Before ordering fencing or garden screens, it's worth checking whether your planned height and position need planning permission. The rules below are general guidance for England — always confirm with your local planning authority before installing, since rules vary by nation and by property (this isn't legal advice, just a starting point).
The General Rule (England)
Under permitted development rights, you can usually put up a fence, wall, or gate without planning permission up to:
- 1 metre (around 3.3ft) high if it's next to a highway used by vehicles (including a pavement between the highway and your property boundary)
- 2 metres (around 6.5ft) high elsewhere on your property, including side and rear boundaries
Anything taller than these thresholds generally needs planning permission — though many councils will grant it for reasonable requests, especially for privacy.
Exceptions Worth Checking
- Conservation areas and listed buildings: often have tighter restrictions, sometimes on any boundary change at all
- New-build estates: may have restrictive covenants in the property deeds limiting fence height or style, separate from planning law
- Corner plots: visibility splay requirements near road junctions can restrict height even under the 1m threshold
- Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland: have their own planning frameworks — the thresholds above are England-specific
What This Means Practically
Our 4ft screens and 6ft panels cover the two most common permitted-development heights, so most gardens can install without needing permission. If you want a 7ft+ boundary for maximum privacy, check with your local authority first — it's a straightforward application in most cases, but worth doing before you order rather than after.
Boundary Ownership
Before installing anything on a boundary line, confirm which side owns it — check your property deeds or the Land Registry title plan. Installing on a neighbour's boundary without agreement is a common and avoidable dispute, regardless of planning permission.
Getting It Right First Time
For most gardens, this means: confirm ownership, check your intended height against the 1m/2m thresholds, and check for a conservation area designation on your council's website. Once confirmed, browse screens by height to find the right panels for your boundary.