The best types of fences for parks

Parks are essential green spaces that provide communities with places to relax, exercise, and connect with nature. Often covering vast expanses and featuring many distinct and valuable areas, parks are vulnerable to a variety of risks without proper protection.

Fences are an essential feature of parks, serving to enhance security, safety, and aesthetics. Choosing the right type of fence for a park depends on its specific requirements, and whether it's a play area, sports facility, or a general recreational space. In this guide, we'll explore some of the best types of fences for parks, focusing on durability, safety, and sustainability.

There are different areas to secure or demarcate within a standard park, such as the play area, visitor centre/café, bin store, and sports courts.

Park perimeter fencing

Perimeter fencing around parks should convey a sense of welcomeness and community. To improve safety at nighttime, many parks in urban areas or cities have restricted opening hours. These parks in particular need strong perimeter fencing and gates. When specifying perimeter fencing, the surrounding environment should be considered to ensure the fencing blends into any historic or architectural requirements or restrictions. In central London for example, surrounding properties are often demarcated with metal railings. The perimeter fence of the large and royal parks follows suit to create a cohesive appearance. Our metal railing and vertical bar railing ranges contain secure yet decorative designs that can be customised such as with finials. Gates should be the same height and style as fencing, and have security features such as reversed top hinges and shear nuts.

Fence design

Ideally, the fencing around a park should be made of galvanised steel for longevity and strength. It will often be subject to contact with foliage, so the galvanisation adds protection. A polyester powder coating is also a welcome addition, providing colour or elegance and extra defence against rust.

Fixings should be tamper-proof and, where possible, hidden from view within the design to help prevent damage. Parks are designed for people to relax and enjoy their free time, but they can also attract individuals looking to cause mischief out of boredom. In some cases, this might involve tampering with fencing, removing pales to gain access outside of opening hours. This type of behaviour is not unlike what is sometimes seen in schools, where pupils treat removing fence fixings as a game.

Visibility should also be prioritised around the perimeter. A fence that can be seen through will naturally encourage people to enter, but will also ensure safety and security and deter criminal activity by keeping natural surveillance high, in line with CPTED principles. Secluded or hidden areas of parks often make people feel unsafe because they can conceal threatening people, provide places to be trapped, and impede being seen or seeing others.

By design, a fence with high visibility will also prevent the restriction of foliage or the passage of wildlife such as hedgehogs.

Here are some common fence types for park perimeters:

Ornamental metal railings

For parks that prioritise aesthetics, ornamental metal railings are an excellent choice. These fences come in various decorative designs, adding charm and character to the park's landscape. Ornamental railings are not just visually appealing but also provide a sturdy barrier that enhances security.

Vertical bar fencing

Vertical bar fencing is often chosen over mesh security fencing for its resilience against vandalism. The vertical bars are difficult to cut or damage, making them a practical option for parks, particularly in high crime areas. These fences are not only functional but also maintain a sleek appearance, especially if a design with rounded pales like Barbican Imperial^® is chosen. Additionally, they are being specified more by architects due to their positive impacts on wildlife and hedgehogs, providing safe passage and supporting biodiversity.

Bow top metal railings

Bow Top metal railings are a popular choice for parks due to their robust design but elegant appearance. Featuring curved pales with decorative hoops above the top rail, these railings help to prevent climbing without creating a hostile environment. With a pale-through-rail construction, visibility is high.

Full height bow top railings (generally 1.8-2m high) are ideal for defining the outer boundary of the park, with shorter height (1-1.2m) boundaries within the park and along pathways. Bow top railings offer a timeless look that blends well with natural surroundings while providing safety against injury with short height installations due to their curved tops.  

With any railing type of fence, look for welded pale-through-rail construction, and as previously mentioned, tamper proof panel-to-post connectors to prevent panels being removed or stolen.

Play area fencing

Safety is paramount in play areas, making anti-trap fencing a must have. This type of fencing is designed with pale spacing that prevents children from getting their heads or limbs trapped, reducing the risk of injury. With its short height but safe design, anti-trap fencing ensures that children can play independently while parents can have peace of mind. In addition to being anti-trap, playground designers should prioritise fencing that conforms to RoSPA and BS EN 1176. We also recommend that gates are powder coated a different colour to the fence – and both coated brightly – to enhance visibility and wayfinding, another principle of CPTED. Our playground fencing options – Anti-Trap Bow Top, Playtime Timber, and Playtime Metal are designed with durability as well as safety in mind. Featuring either welded pale-through-rail construction or pales securely sandwiched between rails, our designs are robust enough to withstand the extra demands of older children climbing and playing on them. For added safety and comfort, all our timber is carefully planed to minimise the risk of splinters, providing a safer environment for children of all ages.

Adventure playgrounds

Some larger parks may also have adventure playgrounds in addition to standard play areas. These usually include paid-for activities, so they need taller, secure fencing to prevent unauthorised use and also accidents. Mesh security fencing often works best, as it stops animals from entering while preventing any impalements should there be a fall from height. It also provides high visibility for safety and spectators. Securi-Mesh^® is ideal, as it prevents small mammals from even attempting to pass through the fence and keeps them out of harm’s way.

Sports areas

When it comes to sports facilities within parks, welded mesh panels specifically designed for sports are the best option. These panels are strong, durable, and can withstand high impact from sports activities. They also provide clear visibility, which is crucial for both players and spectators. Welded mesh panels like EuroGuard^® Rebound help in creating a safe and secure environment for various sports.

Car parks

Demarcation fences and gates are essential for controlling access and defining boundaries within parks, especially in car parks and other areas requiring controlled entry. Knee rail fencing, warden barriers, post and rail fencing are commonly used for these purposes. These fences and gates are sturdy and provide clear demarcation, ensuring that vehicles and pedestrians can move safely and efficiently. Bollards and hoop barriers are also an option to stop vehicles from accessing the park, but they allow wheelchairs to move freely. Browse our range of parking controls and barriers.

Anti-vandal designs and connectors

Regardless of the type of fence selected, incorporating anti-vandal designs and connectors is crucial. These features help in prolonging the lifespan of the fences by making them resistant to tampering and damage. Anti-vandal elements are essential for maintaining the integrity and appearance of park fences over time.

Sustainability and longevity

Sustainability is increasingly important in park management. Procuring products that are durable and come with long guarantees ensures that the fences will last, reducing the need for frequent replacements. Opting for sustainable materials and manufacturing processes also aligns with environmental conservation efforts, making parks more eco-friendly.

If you have a requirement for park fencing, please contact us.

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