Highway boundaries

A highway boundary feature marks the boundary between land over which highway rights exist and land over which no highway rights exist. 

Typical highway boundary features include:

• Fences 
• Walls 
• Hedging 
• Trees 
• Drainage ditches
• The faces of buildings or outbuildings

With hedges and trees, the highway boundary is presumed to extend to the centre of the main trunks. 

With drainage ditches, the highway boundary usually extends to the roadside edge of the ditch. 

There can be many factors that influence the position of the highway boundary. Only our highway boundary research team has the research expertise and access to the full range of sources needed to define the highway boundary.

Who is responsible for maintaining highway boundary features

The responsibility to maintain highway boundary features lies with the adjacent landowner and not with the highway authority. 

For example, if you have a hedge that separates your front garden from the public highway - with the public highway presumed to extend across the whole area between boundary features - you are responsible for all maintenance relating to that hedge.

If the hedge becomes overgrown and prevents the public's ability to enjoy the full width of the highway, you (as the adjacent landowner) are responsible for sorting this issue.  

If you need to find out the legal position of the highway boundary on any public highway in Norfolk, contact the highway boundary research team. 

Feature to feature presumption

The 'feature to feature' presumption is a common law presumption that holds that all the land lying between two boundary features - such as two fences lying on either side of the road - is presumed, unless there is evidence to the contrary, to have been dedicated as public highway. 

How high can a fence be

A fence next to publicly maintainable highway which follows the highway boundary line can be a maximum of one metre above ground level without planning permission. Before starting any work installing new fencing, consult your local planning authority. Norfolk County Council is not the local planning authority - it will be the relevant borough, district, or city council. Use GOV.UK's find your local council tool to find out who your local planning authority is.