Corpus Galabau · Guide · November 2026
Three options compared
- Hedge: living, good for birds and insects, filters wind and dust. It needs space, regular cutting and a few years until it is dense.
- Fence: effective immediately and space-saving. Depending on the material – twin-wire mesh panels, wood, WPC or metal – durability and maintenance vary. A fence combines well with climbing plants or low planting.
- Wall or gabion: very durable and sound-dampening, but costly to build and usually with a foundation. The rules here are often stricter.
Do I need a permit?
In North Rhine-Westphalia, enclosures up to a height of 2 metres outside the undeveloped outer area are generally exempt from permit procedures (§ 62 BauO NRW). Exempt does not mean unregulated, though: development plans and local design bylaws can prescribe the height, material or type of enclosure, especially facing the street. If in doubt, ask your city's building authority before you build.
What neighbour law says
The NRW neighbour law act contains rules on enclosures and on boundary distances for plants. For hedges, § 42 NachbG NRW applies: up to 2 metres high at least 0.5 metres from the boundary, above that at least 1 metre. These distances do not apply to a hedge planted on the boundary as an enclosure. Under certain conditions, a neighbour can demand that an enclosure be built; what is customary in the area is then usually decisive. Anyone who wants to put a fence directly on the boundary needs the neighbour's consent.
Talk to your neighbour
Most disputes at the property boundary can be avoided by talking beforehand. Clarify together: where exactly is the boundary? Who builds, who pays, who maintains? Which side of the fence faces whom? It is best to put any agreement in writing. If the boundary is unclear, a look at the cadastral map (Flurkarte) or, if in doubt, a survey helps.
What to look out for when building
- Foundations: fence posts need frost-proof foundations, otherwise they lean after a few winters.
- Pipes and cables: check where they run before digging.
- Gates and passages: plan enough width for bins, lawnmowers and garden tools.
- Maintenance: wood needs protection, hedges need cutting, climbing plants need supports. Leave a maintenance strip free next to a hedge.
- Nature conservation: new hedges of native shrubs offer a habitat for birds and insects. For cutting back existing hedges, the protection period from 1 March to 30 September applies.
How we can help
Corpus Galabau plants hedges, maintains existing hedges and advises you, as part of garden and landscape construction, on the right enclosure for your plot. What we carry out ourselves, we tell you openly after the site visit and in writing in the quote.
