that is nearly all we can see.. as you can see they haven’t finished yet…

Are you sure that is 8ft? Doesn’t look too bad to me. I have a similar garden, running alongside a road. We inherited a 7ft fence but the top 1ft is trellis. 8ft would be equally oppressive inside.

As above ,check the height before doing or saying anything.
A quiet word?
When they’ve already put most of the fence up..they’ll love you! And if they refuse to undo all their hard work what ya gonna do? Suck it up or report it to the council ….and you’ll have made a friend for life.And if someone elses reports it then they’ll think it’s you anyway.
Tread carefully and anonymously.

Tread carefully and anonymously.

Yup! If it was me I would check the height then go straight to the council if it was an incorrect height (which it appears to be given it is adjacent to a road).

That’s never 8′, unless the pavement between that wee grey car and the fence is the width of the M25.

Is that artificial grass?

Looking round our neighbourhood (urban, victorian terraces and gardens backing onto other roads) i don’t think our local authority have cared about the fence height rule for some years.

In fact, I’d bet that most have decided that security needs mean a 2 metre fence is the new acceptable norm.

Why does it bother you? Doesn’t look that bad….. The horrible fake plastic grass however

Quick Google- a Citroen C2 (of that’s what the car parked up is) is just shy of 5′.

The fence doesn’t look another 3′ on top. But it is still too large for where it is.

Maybe they’ve put it up to stop that bloke over the road taking photos?

I’d be worried if I were you flashes, with a fence that high it could be Bin Laden’s new compound. Best check they’re not burning all their rubbish and although your across the street from it you could be a bit vulnerable if there is a drone strike.

Ask them if they’re aware of PP

I know perchypanther is quite famous and influential but I didn’t know that much!

Moan about the fence if you want….

If I wanted a fence that height and you made it so the council told me I couldn’t…..I’d plant a fast growing hedge.

Not a thing you can do about the hedge.

Looks ok to me to be honest.

If I wanted a fence that height and you made it so the council told me I couldn’t…..I’d plant a fast growing hedge.

Not a thing you can do about the hedge.

Anti social behaviour act 2003, part 8 – high hedges

or

High Hedges (scotland) act 2013

Arw those things you have heard of or know and understand

Good luck getting anyone to take any action on an 8ft hedge that isn’t blocking light or blocking junction sightlines

Clearly they are nudists.

Edit: have they planted pampus grass?

why do you care?

So someone called flashes is wondering why the neighbours have put up an 8ft fence.

People at the bottom of our road put up a 6ft fence at the front, it’s now 3ft high as the council forced them to reduce it. In their case though the road curved around their front garden and it caused a serious blind spot, it also pissed off a lot of people as it was very ugly and very obvious. If it upsets you enough I’d quietly dob them in, seeing as they’ve already built it, clearly want the privacy and didn’t consult you in the first place I can’t see having a quiet word doing anything other than putting a target on your back.

If I wanted a fence that height and you made it so the council told me I couldn’t…..I’d plant a fast growing hedge.

Reckon it’s faster growing than it is burning?

Lol. I’m going to “hedge” a bet you have never actually tried to burn a living hedge…

I have not, but I reckon I could change its status as a “living” hedge inside of a month.

There could be a clause in the deeds too, there is in mine – no fences out front. Hasn’t stopped new neighbours over the road but hey, I don’t sit looking at it.

Without getting criminal charges or a kickin off the owners. Unlikely.

You’ll have a few goes at it or you’ll be at it a while.

You’d be better burning the fence.

Although you’ll need more than a keyboard.

So what actually happened in the end?

Working at a customers house last year, lovely old chap lived opposite an old garage,he had a small hedge then, then a supermarket bought the site and entrance directly opposite his front window, so he got a fencer to build a 6 foot fence, to stop car headlights shining in his front room, day and night, and people staring in.

When we here there a lady knocks on door and says she is from Planning dept,at LA, and that she had recieved complaints from anonymous persons about the height of fence probably about 2.5 fence panels and 6 foot high, and that enforcement action would be taken unless it was cut down, she didnt sem bothered about cars parked on footway ,lgvs delivering and lots of cars driving in and out.

He was really upset, that somebody had complained about his fence.

Drove past a few weeks ago and fence now half the size and a total loss of privacy.

I heard cougar burnt it down for him to price me wrong

Surely in the case of the car headlights above, just build a 6 foot fence 6 inches behind the boundary fence.  Then it would be classed as “elsewhere” than being adjacent to a highway, thus permitted?