A new fence in Coventry is usually one of two jobs. Behind the house, it is a long run of featheredge or panels down a narrow Earlsdon or Chapelfields garden, or along the side of a Coundon or Styvechale semi. At the front, it is a low boundary onto the street, and that is where Coventry's rules are tighter than many people expect, especially in Earlsdon.
Ground and Gate doesn't do the work. We pass your enquiry to one local fencing specialist who covers CV1 to CV8, and they confirm a fixed price with you directly.
What a new fence costs in Coventry
Rates are per metre, supply and fit, waste included, indicative for the West Midlands.
| Style | Under 1m | About 1.2m | About 1.8m |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overlap panels | £36–£54 | £48–£72 | £60–£90 |
| Featheredge / closeboard | £57–£81 | £76–£108 | £95–£135 |
| Slatted / contemporary | £78–£114 | £104–£152 | £130–£190 |
| Post and rail | £24–£39 | £32–£52 | £40–£65 |
Then add:
| Extra | Per metre |
|---|---|
| Concrete posts instead of timber | about £10 |
| Removing and taking away the old fence | £8–£15 |
These are our standard West Midlands ranges. In Coventry, the terraced streets push jobs towards the top of each band, because materials and waste often go through the house. On the 1930s semis, a 1.8m featheredge run on concrete posts is the usual choice. At the front, a low picket or post-and-rail fence under a metre costs a fraction of the 1.8m rate. The fence cost per metre guide has worked examples.
What pushes the price up here
- Carrying through the house. Most Earlsdon and Chapelfields terraces have no side access, so every panel, post and bag of concrete goes through the hall. Expect about 15–20% on top.
- Long, thin gardens. Two long side runs on a terrace add up quickly, even at modest heights.
- Taking the old fence away. Removal adds £8–£15 a metre, unless you plan to take it to the tip yourself.
- Front-boundary design. Where the council's design guidance or an Article 4 direction applies, the right material may be brick, railings or a hedge rather than the cheapest timber.
- Concrete posts. Worth the extra on exposed boundaries on the open edges of Allesley, Keresley and Eastern Green.
Article 4 streets in Earlsdon, Brownshill Green and Stoneleigh Road
Coventry has used Article 4 directions to take away the normal right to put up front fences without planning permission in three residential areas.
Earlsdon. The direction, made in March 2022 and confirmed in September 2022, covers every property on 38 streets, including Earlsdon Avenue North and South, Albany Road, Spencer Avenue, Warwick Avenue and Styvechale Avenue. It removes permitted development for putting up or altering any gate, fence, wall or other enclosure that fronts the public realm. It also covers new hard surfaces visible from the street and new accesses to the road. A new front fence on these streets needs planning permission, whatever its height.
Brownshill Green. The same controls on fronts, hard surfaces and new accesses apply to properties within the conservation area boundary on Wall Hill Road, Hawkes Mill Lane, Browns Lane and Long Lane.
Stoneleigh Road. An older direction from 1992 is still on the council's list. The council's note says it covers front boundaries and hard surfaces in the strip running 5 metres back from the front boundary.
Fences that do not face a street or other public land, such as most rear fences between gardens, are not caught by these directions, though the usual 2-metre limit still applies. Use the council's online planning map to check whether your house is inside a boundary.
Coventry's design guidance for front boundaries
If a front fence needs planning permission anyway, Coventry judges it against its Householder Design Guide, adopted in 2023. Principle 9 says boundary treatments visible from public land should add to the character of the street, that boundaries more than 1.2 metres high next to the highway will be discouraged, and that wooden shiplap fencing should only be used at the rear. The guide also lists close-boarded fencing fronting public areas as an example of poor-quality boundary treatment.
Two highway points also affect front fences. Coventry's dropped-kerb guidance asks for the existing boundary fence, wall or hedge to be kept along the part of the frontage not used by the crossing. It also asks for a 2 metre by 2 metre pedestrian visibility splay where a drive meets the pavement. So a tall solid fence right up to the edge of the drive on a corner or busy road can count against a future kerb application. The national height rules are in our guide to the 1m rule next to a road.
Getting rid of the old fence
Most specialists price removal in and take the timber away. If you would rather take it yourself, the council's Household Recycling and Reuse Centre on Bar Road, off London Road (CV3 4AN), accepts wood. It is for Coventry residents only, by booking, with proof of address. Cars, small vans, 4x4s and cars with trailers are allowed, and staff won't help you unload. If the waste isn't from your own address, the person it belongs to must come with you. Residents of Balsall Common and Meriden use Solihull's site instead.
What the job involves
- Checks. The specialist confirms the boundary line, any shared ownership, and whether the fence is at the front or inside an Article 4 area.
- Taking down. The old fence comes out, and old concrete footings are broken out where they are in the way.
- Posts. New posts are set in concrete, with gravel boards on concrete-post fences.
- Panels or boards. Panels go in, or featheredge is built on site, and the waste leaves with the crew. If you also need a gate in the run, see side gates.
Questions about new fences in Coventry
Do I need planning permission for a front fence on Earlsdon Avenue?
Yes. Earlsdon Avenue North and South are among the 38 streets covered by Coventry's Earlsdon Article 4 direction, which removes the right to put up a gate, fence or wall fronting the street without permission. A fence between back gardens that does not face a street or public path is not affected.
Can I put up a close-boarded fence along the front of my Coventry house?
At the front, it is unlikely to find favour if it needs planning permission. Coventry's Householder Design Guide lists close-boarded fencing fronting public areas as poor quality and discourages boundaries over 1.2 metres next to the highway. Railings, a low wall or a hedge usually fit better.
Will Bar Road tip take fence panels from my Coundon garden?
Yes, if you live in Coventry and book a slot. The site accepts wood and allows cars, small vans and trailers, but you need proof of address and must unload the panels yourself.
Is there an Article 4 direction in Brownshill Green?
Yes. It covers properties within the conservation area boundary on Wall Hill Road, Hawkes Mill Lane, Browns Lane and Long Lane, and removes the right to put up front gates, fences and walls without planning permission.