If you have builders starting on an extension, a self build or a small development in Nottingham, the site boundary matters from day one. Getting it right keeps children and passers-by safe, cuts the risk of theft and keeps you on the right side of the council. This guide covers the choices, the permissions and the costs before anything goes up.
Most domestic and small commercial sites in Nottingham use one of two options. Temporary mesh fencing (often called Heras fencing) comes in panels about 3.5m long and 2m high. They sit in rubber or concrete feet and are clamped together. It goes up quickly and is cheap to hire, and it works well for short jobs, back garden extensions and sites that are not overlooked by the public.
Timber hoarding is a solid wall, usually 2.4m high, made from plywood or OSB sheets on a timber frame with posts set into the ground or weighted down. It costs more, but it blocks the view into the site, is much harder to climb and cuts dust and noise. On busy streets in areas like Sherwood, West Bridgford or near the city centre, where people walk right past the plot, it is often the better choice for jobs lasting more than a couple of months.
If any part of the hoarding or fencing sits on the pavement or road, you will need a highways licence first. Inside the city boundary that comes from Nottingham City Council. In places such as West Bridgford, Beeston, Arnold or Hucknall it comes from Nottinghamshire County Council, which looks after highways outside the city. Allow a few weeks for the application. You may also need lighting, and possibly a pedestrian walkway, where the hoarding narrows the footpath.
Hoarding kept entirely inside your own boundary for the length of the build does not normally need planning permission. Adverts printed on it, or hoarding left up long after work stops, can be a different matter. Under the CDM 2015 regulations, whoever is running the build must make sure the site boundary is clear and that unauthorised people are kept out. On most home projects that is your main contractor, but it is worth confirming who is responsible.
A fence alone rarely stops a determined thief. The sites that have the fewest problems combine a sound boundary with a few simple habits.
Prices depend on length, ground conditions, access and how long you need it, so treat these as rough guides only. Mesh fencing hire often works out at a few pounds per panel per week, plus delivery, installation and collection charges that can matter more than the weekly rate on short jobs. A typical domestic run of 20 to 40 panels for two months might come to a few hundred pounds all in.
Timber hoarding is usually priced per linear metre and supplied, fitted and removed as one job. Expect something in the region of £40 to £90 per metre for a plain painted hoarding, more if posts must be concreted into hard ground, if you need vision panels or printed graphics, or if traffic management is required on a busy road.
Book the boundary before the first delivery, not after. Ask your installer to visit the site, check for underground services before digging post holes and agree where the gate and access points will go. As we are based in Leicester, Nottingham jobs usually need a little more notice to plan, so a site visit a week or two ahead gives time to sort licences and materials before your builder arrives.
Not usually, as long as nothing touches the pavement or road. If any part sits on the public highway, you need a licence from Nottingham City Council or Nottinghamshire County Council, depending on where you live.
A typical domestic frontage of 15 to 30 metres of timber hoarding can often be fitted in one or two days. Mesh fencing for the same length is usually done in a few hours, depending on access and ground conditions.
Yes. Mesh panels can be moved as the work goes on, and many hire firms will reposition them for a small charge. Timber hoarding can sometimes be adapted, but it is usually cheaper to plan the final line properly at the start.
Tell us about the site or book a free survey. We work across the Midlands.
Leicester-based, working across the Midlands for commercial and domestic clients.