Most new fences in South Birmingham run down the side of a long, narrow back garden in Kings Heath, Stirchley, Hall Green or Northfield. At 2 metres or less, those need nobody's permission. The front of the house is a different matter. On the Bournville Estate the Bournville Village Trust has a say over every fence, front or back. In parts of Moseley, all of St Agnes and much of Selly Park, the council has removed the right to put up or change a front fence without planning permission.
Ground and Gate doesn't do the work. We pass your enquiry to one local fencing specialist who covers B13, B14, B28, B29, B30, B31 and B38, and they confirm a fixed price with you directly.
What a new fence costs in South Birmingham
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 |
The local difference is access. A typical terrace job here is 12 metres of 1.8m lap panels on concrete posts with the old fence taken away, which is about £940–£1,380. Where every panel, post and bag of postcrete has to go through the house or a shared tunnel entry, add 15–20%, which takes it to about £1,080–£1,660. On the Bournville Estate, a front boundary fence is limited to 1 metre, so the under-1m column is the one that applies there. The fence cost per metre guide has more worked examples.
What pushes the price up here
- Carrying through the house. The Victorian and Edwardian terraces in Kings Heath, Stirchley, Cotteridge and Selly Oak rarely have side access. Expect the 15–20% access uplift.
- Getting rid of the old fence. Removal adds £8–£15 a metre. Birmingham's tips don't admit commercial vehicles, and while Kings Norton tip on Lifford Lane is being rebuilt, no vans or trailers are allowed there at all. The specialist uses a registered waste carrier instead.
- The ground. Council appraisals describe Mercia Mudstone under Moseley, giving a clayish soil, with glacial sands and gravels on the higher ground towards St Agnes. Lower Selly Park has alluvial clay and silt. Heavy clay is slower to dig, and rubble or old concrete footings along the line add more time.
- Slopes. Gardens running down into the Rea valley often need stepped panels or raked featheredge.
- Matching the street. In the Bournville Trust and Article 4 areas, the specialist may need to match a style, colour or material rather than fit the cheapest panel.
Fences on the Bournville Estate
The Bournville Village Trust's 2024 design guide treats hedges as its preferred boundary and discourages walls and fences. Its main rules for fences are:
- A front fence or wall, if allowed at all, must match others in the street and be no more than 1 metre high.
- A front hedge must not be replaced with fencing. Removing a front hedge or original low wall will not usually be approved, unless it is to reach an approved parking space.
- Rear fences should match the colour and texture of others in the street and not normally exceed 2 metres.
- In the Trust's Modern Zone, open front gardens are kept open, and walls and fences are avoided completely.
The Trust says you need its permission for fencing and gates before any work starts, even if the plans already comply with the guide. Fencing is a minor application, which the Trust aims to decide within three weeks of it being validated, with no neighbour consultation. The Trust charges a fee for fencing and gates applications; its current price list has the figure. Trust tenants don't pay the fee, but still have to apply. You can check which zone your road is in with the Trust's online street checker. Its Historic Zone covers the same ground as the Bournville Village and Bournville Tenants conservation areas.
Article 4 roads in Moseley, St Agnes and Selly Park
Birmingham lists Article 4 Directions in six conservation areas in this patch: Moseley, St Agnes, Selly Park, Selly Park Avenues, Bournville Village and Austin Village. They don't all cover the same houses.
Moseley. The 2005 direction applies only to named roads: parts of Amesbury Road, Chantry Road, Church Avenue, Park Hill and Salisbury Road. On those houses, putting up or altering any gate, fence or wall that faces a road, waterway or open space needs planning permission. A rear fence facing a park counts.
St Agnes. Every house in the conservation area has been covered since July 2009. The council's 2022 appraisal favours the traditional sandstone or limestone walls, iron railings and wooden or iron gates. It also lists over-high party fences in unsuitable materials as one of the changes harming the area.
Selly Park. The 2009 direction covers putting up, taking down or altering a gate or fence at the front of the house. It lists the houses covered, including many on Oakfield Road, Selly Park Road and the west side of Pershore Road.
A back fence between two gardens is normally outside all of these directions. If you're unsure, the council's conservation team can tell you before you order panels.
What the job involves
- Checks. The specialist confirms who owns the boundary, whether you are on the Bournville Estate or an Article 4 road, and whether any part faces a road.
- Taking the old fence down. Panels and posts come out, old concrete footings are broken out where they are in the way, and the waste goes to a licensed site.
- Posts and panels. Posts are set in concrete, then gravel boards, panels or featheredge boards go on. Stepped panels follow a slope.
- Finishing. Capping, any stain you asked for, and a swept garden.
Questions about new fences in South Birmingham
Can I put a 1.8m fence along the front of my Bournville house?
Almost certainly not. The Bournville Village Trust limits front fences and walls to 1 metre, and only where they match others in the street. It prefers hedges, and in its Modern Zone it expects open front gardens with no fence at all. Apply to the Trust before you get quotes for anything at the front.
Does a new back fence on the Bournville Estate need the Trust's approval?
Yes. The Trust counts fences, walls and gates as minor applications and expects you to apply before work starts. A rear fence should match the colour and texture of others in the street and normally be no higher than 2 metres. There is a fee, set out on its current price list.
Which Moseley roads need planning permission for a new front fence?
Only the houses covered by the 2005 Article 4 Direction: parts of Amesbury Road, Chantry Road, Church Avenue, Park Hill and Salisbury Road. Elsewhere in the Moseley conservation area, a front fence up to 1 metre next to a road is usually permitted development. St Agnes, next door, is covered throughout.
Can I take my old fence panels to Kings Norton tip in a van?
Not while the site is being redeveloped. Veolia says no vans or trailers are allowed at Kings Norton during the works, though it still takes wood from residents in cars. Vans can book at Birmingham's other tips, but no commercial vehicles are admitted, so a fencing firm can't use them. Old fence removal at £8–£15 a metre covers that for you.