Do You Need Planning Permission for a Fence in Hampshire?

The basic height limits

Fences, walls and gates fall under permitted development, which means you can build them without applying as long as you stay within set heights. The measurement is taken from natural ground level to the very top of the fence, and that includes any trellis and usually the gravel boards too.

If you are replacing an existing fence that is already taller than these limits, you can normally put back one of the same height, provided you do not make it any taller.

• Up to 2 metres high: no permission needed in most back and side gardens.
• Up to 1 metre high: the limit where the fence is next to a road used by vehicles, or the pavement alongside one.
• Anything taller than these: you need to apply for householder planning permission.

When the normal rules do not apply

The height limits assume your property still has its permitted development rights. In several common Hampshire situations it does not, and you may need permission even for a modest fence.

Living in a conservation area does not by itself stop you putting up a fence within the height limits, but taking down an existing wall or fence there can need permission if it is over 1 metre next to a road or over 2 metres elsewhere. Winchester, Alresford, Bishop's Waltham and many of the Itchen and Meon valley villages have conservation areas, so it is worth checking the map on your council's website.

• Listed buildings: any new fence, wall or gate within the grounds of a listed building needs planning permission, whatever its height.
• Open plan estates: many newer developments, including parts of Winchester, Whiteley and Chandler's Ford, were approved with a condition banning fences in front gardens.
• Article 4 directions: some streets have had permitted development rights removed by the council to protect their character.
• Restrictive covenants: your deeds may limit fencing separately from planning rules, which is common on new-build estates.

Fences next to roads, corners and driveways

The 1 metre rule beside a highway is the one that causes most disputes. It can apply to a side boundary on a corner plot as well as the front, and councils do not all read 'next to' in the same way. A fence set back a metre or two behind a verge or planting strip may still be treated as adjacent to the road.

Visibility matters as well. If a fence blocks the view for drivers pulling out of a junction or your own driveway, Hampshire County Council as the highway authority can object, even to a fence that is otherwise within the limits. On sloping plots, which are common around Winchester and the Downs, ask how the height will be measured, as a stepped fence can go over 2 metres at the low end of each bay.

Who to ask and what it costs

Planning decisions are made by your district or borough council, not the county. That means Winchester City Council, Test Valley, Eastleigh, East Hampshire, Basingstoke and Deane and so on. If you live inside the South Downs or New Forest National Park, the park authority is your planning authority instead.

If you do need to apply, expect a householder application fee of a few hundred pounds and a decision in around eight weeks. Check the current fee with your council, as it changes. Where things are unclear, you can apply for a Lawful Development Certificate, which costs roughly half the full fee and gives you written proof that the fence is allowed. That is useful when you come to sell.

Putting up a fence without the permission it needs risks an enforcement notice, and the usual result is having to lower or remove it at your own cost. A short email to the planning department with a sketch and the proposed height is free and normally settles it.