Think the garden wall height regulations UK are the same for all walls? They're not, in fact there's double the difference

Building a garden wall is a popular choice for creating a boundary on your property, but you aren't just free to build one as high as you want.

While the material you use to build the wall isn't always an issue, there are garden wall height regulations in the UK that you must adhere to if you want to avoid applying for planning permission, or potentially ending up in a dispute with your neighbours.

We asked planning expert, Simon Rix, to explain the garden wall height regulations UK, so you can make sure your garden wall ideas won't need to come tumbling down.

Simon Rix

Simon Rix is a professional planning consultant, who began his career working in local government in the 1990s. He was a council officer and later an elected councillor, so he knows how the planning system works from both sides. He went on to set up Planix.UK Planning Consultants Ltd; a consultancy company that advises self builders, home extenders and those taking on small to medium-sized building projects, about planning permission.

Why location matters for garden wall height regulations

Understanding if your garden wall comes under permitted development or not primarily comes down to two things. The height of the wall and where it is located.

However, the difference in height is quite substantial depending on whereabouts on your land the wall is being built, so it's vitally important to ensure you don't confuse this matter.

"Under Permitted Development Rights in the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) Order 2015, you can generally build a wall without planning permission as long as it’s no higher than 2m overall," says Simon Rix, founder of Planix.uk

"However, if it's next to a highway (including a footpath), there's a big difference in the permitted height," warns Simon.

"Walls fronting a road or highway are treated differently, which means there is a 1m height limit applied to anything next to a road, pavement, or other highway." This could potentially impact on your choice of front garden wall ideas if you don't want to go through the planning process.

"Rear and side garden walls, where not adjacent to a highway, however benefit from the higher 2m limit," confirms Simon, giving you potentially more options and choices for your garden screening ideas.

When you need to apply for planning permission for garden walls

As well as needing to apply for planning permission for garden walls that exceed the relevant boundary heights, in the same was you will need planning permission for fences in certain places, there are also other occasions when you may need to adhere to stricter garden wall height regulations.

"You'll need planning permission," says Simon, "if the wall exceeds the height limits mentioned above, your property is listed, or the wall is within the curtilage of a listed building." And, according to the Planning Portal, this can include a wall forming a boundary with a neighbouring listed building, or the curtilage thereof.

"Likewise, if you're in a conservation area, and the wall forms part of a boundary or streetscape feature, you'll also need planning permission," adds Simon.

"It's also important for homeowners to understand that if for any reason the wall is part of a wider development not covered by permitted development, the same conditions will apply to the wall."

FAQs

Do the same garden wall height regulations UK apply to replacing walls?

According to the Planning Portal, while garden walls should adhere to the height restrictions, you can still be exempt from needing to get approval: "if an existing fence, wall or gate already exceeds the limits above, that the height would not be increased."

However, as per the previous points when planning permission is required, this applies to whether you are replacing a wall or building a new one.

Will different materials incur additional regulations?

"Not usually, in terms of whether permission is required," says Simon. "However, materials can be a factor in planning decisions where the wall is in a Conservation Area or Article 4 Direction applies, as local authorities may require materials to match local character.

"Building regulations may also apply if the wall supports a structure or is part of a retaining wall over a certain height," he adds and "poor quality or incongruous materials could be considered harmful to visual amenity, and this may form part of a planning refusal."

Simon's final advice regarding garden wall height regulations? Make sure you have all the facts to hand before you start, especially if you are looking at garden walls on a boundary.

"Understanding ownership and maintenance responsibilities for garden walls can help prevent boundary disputes, so make sure you check your deeds and the Land Registry to confirm who owns what.

"Many local authorities also publish their own guidance on boundaries or design codes, especially in heritage or rural areas" adds Simon, "so it is always worth checking with these first before you being the process or removing, replacing or constructing a new wall."

Given the rules for walls and fences are similar, weigh up the pros and cons of fence vs wall before you decide on your final boundary choice.