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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 (and Part 11) · Part 2 Class A

Front Garden Wall & Gate Rules: The 1-Metre Highway Limit

Front walls, railings, gates and piers are Permitted Development under GPDO Part 2 Class A up to 1.0m high where they are next to a road used by vehicles (2.0m elsewhere). In a conservation area, demolishing an existing wall or gate of 1m or more beside a highway also needs permission. Check your design below.

If PD
£0
Application
£272
Decision
8 wks

Step 1 · Your project

Front Walls & Gates checker

What are you doing?
1.0m

From ground level to the top of the highest element – piers and finials included.

Is it adjacent to a road or pavement?
Is the property in a conservation area?
Listed building, or PD rights removed by condition/Article 4?

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

Part 2 Class A

Your 1.0m front boundary works are Permitted Development. No planning application is needed.

  • Height 1.0m is within the 1.0m limit.
  • Gates next to the highway must open inwards – outward-opening gates over the footway breach s.153 Highways Act 1980.
STREET ELEVATION – FRONT WALL, PIERS & GATE
MAX 1.0m NEXT TO HIGHWAY 1.0m PUBLIC FOOTPATHHIGHWAY USED BY VEHICLES

England fees & timings (from 1 April 2026)

Council application fee

£0

Part 2 Class A / Part 11

Lawful Development Certificate

£136

Optional proof for a sale

Decision time

0 weeks

Start 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

Front Walls & Gates: the statutory limits in England

  • 1.0m maximum for a wall, fence, gate or railing adjacent to a highway used by vehicles, including its footway.
  • 2.0m maximum elsewhere – for example a side boundary not next to a road.
  • Gate piers, finials, coping and railings on top of a dwarf wall all count towards the height.
  • In a conservation area, demolishing a wall, gate or fence that is 1m or more high next to a highway (2m elsewhere) needs planning permission.
  • Gates must not open outwards over the highway (Highways Act 1980, s.153).
  • No Class A rights within the curtilage of a listed building.

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 Front Garden Walls & Gates
Primary legislation Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) Order 2015 (SI 2015/596), as amended
GPDO Schedule / Part Schedule 2, Part 2 (and Part 11)
Class Part 2 Class A – means of enclosure; Part 11 Class C – demolition of gates, fences & walls
Exact reference GPDO 2015 Sch.2 Pt.2 Class A, A.1(a)–(d); Pt.11 Class C; TCPA 1990 s.196D
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 Listed building curtilages and estates with Article 4 or open-plan conditions have no Class A rights.

Avoid enforcement

The 3 most common homeowner traps

Trap #1

Forgetting the gate piers

A 0.9m dwarf wall looks compliant, but 1.3m brick piers with stone caps either side of the gate take the structure over 1m. The limit applies to every part of the enclosure, including piers, finials, lamps and automated gate motors fixed on top.

Trap #2

Railings on top of an existing wall

Adding 600mm railings to a 700mm wall gives a 1.3m enclosure. As an alteration, it is only PD if the result is no higher than the former height or 1m, whichever is greater – so it usually needs permission next to a road.

Trap #3

Knocking down a wall for parking in a conservation area

Removing a front wall to create a driveway seems simple, but in a conservation area demolition of a 1m+ wall next to a highway needs planning permission – and the dropped kerb needs separate highway consent. Councils often resist losing historic boundary walls.

Separate legal regimes

Building Regulations vs planning permission

Front boundary walls are outside Building Regulations, but you are still responsible for safety and highway law:

Structural stability
Use adequate foundations and movement joints; piers carrying heavy gates need reinforced cores – failure onto a footway can create public liability.
Retaining walls
If the wall holds back raised soil next to the pavement, it is a retaining wall and should be designed by an engineer; the highway authority may need to approve it.
Electric gates
Powered gates must comply with the Supply of Machinery (Safety) Regulations and BS EN 12453 safety-edge requirements; the power supply is notifiable Part P work.
Visibility splays
Highway authorities can require walls near driveways and corners to be kept low for visibility (Highways Act 1980, s.79).

A new front wall built astride the boundary with your neighbour needs a Section 1 notice under the Party Wall etc. Act 1996 at least one month before work; excavating within 3m of their structure below its foundations needs a Section 6 notice (one month).

FAQs

Front Walls & Gates: frequently asked questions

How high can a front garden wall be without planning permission?

1.0m if it is next to a highway used by vehicles (including the pavement), measured from ground level to the top including piers and coping. Above that you need a planning application (£272 in England from April 2026).

Do I need planning permission for new front gates?

Not if the gates and piers are no higher than 1.0m next to a highway (2m elsewhere) and the house is not listed. Gates must open inwards, and any new vehicle access may need a dropped kerb licence.

Can I demolish my front wall in a conservation area?

Walls, gates and fences under 1m high next to a highway (under 2m elsewhere) can be demolished without permission. Anything 1m or taller beside a highway needs planning permission for ‘relevant demolition’.

Can I add railings on top of my front wall?

Only if the combined height stays within 1m next to a highway (or no higher than the original enclosure, if that was taller). Most railing additions to dwarf walls exceed this and need permission.

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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