Garden fence 'adjacent' to footpath / road- help please

[ChrisOli]

Hi - im looking for some help and advice. I was unaware that I would need planning permission to add a fence topper to my existing wall and for our new brick pillars and wooden gates, however I now know I have made mistake due to a footpath running adjacent to my walls (its corner house) and any fence etc can only go a meter high. We applied for retrospective planning which was declined. I have now received an Enforcement Letter to take my fence, pillars and gates down 

 

My question is: What is clsssed as adjacent? Could I remove my fence from the top of my wall and put it on posts behind it thus the wall is adjacent but the fence not?

 

Also - How far from a footpath or road do i need to come onto my land to rebuild my pillars and gate to be over 1m? 

 

Any advice welcome

[Renegade105]

Hi,

 

sorry no advice but I’m in the same situation… we have a corner plot and for my rear garden, I would like to put a fence up on the inside of the current hedge, just for security. I was hoping for at least a standard fence panel height, who do you ask for advice on such things?

 

thanks

 

s

[ProDave]

It used to be more clear, simply putting a fence anywhere between the building line and the road needed PP.  Then it changed to "adjacent"  which is very subjective.

 

I remember one similar case here, where they had set the fence back from the road / path slightly, and the planning officer stood at the edge of the path and reached out and he could not touch the fence, therefore it was determined not to be "adjacent" 

 

If it would not make your garden too small, you could leave your low wall where it is and place a taller fence, just on wooden posts (in case it needs moving again) say 1 metre back from the low wall.  But you still won't know for sure if your particular council claims that to be "adjacent" unless they come and inspect it.

 

Or just plant a quick growing hedge right by your low wall.

[joe90]

8 minutes ago, ProDave said:

Or just plant a quick growing hedge right by your low wall.

Leylandii right next to the wall, lots of muck and water well. 

[joe90]

41 minutes ago, Renegade105 said:

I would like to put a fence up on the inside of the current hedge, just for security.

What is your hedge ? Leylandi, privet? If privet you could cut it back to the centre and put up chain link fence then the privet will grow back through it but you will be secure. Unfortunately leylandi won’t “green up” if you cut it back to the brown core. Personally I don’t like panel fences, they don’t last very long and tend to blow down, if you don’t mind trimming a couple of times a year a hedge looks better and lasts longer IMO.

[Renegade105]

Thanks guys. It more for security.

 

our front,side,and rear are adjacent to the road.

 

we have a hedge on the boundary anyway. Just on the inside of it we wish to have a fence as the hedge is basically a hot mess, and in winter is very see through!

 

will try to ask my planning officer.

 

let’s see.

 

thanks all.

 

s

[Trw144]

6 hours ago, Renegade105 said:

Thanks guys. It more for security.

 

our front,side,and rear are adjacent to the road.

 

we have a hedge on the boundary anyway. Just on the inside of it we wish to have a fence as the hedge is basically a hot mess, and in winter is very see through!

 

will try to ask my planning officer.

 

let’s see.

 

thanks all.

 

s

 

I had this issue - planners said my fence wasn't permitted (it's probably two meters back from the pavement/highway). They kicked up a fuss until I pointed out that I had planted a hornbeam hedge and therefore it isn't adjacent to the road. Eventually they backed down after I threatened to send them  dozens of similar examples locally to investigate for enforcement.

[Renegade105]

Thanks!   I think this is what I was hoping to hear

 

 

I will keep you updated, might help someone else in the future.