Driveway gates are common in Solihull, especially on the detached houses of Knowle, Dorridge, Bentley Heath and Hockley Heath, where a pair of timber or metal gates finishes off a long drive. Closer to town, on the semis of Shirley and Olton, the drive is shorter and the gate question is different: is there room to shut a gate behind the car at all?
Ground and Gate doesn't do the work. We pass your enquiry to one local gate specialist who covers the B90 to B94, B36 and B37 postcodes, and they confirm a fixed price with you directly.
What driveway gates cost in Solihull
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 |
In Solihull, more jobs sit towards the top of these ranges than in inner Birmingham. Wide openings on Knowle and Dorridge plots need heavier frames, and many owners want new brick piers or automation, which is always priced after a survey. A replacement single timber gate on a Shirley side drive sits at the bottom. The driveway gates cost guide has worked examples.
What pushes the price up here
- Width. Solihull lets a single dropped kerb run to 3.6 metres, and big plots often want the gate opening to match, which means heavier leaves and posts.
- Setting the gates back. The council's 6-metre rule (below) often means new posts or piers well inside the plot rather than reusing the old ones at the pavement.
- Brick piers. Matching new piers to an existing brick front wall adds footings and bricklaying.
- Clay ground. Solihull's drainage guide describes the borough's soils as predominantly clay, so gate posts need deep, well-concreted footings to stop them leaning.
- Automation. Motors, safety edges and photocells are surveyed and priced on site.
Solihull's highway rules for gates
Solihull's dropped-kerb guidance notes, revised for 2026, include a rule that catches many people out. Gates fitted across a vehicle entrance:
- must be at least 6 metres from the face of the kerb
- may in no circumstances open outwards across the footpath or road, as section 153 of the Highways Act 1980 requires
- will require planning consent, in the council's own words
The 6 metres is measured from the kerb face, so on a road with a wide pavement or verge, part of that distance is already taken up before you reach your boundary. On a short Shirley or Olton frontage the gates may end up close to the house, or not fit at all.
The same notes ask for at least 5.5 metres of depth inside the property so a parked car doesn't overhang the footway, and an opening of at least 2.7 metres where a wall or hedge is cut back. They also say roads with a 30mph limit or higher need greater clear visibility, and a crossing can be refused or modified on safety grounds.
Section 153 itself is national law: a gate on premises that opens onto a street must not open outwards, and the highway authority can serve notice to have it altered. On a drive that slopes up from the road, that is why specialists use rising hinges, a pair of shorter leaves or sliding gates rather than letting a leaf swing towards the pavement. For the national height rule, see the 1m rule next to a road.
Conservation areas and boundary changes
Solihull has 20 conservation areas, including Knowle, Olton, Station Approach Dorridge, Hampton-in-Arden, Malvern Hall and Brueton Avenue, and Warwick Road. The council's general guidance says that inside a conservation area, taking down a gate, fence or wall 1 metre or more high next to a highway needs planning permission. Widening an old entrance for new gates usually means doing exactly that. On White House Way, the 1960s estate off Blossomfield Road, the houses carry an Article 4 direction and the appraisal values the open-plan fronts, so gates there need an early conversation with planning@solihull.gov.uk.
Automated gates
The Health and Safety Executive describes powered gates as machines that must be properly designed, installed and maintained to avoid serious, even fatal, injuries. When first installed they fall under the Supply of Machinery (Safety) Regulations 2008, and you are entitled to user instructions and a Declaration of Conformity. Health and safety law doesn't apply to a householder's private gates, but HSE says the owner may still be liable for harm they cause. Your specialist will survey the swing or slide path, the slope and the power supply before quoting. If you are also thinking about a new fence or side gates, mention it on the same enquiry.
What the job involves
- Measure and check. The specialist measures the opening, the distance from the kerb face and the slope, and checks the conservation-area position.
- Posts or piers. New posts are concreted in, or brick piers built on proper footings, at the agreed set-back.
- Hanging. The gates are hung to open inwards, with a drop bolt, stops and a latch, and adjusted so they swing clear of the drive.
- Automation, if chosen. Motors, controls and safety devices are fitted and tested, and the paperwork handed over.
Questions about driveway gates in Solihull
How far back from the road do driveway gates need to be in Solihull?
Solihull's guidance notes say there must be at least 6 metres from the face of the kerb to the gates. Measure from the kerb, not from your boundary, because the pavement and any verge count towards the 6 metres.
Can my new gates in Dorridge open towards the road if the drive slopes?
No. Solihull's guidance and section 153 of the Highways Act 1980 both say gates must not open outwards over the footpath or road. On a slope, ask about rising hinges, a pair of shorter leaves or a sliding gate.
Do I need permission to widen my entrance for gates in Knowle?
Inside the Knowle conservation area, demolishing a wall, fence or gate 1 metre or more high next to the road needs planning permission, and Solihull's kerb guidance says gates across a vehicle entrance need planning consent. Ask the council before the old wall comes down.
Will Solihull still lower the kerb if I add gates later?
The kerb decision looks at depth, width and visibility. If gates are planned, show them on the application at the right set-back, so the 5.5-metre parking depth and the 6-metre gate distance both work on your frontage.