Fencing that suits your part of Ossett
Ossett is a mix of old and new, and that shows in its boundaries. In the historic centre and along the Victorian streets running out of it, many front gardens are enclosed by stone walls, often with mature hedges behind. In South Ossett and on the estates built over old mill and factory land, such as the former Woodhead Manufacturing site and the old mill ground on Church Street, the houses are newer, and builders' timber panels between back gardens can start to lean or rot after a run of wet winters. Before quoting, we look at what's there now, what the fence needs to do, whether that's privacy, keeping a dog in or simply marking the line, and what will look right next to the house.
Before you change a front boundary
Wakefield Council's conservation area appraisal for Ossett, revised in 2026, treats stone boundary walls as one of the defining features of the area. It lists raising the height of those walls, or topping them with wooden fencing or trellis, as changes that harm the character of streets such as Station Road and Wesley Street, and it says the council will consider Article 4 Directions to protect boundary walls. If you live inside the conservation area and want more privacy at the front, a hedge or planting behind the wall is usually a better route than fixing panels on top of it. We'd rather tell you that at the start than put up something you're later asked to remove.
Height and permission
For most houses, the Planning Portal's guidance says you don't need planning permission for a fence, wall or gate up to one metre high next to a road used by vehicles or its footpath, or up to two metres high anywhere else. That changes if the property is a listed building, if your boundary runs alongside the grounds of a neighbouring listed building, or if an Article 4 Direction or planning condition has taken the right away. The guidance also warns that in a conservation area you might need permission to take a fence, wall or gate down. Ossett has a number of listed buildings, including the Grade II former Mount Zion chapel off Queen's Terrace, so it's worth checking if you live near one. When in doubt, ask Wakefield Council's planning team before any work starts.
Choosing a fence for the job
What works best depends on where the fence is going. For a back garden between neighbours, you can talk through closeboard against panel fencing, timber or concrete posts, and whether gravel boards along the bottom would help keep the timber off ground that stays damp, which is worth thinking about in a town that averages around 154 rainy days a year. A front garden on a newer street might suit something lower and more open, such as picket fencing, that marks the boundary without hiding the house. Where you need a way through, a gate can be planned in from the start so it lines up with the path. We'll give you an honest view on what suits the space, and the choice is always yours.
Access, neighbours and getting the old fence out
In terraces and semis, the only way into the back garden is often through the house or along a shared path. Let us know about access when you call so we can plan how old panels come out and new materials go in without disrupting your home more than necessary. If the fence is shared with a neighbour, it helps to have a word with them before the work starts, so everyone knows what's happening and where the line runs.
Fencing as part of a bigger job
If you're also thinking about the rest of the garden, it makes sense to plan the boundary alongside it. A new fence can be a good moment to think about a patio, fresh turf or a gravelled side return, and doing the boundary first gives a clean edge to work to. You can see the kind of work involved on our landscaping in Ossett page. If the old fence line is buried under brambles and ivy, a garden clearance in Ossett beforehand makes the fencing quicker and neater.
To ask for a quote, call 07347 572509 with the rough length of the fence, where it is and what's there now. We're a family run, fully insured business based in Knottingley, covering Ossett Monday to Friday, 9am to 6pm. There's more on our fencing page, and our other services in the town are on the Ossett area page.
