It is one of the first questions we get asked when quoting for a new garden wall. The good news is that most garden walls do not need planning permission. Here is a plain English guide to the rules, and the cases where you do need to check.
The basic height rules
Walls, fences and gates usually fall under permitted development, which means you can build them without applying for planning permission as long as you stay within a few limits:
- Up to 1 metre high if the wall is next to a road, footpath or highway used by vehicles. This covers most front garden walls.
- Up to 2 metres high anywhere else, such as boundary walls between back gardens.
The height is measured from the ground level next to the wall. On sloping sites, where the ground is higher on one side, it is worth getting advice before building close to the limit.
When you will need permission
- The wall is taller than the limits above
- Your home is a listed building, or the wall forms its boundary
- You are in a conservation area and the work involves demolishing or altering an existing wall
- Permitted development rights have been removed for your property, which sometimes happens on newer estates
In Bexleyheath, Welling, Sidcup and the rest of the borough, applications go to Bexley Council. In Dartford it is Dartford Borough Council, and in Swanley it is Sevenoaks District Council.
Do not forget the Party Wall Act
If the new wall is built on the boundary line itself, or you are doing work to an existing shared wall, the Party Wall etc. Act 1996 may apply. That means giving your neighbour notice before work starts. It is separate from planning, and it is much easier to deal with up front than halfway through a job.
Building it properly matters more
Whether or not you need permission, the thing that decides how long your wall lasts is how it is built: a proper footing down to firm ground, the right wall thickness for its height, a damp proof course, copings to shed water and movement joints in longer walls. See our garden walls page for how we build them, or get in touch for a free quote.
This guide is general information only. Rules can change and every site is different, so always check with your local council if you are unsure.