Driveway gate planning permission in Hertfordshire.
This page summarises general planning law and local practice. It does not replace formal pre-application advice from your council. Always check the council planning portal for your specific address before committing to a design or signing a contract.
The four rules that apply everywhere
Gates fronting a highway used by vehicles must not exceed 1 metre in height without planning permission.
This is the headline rule most homeowners encounter. Any gate taller than 1 metre that opens onto a road used by cars requires a householder planning application.
Gates not fronting a highway can be up to 2 metres without planning permission.
If the gate opens onto a private drive, alley, or rear boundary away from a vehicle road, the permitted height rises to 2 metres.
Conservation areas, listed buildings, and article 4 directions remove permitted development rights.
In any of these cases the height allowances above do not apply and planning permission is almost always required. Always check the council planning map before committing to a design.
Automation does not itself trigger planning permission.
Motorising an existing gate that already complies with height rules does not normally require a separate application, though BS EN 12453 safety compliance is a separate legal obligation under CE / UKCA rules.
Region-specific guidance
Hertfordshire is made up of ten local planning authorities grouped here into five regions. Select your area for the councils, conservation controls, and local sensitivities that apply.
Dacorum Borough Council, St Albans City and District Council, Three Rivers District Council
Hertsmere Borough Council, Watford Borough Council, Three Rivers District Council
Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council, East Hertfordshire District Council
East Hertfordshire District Council
North Hertfordshire District Council, Stevenage Borough Council