Driveway gates here go on two very different fronts. On the village plots around Lichfield, in Whittington, Shenstone, Hopwas and Fazeley, there is usually room for a proper pair set well back from the lane. On Tamworth's estates, fronts are shallower, often open-plan, and a gate has to fit between the house and a busy pavement.
In both cases the gates sit where Staffordshire County Council's highway rules meet the borough or district's planning rules, so it pays to check the depth of the drive and the view from it before choosing a design.
Ground and Gate doesn't do the work. We pass your enquiry to one local gate specialist who covers WS13, WS14, B77, B78 and B79, and they confirm a fixed price with you directly.
What driveway gates cost in Lichfield & Tamworth
Prices are supply and fit for manual gates, including posts, hinges and a drop bolt, waste taken away. They are indicative for the West Midlands.
| Gate | Timber | Metal |
|---|---|---|
| Single driveway gate | £500–£900 | £800–£1,500 |
| Pair of driveway gates | £900–£1,800 | £1,500–£3,500 |
The rates are the same across the West Midlands. A single timber gate across a 3m drive on a Wilnecote or Amington estate sits at the bottom of the table. A metal pair hung on new brick piers at a village house sits near the top, and the piers are extra. Electric gates always get a free site visit first. The driveway gates cost guide has worked examples.
What pushes the price up here
- New piers. Field-edge and village boundaries often have no piers at all, so posts or brick piers have to be built first.
- Wide openings. Long village drives can need a wider pair than the standard 3–3.6m opening.
- Short drives. On a shallow estate front, a sliding gate or short bi-folding leaves may be the only way to keep the parking space clear, and both cost more than a simple pair.
- Planning first. On Article 4 houses and protected open-plan estates, the gates wait for permission.
- Automation. Power runs, safety edges and photocells are priced after a survey.
How far back gates need to sit
Staffordshire's dropped kerb criteria say there must be enough room on your land for a car to park without overhanging the highway. The desirable depth is 6 metres and the absolute minimum is 4.8 metres, measured at right angles to the road. Parking along the line of the road is not accepted.
That depth has to be clear of the gates when they are shut, and inward-opening leaves need room to swing as well. On a 5 metre Tamworth front, a pair of 1.8 metre leaves can leave too little space for the car, so the specialist may suggest a slide or a set-back gate line.
The county's standard crossing is 2.75 metres wide, and it will not approve a crossing that covers the whole width of a property. It normally allows only one crossing per house, so separate in and out gates on two dropped kerbs are not normally permitted. A crossing is generally refused within 15 metres of a road junction or traffic signals. See how to get a dropped kerb and the Lichfield and Tamworth area page.
Visibility: solid gates and tall piers
Staffordshire asks that a driver leaving the drive can see along the road in both directions from 2 metres back from the edge of the carriageway. The distance depends on the speed limit: 33 metres on a 20mph road, 70 metres at 30mph and 120 metres at 40mph. The county says that view must not be blocked by objects such as hedges or walls, and that drivers and pedestrians must be able to see each other at the footway.
Solid timber gates and tall piers right on the back of the pavement can do just that. Open railing-style gates, or piers kept low, help. Next to a road, gates over 1 metre also need planning permission under the national rules; see the 1m rule next to a road.
Article 4 houses, open-plan estates and the highway
Lichfield District. Article 4 schedules for named houses in Lichfield city, Whittington and Wigginton require planning permission for "the alteration, removal or erection of any gate, fence, wall or other means of enclosure". In Whittington that includes houses on Main Street, Church Street, Back Lane and The Green.
Tamworth Borough. Directions sealed in October 2008 cover 60 and 61 Albert Road, eight houses on Victoria Road, and 22, 24 and 30 Glascote Lane in Wilnecote. Putting up, altering or demolishing a gate there needs permission. Tamworth's Design SPD adds that some estates have open-plan fronts protected by the removal of permitted development rights, and that new vehicle access will not be allowed over open space or where it means losing trees.
Opening the right way. Under section 153 of the Highways Act 1980, gates onto a street must not open outwards, and the highway authority can require them to be altered.
Electric gates. HSE describes powered gates as machines that can cause serious or fatal injuries. Health and safety law does not apply to private householders, but they may still be liable for harm caused.
What the job involves
- Measure and check. Opening width, drive depth, visibility, slope and any Article 4 or open-plan controls.
- Posts or piers. Steel or timber posts set in concrete, or brick piers built on proper footings.
- Hanging. Gates hung to open inwards, with drop bolts, stops and a latch.
- Automation, if chosen. Motors and safety devices fitted after a separate survey.
Questions about driveway gates in Lichfield & Tamworth
Can I fit gates across a short drive in Tamworth?
Only if the car still fits behind them. Staffordshire wants at least 4.8 metres of parking depth, and ideally 6 metres, clear of the highway. Measure from the gate line, not the pavement. On a short front, a sliding gate is often the answer.
Will solid gates block the view from my Lichfield drive?
They can. Staffordshire wants drivers to see 33 metres each way on a 20mph road and 70 metres at 30mph, from 2 metres back, without hedges or walls in the way. Open-style gates and low piers keep that view clear.
Can I have in and out gates with two dropped kerbs in Lichfield or Tamworth?
Usually not. Staffordshire normally approves only one crossing per property, and separate in and out crossings are not normally permitted unless you can show a specific reason on the application.
Do the Whittington Article 4 houses need permission for new gates?
Yes. Lichfield District Council's Whittington schedule names houses on Main Street, Church Street, Back Lane, The Green and a few other roads, and for those, erecting or altering any gate, fence or wall needs planning permission.
Will Staffordshire approve a dropped kerb near a junction for my new gates?
Generally not within 15 metres of a road junction or traffic signals. Check that before ordering gates, since the gates are no use without a crossing.