Planning
Garden planning permission in Wiltshire: the complete reference
Wiltshire Council is the planning and highways authority for most of the patch. This reference brings together what each garden project needs, plus local processes like dropped kerbs and the 2026 fees.
In short
Wiltshire Council is the local planning authority and the highways authority for most of the area we cover, so garden projects here follow the national rules applied locally by Wiltshire Council. Most domestic garden work is permitted development and needs no application, with the usual triggers being height, footprint, impermeable front surfaces over five square metres, and designated land or listed status. Local processes also matter: a dropped kerb is a Wiltshire Council highways application, not a planning one. This reference sets out, project by project, what to expect, and what is handled by the council versus what is permitted development.
The thresholds
Where the line sits
Most of the area we cover sits under Wiltshire Council, which is both the local planning authority and the highways authority. That matters, because garden projects here are governed by the national rules as applied locally by Wiltshire Council, and a couple of common jobs are ha
| Project | In Wiltshire |
|---|---|
| Garden room | Permitted within outbuilding limits (2.5m within 2m of a boundary) |
| Decking | Permitted up to 0.3m and under 50 per cent of the garden |
| Driveway | Permeable needs none; impermeable over 5 square metres needs permission |
| Dropped kerb | A Wiltshire Council highways application, not planning |
| Garden wall or fence | 2 metres, or 1 metre next to a road |
| Householder application fee | 548 pounds from 1 April 2026 (the national fee) |
Source: Gardenscape. Figures as of 2026-06-01.
Yes, no, or it depends
Scenarios in plain language
Wiltshire Council is the planning authority for most of the area, and also the highways authority for things like dropped kerbs. We confirm the right route and handle the application.
The fee is national: a householder application is 548 pounds from 1 April 2026, and works within the curtilage such as walls and access are 272 pounds, plus the Planning Portal service charge.
It may be, in the western and northern parts of the area. Designated land tightens the rules, and we confirm the exact status for a property, with the detail set out in our Cotswolds National Landscape reference.
The local layer
Designated land and Article 4
Most of the area we cover sits under Wiltshire Council, which is both the local planning authority and the highways authority. That matters, because garden projects here are governed by the national rules as applied locally by Wiltshire Council, and a couple of common jobs are handled by the council in ways people do not expect. The starting point is that most domestic garden work is permitted development and needs no application at all. The usual triggers for needing permission are height (garden rooms, pergolas and outbuildings over the limits), footprint (covering more than half the garden
A note
General guidance, not advice. Rules vary by site, and Article 4 directions or conditions can change what applies. Check with your local authority and the Planning Portal.
Arrange a consultation
Send a few photographs and a sentence about the site. We will reply personally.
Read next
- Do you need planning permission for a dropped kerb in Wiltshire?
- Garden planning permission in the Cotswolds National Landscape: the complete reference
- How high can a garden wall or fence be without planning permission?
- Do you need planning permission for garden projects in Wiltshire and the Cotswolds?