Top quality garden fence - how high and fencing recommendations please

[Solo2]

Can anyone recommend a top quality type of garden fencing - something that's very durable, looks good and will take some hard knocks?

One side of the garden adjoins a rough track down which farmers drive their landrovers and trailers at times and I want something that will withstand the odd bump from their vehicles. Where's the best place to source good quality fencing?

Also, for this side of the garden and the bottom of the garden backing onto a field, which doesn't adjoin neighbours, how high can our fence go?

Finally, in the UK, on the neighbour-adjoining side, how high can fencing go and can a strong trellis be added ABOVE that height or is it taken on total height including trellis?

If there is enough space bushes would be better than fencing. The legal height limit for fencing is 2 metres, above that you need planning permission. Sometimes modern housing has lower limits. Best place to source is a local fencing contractor. If they don't suggest gravel boards at the bottom forget them.

Total height, including trellis - permitted development is 2m, if you want higher you really should apply for planning permission.

However, that doesn't mean that you couldn't have taller things in front of the fence - for instance, put in a post to grow roses up with a rope swag to another...

Road frontage height is different - only permitted 1m.

Jacksons fencing is supposed to be excellent but doesnt come cheap.
www.jacksons-fencing.co.uk/pages/products/timber_home.aspx

Thanks for the ideas. The lane between gardens I think is joint owned by myself and the neighbours, so that's why I'm not sure if I could build a higher boundary that side and the field at the bottom of the garden is privately ownes as agricultural land.

Unfortunately, gangs of local children and some adults trespass on the field and congregate at the bottom of our garden, staring in at us and also seeing right into our house. Hence the need to occlude our natural field view in order to preserve our privacy - a difficult decision to make, as it cuts off the major selling point of the house - the outlook (the field owner has forbidden trespass on his field but this is being flouted, to our detriment and I don't want to fall out with the neighbours who use the field illegally.

So fencing is the only option, rather than bushes, as these would take ages to grow. I'm happy to pay more for good quality fencing.

I've looked at the Jackson's fencing website and it looks pretty good. I'll try to find a local contractor who can help further.

If you want a boundary higher than 2 meters, you grow a box hedge, no limit then.

If you are trying to keep people out but want to retain some of the view you could go for hit and miss fencing or slatted horizontal panels, which both allow some of the view through but keep your garden protected (and good for filtering wind too)
www.jacksons-fencing.co.uk/pages/products/timber_prod_det.aspx?tpc=AA&fmc=AI&fnc=AI
the view through this type of fencing is better than you can see on the photo
or here
www.jacksons-fencing.co.uk/pages/products/timber_prod_det.aspx?tpc=AA&fmc=DK&fnc=AX

I think the fencing by Jacksons is guaranateed for 25 years, when we had some fencing work done our landscaper suggested it to us but we couldnt afford it...

Thanks. That's very helpful. It's brilliant how helpful you all are on Mumsnet!

What's the difference, do you know, between the horizontal hit and miss fencing and the vertical type, in terms of what you can see?

Also, would diamond lattice trellis fencing panels provide much privacy - or would it be very easy for people to look through?

The difficulty is that we want to see out and have light coming through and also continue to access the blackberry bushes harvest on the other side, in season. We currently have a wire mesh fence that's rusting now and this is what people look through and are beginning to pull down!

I'm caught between wanting to preserve the view, the light and 'our' blackberry crop, yet feeling virtual prisoners in our house, once the weather improves and the gangs of children trespass in the field - because of being 'on show' all the time, in the garden.

It's a v tricky problem.....

We had a local fencing firm install hit and miss horizontal fencing.
We priced up a do-it-yourself job using fencing panels and the fencing firm's quote was about £300 more. Given that the fencing and trelllis that had collapsed was only about 5 years old and had been bog-standard panels we decided to use a professional.
The finished fence is really sturdy and should last for years and years.
If you want to see out tho' it isn't ideal as it does provide a complete screen.

I've just realised that our hit&miss fencing has the bars v close togather - you couls still have v sturdy fencing but with wider gaps whoch might work for you.

We have vertical hit and miss between us and our neighbours, put in so neither side has to look at ugly fence posts.
From an angle you can see through into their garden.
Not sure about horozontal hit amd miss.
The slatted fence as per my second link above might be a better bet as you can definitely see through this, and you can decide how far apart you want the slats.

You could put a lockable gate into the fence so you coudl access the field...

Ah! I was getting muddled up between Hit and Miss Fencing and Venetian slats. Is it the Venetian slats that you meant as a possible better option for me, rather than the Hit and Miss type?

Yes Solo, it sounds like the Venetian slats might be a better bet as they allow more of a view, esp if the slats are not spaced too close together. You could get a local fencing company to make this type of fencing to order and then you can specify size of slats and spacing...

Might be worth emailing Jacksons with your dilemna and see what they suggest...

Thanks again, Pannacotta. You've been extremely helpful, as have the others too.

I believe boundry fences come under the boundary wall act and 6ft is usually the standard height.

party wall information
www.collier-stevens.co.uk/party_wall_guidance.htm

www.avsfencing.co.uk/retail/products-by-use/fencing/garden-fencing/

if your in the kings lynn area theres a place there kings lynn fencing.

www.fencingkingslynn.co.uk/

They have a lot of photo's of there previous work and some handy information to. Hopefully this helps if anyone is still after any.

My neighbours have the Venetian style of fence and it does look very nice.

Ooops. Zombie thread.

www.modularwall.co.uk

Old topic but maybe someone else is looking for it I recommend www.mictec.co.uk/