Fencing in Malvern and the City of Stonnington.
Picket fences, front fences, paling boundaries and gates across Malvern, Malvern East, Glen Iris, Armadale and Toorak. Built to Stonnington's rules, including the heritage overlay ones.
Heritage streets, picket fences
A lot of Malvern, Armadale and Glen Iris sits in a Heritage Overlay. Stonnington wants front fences there low and open: under 1.2 m and more than half see-through. A timber picket fence does exactly that, and it's what most of the period houses had in the first place.
If your street is in the overlay, you need a planning permit before you replace a front fence, even a like-for-like one. Jake can tell you on the site visit whether the fence you want fits the overlay, so the application is straightforward.
Boundary fences between neighbours
Side and rear fences up to 2 m are a private matter between neighbours under the Fences Act. Jake's line-itemised quote makes the cost split easy to agree, and he'll talk to the neighbour if that helps.
City of Stonnington fence rules.
- A timber, paling or Colorbond front fence within 3 m of the front boundary needs no building permit up to 1.5 m. Masonry or concrete front fences need one over 1.2 m.
- Side and rear boundary fences need no building permit up to 2 m, but a side fence within 3 m of the front boundary is limited to 1.5 m.
- On a corner, fences within 9 m of the intersection are limited to 1 m.
- Height includes any trellis or screen and is measured from natural ground level. Gates must not swing over the footpath, and footings must sit inside the property.
- A planning permit is always needed for a fence in a Heritage Overlay, including to demolish an existing front fence. Heritage front fences should generally be under 1.2 m and more than 50% see-through.
- In a residential zone, a planning permit is also needed for a street fence over 1.5 m on a side street or over 2 m on a main road.
- Any fence that forms part of a pool or spa barrier needs a building permit at any height.
From the City of Stonnington fencing page, checked 19 October 2026. Rules change, and covenants or overlays on your title can add more, so check with council before you build.
Suburbs in Stonnington.
The fence rules above apply across all 9 suburbs in Stonnington. Jake quotes in any of them.
- Armadale
- Glen Iris
- Kooyong
- Malvern
- Malvern East
- Prahran
- South Yarra
- Toorak
- Windsor
Suburb list from the City of Stonnington about page. Some suburbs sit across two councils, so check your rates notice if you are near a boundary.
Services in Malvern & Stonnington.
- Picket Fencing
- Front fences that suit the house. Timber pickets, set out evenly and painted or left natural.
- Front Fences
- Picket, slat and steel-and-timber front fences with matching gates, built to your council's height rules.
- Timber Paling Fencing
- Boundary fences for privacy and security. Posts set in concrete, rails levelled, palings fitted straight.
- Automated Gates
- Sliding and swing driveway gates, built to match the fence and set up to open from your phone or remote.
Common questions
Can I replace a front fence in a heritage area in Malvern?
Yes, with a planning permit. Stonnington requires one for any fence in a Heritage Overlay, including demolishing the old one. New front fences there should generally be under 1.2 m and more than 50% transparent, which a picket fence meets.
How high can a side fence be in Stonnington?
Up to 2 m without a building permit, except within 3 m of the front boundary, where it's limited to 1.5 m. Any trellis or screen on top counts towards the height.
Get a quote in Malvern & Stonnington.
Send through the details and Jake will get back to you, usually the same day. He'll book a site visit, measure up and send a line-itemised quote that night.
Give us a call 0421 578 495
Send us an email info@leversfencing.com.au