Fencing in Southwell
Fencing, gates and boundary work across Southwell, Halam and Farnsfield — supplied and fitted, or supply only. Much of the town sits inside a conservation area, so what you are allowed to put up at a boundary is worth checking before it is ordered.
*Terms and conditions apply to our 12 month guarantee.
Boundary Replacement in Southwell
Two Southwell boundaries, both replaced as complete runs rather than patched. On a long garden that decision is what determines whether the finished fence looks like one thing or three.
Full-run replacement on concrete posts
Fencing and Gates in Southwell
Southwell is a minster town rather than a suburb — a historic core around the Minster and Church Street, Georgian and Victorian properties along the main streets, and later housing spreading out toward Halam and Lowdham. Gardens are generally larger than anything in the city, and boundaries run long.
The distinguishing feature for fencing is conservation area coverage. A substantial part of the town falls inside it, along with a considerable number of listed buildings, and that changes what can be done at a boundary — sometimes materially.
We work supplied and fitted or supply only. Southwell is a trip out from our Beechdale Road base rather than a local run, so we quote thoroughly from measurements and photographs first.
What We Install in Southwell
Conservation Areas and Listed Buildings: Check Before You Order
This is the single most useful thing we can tell you about a Southwell boundary, and it costs nothing to act on.
Outside a conservation area, permitted development generally lets you put up 2 metres at a rear or side boundary and 1 metre where it fronts a highway, without applying for anything. Inside one, or attached to a listed building, that can change:
- Permitted development rights can be restricted or removed by an Article 4 direction, which means work that would normally be automatic needs an application.
- Listed building consent is a separate matter from planning permission, and it can extend to boundary walls, railings and gates within the curtilage of the building — not just the house itself.
- Demolishing or altering an existing wall or railing in a conservation area can require consent in its own right, even where the replacement would be allowed.
- Materials and appearance carry more weight than they would elsewhere.
We are fencing contractors, not planning consultants, and we will not guess at your property's status. A phone call or email to Newark and Sherwood District Council's planning team will confirm whether your property is listed, whether it sits in the conservation area and whether an Article 4 direction applies. That is free, it takes one conversation, and it is a great deal cheaper than taking a boundary down twice.
Where a traditional appearance is wanted or required, metal railings and post and rail are usually a better fit than close-boarded timber panels.
Getting Rid of an Old Fence in Southwell
Southwell is in Newark and Sherwood District. The garden waste subscription is £37 a year per bin, collected fortnightly from March to November and monthly from December to February, on a service year running April to March.
It will not take fence panels — treated timber is not garden waste.
Your nearest tips are Newark Recycling Centre, Brunel Drive, NG24 2EG and Bilsthorpe, Brailwood Road, NG22 8UA, both run by Nottinghamshire County Council. You must register your vehicle in advance, up to two per household, and a van, pickup or trailer needs a permit arranged at least 24 hours ahead. Neither is close to Southwell, which is worth factoring in before deciding to handle disposal yourself.
The bit that catches people out
Nottinghamshire's DIY waste limit is two 50-litre bags, or a single item no larger than 2000mm × 750mm × 700mm, per visit, with four visits per household in any four-week period. A 6ft panel exceeds that on its own, so a long Southwell boundary would be many trips.
Nottinghamshire County Council also states that where waste has come from work carried out by a tradesperson, disposing of it is that tradesperson's legal responsibility, not yours, and no trade waste is accepted at the sites.
We take the old fence away as part of the job — registered waste carrier, licence CBDU474286.
Why Choose Nottingham Fencing
We are a local, family-run firm run by founders Adam and Stephen, based in Nottingham with over 15 years' experience. Southwell is a genuine trip out for us, which is exactly why we quote carefully from measurements and photographs first — it means we arrive with the right materials rather than making two journeys.
- The old fence goes with us. Registered waste carrier, licence CBDU474286 — removal and disposal handled properly, nothing left on your drive.
- Measured before it is priced. The free survey is where we check post centres, ground levels and whether existing bases can be reused — which is what stops a price changing halfway through.
- Made to measure, not cut down. Gates are built to your opening rather than trimmed from a stock size, so they still swing properly a year later.
- Supply only if you want it. Happy to just sell you panels, posts, gravel boards and trellis if you are fitting it yourself.
- Insured and guaranteed. Public liability insurance in place and a 12 month guarantee on our work.*
- Reviewed by the people we have worked for. 4.9 out of 5 from over 160 Google reviews.
*Terms and conditions apply to our 12 month guarantee.
Areas We Cover Near Southwell
We cover Southwell and the surrounding villages and towns:
Get a price for your Southwell fence
Send your measurements and a photo for a quick provisional price. If your property is listed or in the conservation area, tell us — it changes what we would recommend.
Fencing in Southwell — Common Questions
Do I need permission for a fence in Southwell?
Possibly, and it is worth checking first. Much of the town is in a conservation area and there are many listed buildings. Inside a conservation area permitted development rights can be restricted by an Article 4 direction, and listed building consent can extend to boundary walls, railings and gates within the curtilage. Newark and Sherwood District Council will confirm your property's status free of charge.
Can I take down an old wall or railing and put a fence up instead?
Not automatically in a conservation area — demolishing or altering an existing wall or railing can require consent in its own right, even where the replacement would otherwise be allowed. Check with the council before anything comes down.
What fencing suits a period property?
Metal railings, post and rail, or timber in a traditional profile usually sit better than close-boarded panels, and in a conservation area appearance carries more weight than it does elsewhere. We will tell you what we think looks right, but the council's conservation officer is the one whose view decides it.
Should I replace the whole run or just the broken bays?
On a long Southwell boundary, the whole run. Patching a bay at a time leaves mismatched heights, different timber ages and posts of different vintages, and across two or three visits it works out dearer per bay than doing it once.
Where is the nearest tip to Southwell?
Newark Recycling Centre, Brunel Drive, NG24 2EG, or Bilsthorpe on Brailwood Road, NG22 8UA. Both are Nottinghamshire County Council sites, so register your vehicle in advance and arrange a van or trailer permit 24 hours ahead. Neither is close, which is worth weighing before deciding to do disposal yourself.
How much is the garden waste bin, and will it take fence panels?
£37 a year per bin in Newark and Sherwood, fortnightly March to November and monthly December to February. It will not take fence panels — treated timber is not garden waste.
Do you actually cover Southwell?
Yes, and we have worked there. It is a trip out rather than a local run, so we quote from measurements and photographs first and arrange the visit once we know what the job involves. That way neither of us wastes a journey.
Do you take the old fence away?
Yes, as part of the job, to a licensed facility — registered waste carrier, licence CBDU474286. Given how far the nearest recycling centre is from Southwell, that is worth more here than it looks on paper.