Fences near roads
and utilities

Zone width

Under § 71 of the Building Code, a street's protection zone extends 10 metres from the outer edge of the outermost lane, and a general or detailed plan may widen it to 50 metres. A highway's zone is 30 metres on each side, or 50 metres on the trans-European road network. Only publicly used roads have a protection zone, and the road owner may reduce it in justified cases.

What is banned and what you must allow

Section 72 of the same Act bans, for example, lights that distract road users and advertising in the zone. It does not ban fences directly, but the landowner must allow the removal of vegetation, objects or structures that restrict visibility and endanger traffic.

For road maintenance, the owner must also allow temporary snow fences, snow banks and ditches against drifting snow, and snow to be thrown off the road, as long as this does not block access to the property.

The explanatory memorandum names fences

The explanatory memorandum to the amendment gives a greenhouse, a woodshed and a fence built in the road protection zone as examples of structures that restrict visibility or hinder road maintenance. The landowner is first asked to remove such a structure, and if they refuse, the road owner may itself remove a structure that restricts visibility and endangers traffic.

A swing gate should not open onto the street

The general plan for Rae's northern area says gates may not be planned to open towards road land. Elsewhere too we recommend that a swing gate opens into the yard, because a leaf swinging over the street gets in the way of pedestrians, cars and the snowplough. If there is no room for the leaves inside, a sliding gate fits better; we compare the two in sliding or swing gate.

Leave room for the car in front of the gate

If the driveway gate sits right at the edge of the street, the car waits on the carriageway while it opens. We recommend placing the gate so the car fits between the gate and the carriageway, with a clear view both ways. An automatic gate can be opened with the remote as you approach, which shortens the wait.

A new driveway needs approval

If the gate comes with a new driveway, the access from the road needs approval: the Transport Administration gives it for a state road, the municipality for a local road and the owner for a private road. The Transport Administration takes up to 30 calendar days, so ask before you order the gate.

Lay the cable duct with the fence

If you might ever want automation, a video intercom or lighting at the gate, lay protective ducts while the fence is being built, otherwise you will later have to dig through finished paving. Run the duct from the house or distribution board to the gate post, keep out of other utilities' protection zones or get the network owner's consent to cross, and photograph the ducts before backfilling. This is our recommendation, not a legal requirement.

Zone widths

An underground power cable's protection zone runs 1 metre from the outermost cable on each side, an underground telecom cable's is also 1 metre and a category A or B gas pipe's (working pressure up to 5 bar) is 1 metre too. A public water or sewer pipe under 250 mm has a zone of 2 metres on each side of its axis, or 2.5 metres for a gravity pipe deeper than 2 m. An overhead line's zone, measured from its axis, is 2 metres for lines up to 1 kV and 10 metres for 1–35 kV lines, or 3 metres where aerial cable is used.

What is banned in the zone

In the protection zone of a power cable or an underground telecom cable, impact tools such as a post driver are banned, as is soil work deeper than 0.3 metres. In a telecom cable's zone, building vehicle crossings is also banned, which matters for a new driveway. In a water and sewer zone, drilling, piling and excavation are banned.

In the protection zone of a high-voltage overhead line, wire and metal fences are not allowed, so agree the fence material and position with the network owner there. In any protection zone you must also not block access to the network structure or its maintenance. You may depart from these restrictions with the network owner's consent if safety is not reduced.

Consent is free, extra work may not be

The network owner may not unreasonably refuse consent or charge for it. They may, however, require the work to be done under their direct supervision and, for an underground cable, the exact location to be found by hand digging. If they have to do more than give consent, they may ask you to cover those costs: Elektrilevi, for example, charges for on-site supervision.