Driveway gates in North Birmingham are usually about security and keeping children and dogs off a busy road. On the larger interwar and detached houses in Handsworth Wood and parts of Great Barr, a pair of gates finishes off a new front wall. On a semi in Kingstanding or Hamstead, a lockable pair across a newly paved front garden is the common request.
Space is the main limit. Front gardens here are often only just deep enough for a car, and gates that swing inwards need room too. Three councils run the roads, and each sets its own minimum forecourt size before it will lower the kerb.
Ground and Gate doesn't do the work. We pass your enquiry to one local gate specialist who covers B6, B20, B23, B24, B42, B43 and B44, and they confirm a fixed price with you directly.
What driveway gates cost in North Birmingham
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 |
On a narrow frontage, a single gate or a pair of short leaves at the lower end of these ranges is typical. Handsworth Wood openings with brick piers and heavier metalwork sit towards the top. A pedestrian gate alongside adds £250–£700 depending on material. The driveway gates cost guide has worked examples, and side gates covers the gate down the side of the house.
What pushes the price up here
- Short forecourts. Where the car only just fits, a pair of shorter leaves, bi-folding gates or a slide may be needed so the gates clear the car. Sliding gates are priced after a visit.
- New piers or posts. Replacing a privet hedge or a low wall with gates usually means new posts or brick piers with proper footings. See garden walls.
- Drives that rise from the road. Inward-opening gates on a slope need rising hinges or a trimmed bottom rail.
- Solid timber on exposed corners. Close-boarded gates catch the wind, so posts and hinges must be heavier.
- Automation. Always surveyed. Power, slope and the safety devices all affect the price.
Gates, kerbs and forecourt depth by council
Birmingham (most of the patch). Birmingham's Dropped Crossings Policy (2026) says any gates across a vehicle entrance must open inwards, away from the highway, and that the council will take enforcement action if they open onto it. To get a crossing, your forecourt must be at least 4.75 metres deep from the back of the footway, and a vehicle may not project over the pavement. If inward-opening gates sit on the boundary, the car has to park clear of their swing, so allow for the leaf width on top of the car. In the Aston Hall and Church conservation area, planning permission is needed before a crossing can be applied for, and the crossing is built in materials to match the street.
Sandwell (Hamstead and parts of Great Barr). Sandwell's dropped kerb terms, revised in September 2026, ask for a garden at least 4.2 metres deep from the back of the footpath to the building line, and 2.75 metres wide. They list a bend or junction, a steep slope between garden and road, or a healthy street tree outside as reasons a kerb may be refused. Settle the gate position after the officer's visit, not before.
Walsall (Pheasey). Walsall wants a hardstanding at least 4.8 metres long from the front of the house to the boundary, and 2.8 metres wide. It will not build a crossing within 1 metre of a street tree.
The national rule applies everywhere: gates beside a road or its footway can be up to 1 metre high without planning permission. Our 1m rule guide explains it.
Great Barr: Article 4 and the old estate gates
Part of Walsall's Great Barr conservation area is covered by the Great Barr Conservation Area Article 4 Direction 1991. For the homes it covers, putting up, altering or taking down any gate, fence or wall needs planning permission, and so does making a new access onto a road that is not a trunk or classified road. That means a new pair of gates and a new drive opening both need an application there.
Walsall's 2024 consultation draft appraisal notes that ornate iron gates and piers, attributed to Sir Gilbert Scott, survive at Merrion's Lodge and Avenue Lodge on the old Great Barr Hall estate, with original park railings beside the A34. New gates nearby are judged against that setting. Walsall consulted on extending the Article 4 direction in 2024, so check the current boundary before you order gates.
Automated gates and safety
The Health and Safety Executive treats powered gates as machines. When first supplied, they come under the Supply of Machinery (Safety) Regulations 2008, and you should receive user instructions and a declaration of conformity. Health and safety law does not cover a householder's own gates, but HSE says owners may still be liable for harm the gates cause and should have them checked by a competent contractor. On a short forecourt next to a busy pavement, where children may walk past the gate line, safety edges and photocells matter even more.
What the job involves
- Survey. The specialist measures the opening and forecourt depth, checks the slope and confirms which council runs your road.
- Posts or piers. Heavy posts are set deep in concrete, or piers are built or repaired.
- Hanging. Gates are hung to open inwards, levelled, and fitted with drop bolts, stops and a lock.
- Automation, if chosen. Motors and safety devices are fitted, tested and handed over with paperwork.
Questions about driveway gates in North Birmingham
Will my Erdington gates fit if my front garden is 5 metres deep?
Possibly, but it is tight. Birmingham wants at least 4.75 metres for the car, and inward-opening gates on the boundary need their own swing space. On a short forecourt, the specialist may suggest a pair of short leaves, gates hung further in, or a sliding gate.
Do I need planning permission for new gates on the Walsall side of Great Barr?
If your home is covered by the Great Barr Article 4 direction, yes, for any new or altered gate and for a new access onto a minor road. Outside that area, gates up to 1 metre beside a road are usually permitted development. Walsall's planning team can confirm whether your address is included.
Can a street tree outside my Hamstead house stop me getting gates and a drive?
It can stop the dropped kerb, which makes the gates pointless. Sandwell says a crossing will be refused if a healthy street tree that benefits the street scene would be affected. In exceptional cases removal is agreed after a 28 day consultation, with the cost of a replacement tree added to your quote.
Can my gates in Handsworth Wood open out over the pavement to save space?
No. Birmingham's Dropped Crossings Policy says gates must open inwards, and the council will take enforcement action against gates that open onto the highway. If space is the problem, ask about a sliding gate or bi-fold leaves.