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GPDO 2015 England Permitted Development rules · statutory fees effective 1 April 2026

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Boundaries & Frontages Schedule 2, Part 2 · 2m / 1m rule

Fence & Trellis Height Rules: Do You Need Planning Permission?

Most garden fences in England are Permitted Development under Schedule 2, Part 2, Class A of the GPDO 2015 – but only up to 2.0m high, or 1.0m where the fence sits next to a road used by vehicles. Trellis, capping and gravel boards all count towards that height. Set your boundary details below for an instant verdict, diagram and builder spec sheet.

If PD
£0
Application
£272
Decision
8 wks

Step 1 · Your project

Fences & Trellis checker

Where is the fence?

A highway used by vehicles includes the pavement running beside the road. A footpath-only public right of way does not trigger the 1m limit.

1.8m

Measure from natural ground level beside the fence to the top of the highest element.

Is there trellis or a topper on the panels?
Is the house a listed building (or within its curtilage)?
Have boundary PD rights been removed by condition or Article 4?

Common on open-plan new-build estates. Check the original planning decision notice on your council’s planning portal.

Rules reflect the GPDO 2015 (England) for houses. Flats, maisonettes, listed buildings and Article 4 areas have restricted rights. Disclaimer.

Step 2 · Live statutory assessment

Permitted Development – No Application Needed

2m / 1m rule

Your 1.8m fence falls within Schedule 2, Part 2, Class A of the GPDO 2015. You can erect, replace or alter it without applying to the council.

  • Height 1.8m is within the 2.0m limit for rear and side boundaries.
  • Not a listed building, so Part 2 Class A boundary rights can apply.
  • No planning condition or Article 4 Direction removing boundary rights.
  • Trellis counts: the limit is measured to the top of the trellis, not the top of the panel.
BOUNDARY ELEVATION – HEIGHT CHECK
TRELLIS STATUTORY MAX 2.0m 1.8m YOUR GARDEN NEIGHBOUR'S GARDEN NATURAL GROUND LEVEL 0.0m

England fees & timings (from 1 April 2026)

Council application fee

£0

Automatic right under Part 2 Class A

Lawful Development Certificate

£136

Optional proof for a future sale

Decision time

0 weeks

Start work immediately

Applying online via the Planning Portal adds a £91 service charge (inc. VAT).

Builder & neighbour spec sheet

Export these exact limits and your answers to share with your contractor.

At a glance

Fences & Trellis: the statutory limits in England

  • 2.0m maximum height for a new, replacement or altered fence, wall or gate that is not adjacent to a highway used by vehicles.
  • 1.0m maximum where the enclosure is adjacent to a highway used by vehicular traffic – the pavement beside a road is part of that highway.
  • Height is measured from natural ground level to the very top of the structure, so trellis, post caps and gravel boards all count.
  • Maintaining or improving an existing fence is permitted provided it ends up no higher than its former height or the 1m/2m limit, whichever is greater.
  • Class A rights do not apply within the curtilage of a listed building, and are often removed on open-plan estates by planning condition or an Article 4 Direction.
  • Hedges are not ‘means of enclosure’ and have no planning height limit, but evergreen hedges over 2m can be challenged under the High Hedges regime (Anti-social Behaviour Act 2003, Part 8).

Statutory reference

Legislation summary & 2026 fee table

England statutory planning fees effective 1 April 2026. Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland operate different regimes.

GPDO legislation and fee summary for Fences, Walls & Trellis
Primary legislation Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) Order 2015 (SI 2015/596), as amended
GPDO Schedule / Part Schedule 2, Part 2
Class Class A – gates, fences, walls & other means of enclosure
Exact reference GPDO 2015 Sch.2 Pt.2 Class A, paras A.1(a)–(d)
Standard application fee £272 – Outbuildings, walls, fences & gates
Lawful Development Certificate (proposed) £136 – optional proof the works are lawful
Planning Portal service charge £91 (inc. VAT) if submitted online
Council determination period 8 weeks
Key exclusions Rights do not apply to enclosures around a listed building, or where removed by condition or Article 4 Direction.

Avoid enforcement

The 3 most common homeowner traps

Trap #1

Adding trellis to a 1.8m fence

The classic mistake: a standard 6ft (1.83m) panel on a 150mm gravel board is already 1.98m. Add a 300mm trellis and you are at 2.28m – over the limit even though each component looks ‘normal’. Always measure the finished height from the ground to the top of the trellis or post cap.

Trap #2

Measuring from the higher side of a sloping boundary

Height is taken from natural ground level, not from a raised bed, patio or retaining wall you have built up. Where ground levels differ either side of the boundary, councils commonly assess the height from the neighbour’s lower side – so a fence that looks 1.8m from your garden can measure 2.3m from theirs and attract enforcement.

Trap #3

Corner plots and ‘back’ gardens beside a road

The 1.0m limit applies wherever the fence is adjacent to a highway used by vehicles – including the side boundary of a corner plot that runs along a road, even if it encloses your private rear garden. Many corner-plot owners put up 1.8m panels and receive enforcement letters.

Separate legal regimes

Building Regulations vs planning permission

Garden fences and freestanding walls are generally outside the Building Regulations 2010, but other legal duties still apply even when no planning permission is needed:

Structural safety
Freestanding walls are exempt from Building Control, but you remain liable if one collapses. Brick walls approaching 2m need adequate foundations and piers – follow BRE/industry guidance for height-to-thickness ratios.
Boundary ownership
Check your title plan (HM Land Registry) and any T-marks in the deeds before replacing a fence. PD rights do not give you the right to build on a neighbour’s land.
Restrictive covenants
Estate covenants limiting fence heights or front enclosures are a separate private-law restriction and can be enforced even where the planning position is clear.
Highway visibility
Under section 79 of the Highways Act 1980 a highway authority can require walls or fences that obstruct visibility at corners and junctions to be altered.

The Party Wall etc. Act 1996 only applies to fences in limited cases: building a new masonry wall astride the boundary needs a Section 1 notice at least one month before work, and excavating foundations within 3m of a neighbour’s structure (and deeper than its foundations) needs a Section 6 notice, also one month. A timber fence built wholly on your land needs no notice.

FAQs

Fences & Trellis: frequently asked questions

Does trellis count towards the 2m fence height limit?

Yes. Under Part 2 Class A the height limit applies to the whole means of enclosure, so trellis, toppers, post caps and gravel boards are all included. A 1.8m fence with 0.3m trellis is 2.1m and needs a planning application (£272 in England from 1 April 2026) unless you lower it.

Can I put a 2m fence in my front garden?

Only if the fence is not adjacent to a highway used by vehicles. Most front boundaries run along a road or pavement, so the limit there is 1.0m. A 2m fence on a front boundary next to a road needs planning permission, and councils frequently refuse tall front fences on design and visibility grounds.

My neighbour’s fence is over 2m – what can I do?

Report it to your council’s planning enforcement team, who can require a retrospective application or reduction. Enforcement is discretionary. For works substantially completed on or after 25 April 2024 the immunity period in England is 10 years (previously 4), following the Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023.

Do I need my neighbour’s permission to replace a boundary fence?

Not for planning purposes. If the fence is yours (check the title plan) you can replace it within PD limits. You will need consent to go onto their land; if refused, the Access to Neighbouring Land Act 1992 allows a court order for necessary repairs.

Sources: The Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) Order 2015 and amendments (legislation.gov.uk); MHCLG ‘Permitted development rights for householders: technical guidance’; the Town and Country Planning (Fees for Applications…) (England) Regulations 2012 as amended; Building Regulations 2010 Approved Documents; Party Wall etc. Act 1996. Last reviewed 15 October 2026. See our editorial standards and disclaimer.

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