Not so good: double boundaries (wall-fence) can serve as a hiding place, facilitating crime.
Not so good: the space in front of the house has a little wall but it is set back, leaving a confusing small grassed zone that serves no apparent purpose. The threshold does not work as it does not provide a clean edge.
This development near Nottingham Business Park has a good quality wall that allows overlooking onto the street.
Not so good: this space in front of these houses has no vertical separation between public and private areas.
Design Principles
The diagrams below demonstrate examples of boundary arrangements the City Council would consider GOOD solutions and POOR solutions. The latter are very unlikely to be accepted.
POOR - Timber fences facing public spaces (streets, car parking areas, footways, parks, etc.) are poor in appearance and durability, even when in combination with low solid walls
GOOD - For any front garden floor surface when road visibility is not a requirement (e.g. adjacent driveway or corner)
GOOD - Solid (permeable or not) front garden floor surfaces with upstand inset (kerb or similar) 50mm min. Ideal when road visibility is a requirement (e.g. adjacent driveway or corner)
POOR - Lack of any solid boundary at all (or level inset) when front garden surface is pebbles or gravel causes loose material to spill over the public realm, which is problematic for those with impaired visibility, push/wheel chairs or children’s scooters and bikes.
POOR - Lack of any solid boundary at all (or level inset) when front garden surface grass or other planting causes loose material and overgrown vegetation to spill over the public realm, which is problematic for those with impaired visibility, push/wheel chairs or children’s scooters and bikes.
GOOD - Low solid walls and vegetation that will not grow above 500mm high when road visibility is a requirement (e.g. adjacent driveway or corner)
GOOD - Front garden walls used in combination with planting (trees, hedges, green walls and other) must be 600mm height minimum to allow appropriate separation and below 900mm height to allow surveillance (visibility from the house onto the public realm). The total height (wall + vegetation) must not exceed 1800mm to avoid overshadowing and to allow appropriate trimming and upkeep of planting.
GOOD - Rear garden walls used in combination with planting (trees, hedges, green walls and other) must be 600mm height minimum to allow appropriate separation and below 900mm height to allow planting to thrive. The total height (wall + vegetation) must not exceed 1800mm to avoid overshadowing and to allow appropriate trimming and upkeep of planting.
GOOD - Railings must be under 500mm high when road visibility is a requirement (e.g. adjacent driveway or corner). Level solid boundary markers are acceptable when the front garden surface is solid (permeable or not).
POOR - Low solid boundaries (or level insets) when front garden surfaces are gravel or pebbles, causes loose material to spill over the public realm, which is problematic for those with impaired visibility, push/wheel chairs or children’s scooters and bikes.
GOOD - Railings fitted onto a solid boundary marker of a minimum height of 200mm are acceptable when the front garden surface is grass, planting, pebbles, gravel or any other loose material.
Boundaries
Generally, buildings shall be organised in line with front-to-back principles. High quality materials and treatments such as walling, fencing and railing shall be used to create boundaries fronting the public realm, these can be combined with soft and low-level demarcations. Blank walls and close-boarded fencing that segregate private gardens and other private spaces to the rear of properties from the street should be avoided as these create a dull, sterile environment that can prompt crime and anti-social behaviour. When these are inevitable, rear garden walls must be reduced to a minimum or designed with care to add charm adding character to the street scene. Boundaries between gardens can be managed to offer certain level of privacy without completely isolating neighbours from each other. Separation between two neighbouring front gardens must allow neighbours to see each other and engage in conversations. Front garden boundaries should not deprive residents from over viewing their street. Garden boundaries offer a good opportunity to incorporate design features that encourage colonisation by protected and local species.
Designing well-built, defined boundaries does not mean to enclose homes. Nottingham City Council will not support gated homes or gated clusters of homes, as these often result in segregated communities that find it difficult to integrate with their neighbours in adjacent areas.
POOR - Timber fences facing public spaces (streets, car parking areas, footways, parks, etc.) are poor in appearance and durability.
GOOD - For any front garden floor surface when road visibility is not compromised (e.g. not adjacent driveway or corner)
GOOD - Solid, level surface contrasting inset. Ideal in urban zones, when the private area is small (shallow in depth) and when road visibility is a requirement (e.g. adjacent driveway or corner)
GOOD - A solid boundary upstand - when front garden surface is pebbles or gravel - prevents loose material to spill over the public realm.
GOOD - A solid boundary upstand - when front garden surface is grass or other planting - prevents loose material and vegetation to spill over the public realm.
GOOD - Solid walls must be under 500mm high when road visibility is a requirement (e.g. adjacent driveway or corner)
GOOD - Low front garden walls used in combination with planting (trees, hedges, green walls and other) must be at least 300mm height to allow for appropriate separation between the private and public space, and to contain any potential spillage of loose material over the public realm
GOOD - Rear garden walls must be 1500mm height minimum to allow appropriate separation and below 1800mm height to avoid overshadowing.
GOOD - Front and rear garden walls must be 1500mm height minimum to allow appropriate separation and below 1800mm height to avoid overshadowing. The inclusion of nature-friendly bricks and the addition of biodiversity friendly features like hedgehogs corridors will be favoured.
POOR - Low solid boundaries (or level insets) when front garden surfaces are grass or other planting, causes loose material and overgrown vegetation to spill over the public realm, which is problematic for those with impaired visibility, push/wheel chairs or children’s scooters and bikes.
GOOD - Railings fitted onto a solid boundary marker of a minimum height of 200mm are acceptable when the front garden surface is grass, planting, pebbles, gravel or any other loose material.