What is the maximum fence height next to a road?

Roadside boundaries are governed by a tighter rule than the rest of the garden, and getting it wrong is a common and avoidable mistake. Here is exactly how the 1 metre limit works and what counts as 'next to a road'.

The 1 metre roadside limit

Permitted development rights in England allow many boundary structures without a planning application, but they cap the height more tightly next to roads. Where a fence, wall or gate is adjacent to a highway used by vehicles, or next to the footpath that runs alongside such a highway, the maximum height you can build without permission is 1 metre.

This is the rule that governs most front boundaries and any side boundary running along a road. It is markedly lower than the 2 metre allowance for boundaries between gardens, and it applies to the whole structure measured from the higher adjacent ground level, including posts, gravel boards and any trellis or topper.

What counts as a 'highway used by vehicles'

The lower limit is tied to whether the boundary adjoins a highway used by vehicles. In practice this means ordinary public roads and streets carrying motor traffic, and the footpaths immediately alongside them. The key points are:

• A boundary fronting a normal residential road or street is treated as roadside, so the 1 metre limit applies.
• The footpath alongside a vehicle road is included, so a fence behind the pavement still counts.
• A footpath, bridleway or alley that is not alongside a vehicle highway is treated differently and does not automatically trigger the 1 metre limit.
• Private driveways and shared private accesses can be less clear-cut.

If you are unsure whether your particular boundary counts as adjacent to a highway used by vehicles, the local planning authority or the highway authority can confirm. Getting this right matters, because it determines whether your permitted height is 1 metre or 2.

Which boundaries are subject to the 1 metre roadside limit. Source: Planning Portal permitted development guidance.

Visibility splays at junctions and accesses

Near junctions, bends and the points where a drive meets the road, road safety needs more than just a low fence. The council or highway authority may require a visibility splay: a triangular zone at the boundary kept clear of anything above a low level (often well under 1 metre) so that drivers can see along the road and pedestrians can be seen.

Visibility splays are most relevant on corner plots and where you are creating or altering a vehicle access. Even a fence within the 1 metre limit can be a problem if it sits inside a required splay, and conditions on a planning permission or an estate layout may specify exactly what must be kept clear. If your boundary is near a junction or you are putting in a new crossover, check the splay requirements before building, as these are about keeping clear lines of sight rather than the general 1 metre height rule.

Building higher than 1 metre next to a road

If you want a taller roadside boundary for privacy, security or noise, you can apply for planning permission for the extra height. The decision turns heavily on highway safety and the street scene:

• The council will assess whether a taller fence harms visibility, particularly near junctions and accesses.
• It will consider whether a high roadside fence is out of character with neighbouring open or low frontages.
• Local policies in some areas actively discourage tall front and roadside boundaries.

Because of the safety dimension, permission for tall roadside fences is not a formality. A pre-application enquiry is worthwhile before committing. Many homeowners achieve the screening they want with a low boundary plus set-back planting or a hedge, which can give height and privacy without breaching the limit or harming sightlines. A lawful development certificate can also formally confirm that a proposed roadside boundary needs no permission, giving certainty before you build.

Other roadside considerations

A few extra checks apply to roadside boundaries. Developer covenants on newer estates often restrict or prohibit front and roadside fences to keep open frontages, and these are enforceable separately from planning. If the property is listed or in a conservation area, additional consents may apply even to a low boundary. And where the boundary forms part of the highway-adjacent land, the highway authority may have requirements about what can be placed near the carriageway. Taking the 1 metre limit, any visibility splay, covenants and conservation status together gives you the complete picture before you build a fence next to a road.

Frequently asked questions

Sources & further reading

• Planning Portal — fences, gates and garden walls
• GOV.UK — when you need planning permission
• GOV.UK — lawful development certificates

Figures on this page are typical UK ranges drawn from published sources and depend on your specific garden. They are guidance, not a quotation.