Construction Site Boundaries: Hoarding, Mesh Panels and What the Rules Require

Short answer: under CDM 2015, a construction site must, where necessary for health and safety, be identifiable and fenced off, in proportion to the risk. HSE guidance treats a 2m boundary as effective for most sites, with more robust hoarding where children, busy town centres or residential neighbours raise the risk. Mesh panels (Heras-type) are quick, cheap and visible. Solid hoarding gives better security, privacy, noise and dust control, and advertising space. Anything on the pavement or road needs a licence from the council first.

What the law requires

CDM 2015 regulation 18 requires that, where necessary in the interests of health and safety, a construction site is identified by suitable signs and arranged so that its extent is readily identifiable, or is fenced off, or both. The principal contractor is responsible for preventing unauthorised access.

HSE's guidance on protecting the public (HSG151) expands on this. Key points:

• A 2m-high fence is an effective site barrier for most sites.
• Larger hoarding may be needed on city-centre sites and in residential areas where children have tried to get in before.
• Fencing should be continuous, difficult to climb, without gaps, and with gates that can be locked.
• Boundaries must be maintained and inspected, especially after weather and out-of-hours.

Highways. Hoarding or fencing on a public highway, including pavements, needs a hoarding licence from the local highway authority before it goes up. Conditions typically cover pedestrian routes, lighting, barriers, insurance and drawings.

Mesh panels (Heras-type)

Galvanised mesh panels, typically 3.5m × 2m, in rubber or concrete feet, clamped together.

Pros

• Fast to erect and move as the site changes
• Cheap to hire, often around £5–£12 per panel per week plus delivery
• Visible: people can see in, which helps natural surveillance

Cons

• Climbable and easy to unclamp unless anti-climb panels and security clamps are used
• Topples in wind if sheeting or banners are attached without extra bracing and ballast
• Gives no privacy, dust or noise screening

Best for: greenfield sites, phased housing developments, internal segregation, short programmes.

Solid hoarding

Timber (typically plywood or OSB on a frame) or proprietary steel and composite hoarding systems.

Pros

• Hard to climb and see through, so it's a better deterrent
• Screens dust and debris, and somewhat reduces noise
• Branding, planning notices and community information space
• Often required by councils in town centres

Cons

• Slower and more expensive to install
• Needs foundations or ballast designed for wind loads. Large hoardings are temporary works and need a design.
• Graffiti and fly-posting need managing

Best for: urban sites, sites next to schools or homes, long programmes.

Setting up a site boundary

1. Plan in the construction phase plan. Show boundaries, gates, pedestrian routes and phasing.
2. Separate people and vehicles at gates, with pedestrian gates beside vehicle gates.
3. Lock out of hours, and keep keys controlled.
4. Signage: site rules, PPE, emergency contacts and "danger, construction site" signs.
5. Light the boundary on highways and dark sites.
6. Inspect daily and after high winds. Record it.
7. Watch for climbing aids: skips, material stacks and scaffolds near the fence.

Sites near homes and schools

These need extra thought, because HSE guidance singles out children trespassing on sites as a particular concern. Expect to use hoarding or anti-climb mesh, check boundaries at the end of each day, and secure ladders, plant and excavations inside the line.

Common site boundary mistakes

• Gaps at the junction between hoarding and mesh, or around existing walls
• Unclamped or missing couplers, so panels can be lifted apart
• Sheeting added to mesh without extra bracing, which then blows over in the first storm
• Gates left open after deliveries
• Materials stacked against the fence, which give people a step over it
• Boundary moved as work progresses, without updating the plan or checking the new line

A short daily walk of the line, recorded in the site diary, catches nearly all of these.

Afterwards: permanent boundaries

On housing sites, temporary boundaries are later replaced by the plot boundaries specified in the planning permission. Our developer's guide covers specifying permanent plot fencing early, so it isn't an afterthought at handover.

Hire or buy?

We cover the arithmetic in temporary fencing: hire vs buy. In short, short programmes hire, and contractors with steady work often own their panels.

Simple Fencing doesn't supply site hoarding or mesh hire panels. For finished plot boundaries and show-home frontages, see Commercial Fencing.

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