Fence jobs in Sutton Coldfield tend to be long. Rear boundaries in Four Oaks and Little Aston can run for 40 metres or more, and many of them back onto another large garden, a golf course or woodland. The other common job is a side or front boundary on a semi in Mere Green, Wylde Green or Boldmere, where the fence sits close to the road.
What makes this patch different is who else has a say. Parts of it are a private estate with its own company, parts sit in conservation areas run by three different councils, and a few streets have extra planning controls on fences and gates.
Ground and Gate doesn't do the work. We pass your enquiry to one local fencing specialist who covers B72, B73, B74, B75, B76 and WS9, and they confirm a fixed price with you directly.
What a new fence costs in Sutton Coldfield
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 |
| Extra | Per metre |
|---|---|
| Concrete posts instead of timber | about £10 |
| Removing and taking away the old fence | £8–£15 |
The rates are the same across the West Midlands. What changes here is the length. A 40 metre run of 1.8m featheredge on concrete posts, with the old fence removed, works out at roughly £4,500 to £6,400 from the table above, so measuring properly matters. Longer runs usually come in nearer the bottom of each range because set-up and travel are spread over more fence. The fence cost per metre guide has worked examples.
What pushes the price up here
- Length and access. On a deep Four Oaks or Little Aston plot, posts, concrete and old panels may have to travel 30 metres or more by barrow. A carry through the house adds 15–20%.
- Old concrete footings. Many older boundaries have posts set in concrete. Breaking them out is slow, and it is part of why removal is priced at £8–£15 a metre.
- Choice of style. Where estate or conservation guidance favours timber that looks like it belongs, featheredge or a softer post and rail is more likely than overlap panels, and featheredge costs more.
- Height near the road. Anything over 1 metre beside a road or its footway needs planning permission, and that job gets a site visit rather than an online range.
- Roots and planting. Mature trees and rhododendron along older boundaries mean post holes have to be moved or dug by hand.
Four Oaks Estate and Little Aston: rules beyond planning law
The Four Oaks Estate. Birmingham City Council's Four Oaks Estate Development Guidelines, still published on the council's conservation area page, describe frontages made up of hedges, shrubberies and timber fences that screen the houses. They ask for existing fences, walls and hedges to be kept, and say long runs of substantial fencing and walling are not appropriate. They also call railings alien to the original character. The same document records that the estate's roads and footpaths are owned and run by the Four Oaks Estate company, and that covenants mean proposals to alter existing houses must be approved by the estate. A back-garden fence under 2 metres may need no planning permission at all, but check your deeds and ask the estate before you book anything.
Little Aston. Lichfield District Council designated the Little Aston conservation area on 26 October 1999. Its appraisal says plots are marked by posts on the verges, cobbled verges, tall rhododendron or gates, and it asks that boundary treatment protects the old Victorian estate fencing. If you have a stretch of that old fencing, tell the specialist before work starts so it can be kept or repaired rather than replaced.
Article 4 streets and the Walsall side
Birmingham has 29 conservation areas, and only one in this patch has an Article 4 direction: High Street, Sutton Coldfield. Under that direction, homes in part of the conservation area that face a road, waterway or open space need planning permission to put up, take down or alter any gate, fence or other enclosure. There is no planning fee for these applications. Birmingham's list of Article 4 areas does not include Four Oaks or Anchorage Road, so the ordinary conservation area rules apply there.
Lichfield's current Article 4 directions cover parts of Lichfield City, Whittington and Wigginton, not Little Aston. In Walsall, the council lists an Article 4 direction on land off Streetly Wood, Streetly, which removes the permitted development right to put up gates, fences and walls on that land. If you live near Streetly Wood, ask Walsall's planning team before you replace a boundary.
Taking the old fence to the tip
Most specialists take the old fence away themselves as part of the removal price, because council tips here are for residents, not trades.
- Sutton Coldfield HRC, Norris Way, B75 7BB. Birmingham's centres need a booked slot and proof of address, vans book separately up to 7 days ahead, and no commercial vehicles are allowed. Wood is accepted, but rubble such as old post footings is limited to eight 25kg bags per visit.
- Middlemore Lane HWRC, Aldridge. Walsall residents must book a van or trailer in advance, with no same-day bookings and only one site visit a month in a van. Timber is accepted for recycling.
If you are clearing the old fence yourself to save the removal charge, book early and plan more than one trip for a long run.
What the job involves
- Checks and setting out. The specialist confirms the boundary line with you, checks for estate, conservation area or Article 4 limits, and marks post positions clear of roots.
- Removal. Old panels and posts come out, with concrete footings broken out where they are in the way.
- Posts. New posts are set in concrete, with gravel boards to keep the timber off the soil.
- Panels or boards. Panels slot in, or featheredge is built board by board, then capped and the garden cleared.
Questions about new fences in Sutton Coldfield
Do I need the Four Oaks Estate's approval for a new fence?
Possibly. Birmingham's guidelines for the estate say covenants require proposals to alter existing houses to be approved by the Four Oaks Estate, and the estate company owns the roads. Check your title deeds and contact the estate before you commission a fence, especially one facing an estate road.
My house is near Sutton Coldfield High Street. Can I replace my front fence?
If your home is covered by the High Street, Sutton Coldfield Article 4 direction and the fence faces a road or open space, you need planning permission to put up, take down or alter it. There is no fee for that application. Birmingham's conservation team can tell you whether your address is included.
Is there an Article 4 direction in Little Aston?
Not on Lichfield District Council's current list, which covers parts of Lichfield City, Whittington and Wigginton. Little Aston is still a conservation area, so taking down a front boundary over 1 metre next to a road needs consent, and the appraisal asks for the old Victorian estate fencing to be protected.
Can I take my old fence panels to the Norris Way tip in a van?
Yes, if you are a Birmingham resident and book a van slot in advance, up to 7 days ahead. Commercial vehicles are not allowed, so a fencing firm cannot use it for you. Wood is accepted, but rubble from old post footings is limited to eight 25kg bags a visit.