Electric Gates
Cambridgeshire
Electric gates supplied, fabricated and installed across Cambridgeshire — from the fen towns in the north through the city to the villages south of Cambridge. Swing gates, sliding gates, driveway automation and rising bollards, all made to measure.
A look at our work
Every gate we fit is made to measure for the property it goes on. Here is a small selection of recent installations — traditional and contemporary, swing and sliding.
Andrew Wiles — fabricator and installer
Andrew has been fabricating and automating gates for thirteen years and has worked independently since 2020. He covers the whole of Cambridgeshire from his base just over the county line, along with Lincolnshire and the north-west of Essex.
All the metalwork is made in his own workshop rather than bought in as stock sizes. That matters more than it sounds in a county with this much older housing — it means a gate can be built to fit an opening that is out of square, on a slope, or wider at one side than the other, which is exactly what you find on village properties and farm conversions.
Beyond gates he takes on structural steelwork, car ports and aluminium welding, and installs automated rising bollard systems — often the better answer on listed and conservation-area frontages where a gate will not get consent.
Cambridgeshire is not one place
What a gate needs to cope with changes considerably between the fens and the villages south of Cambridge. These are the factors that come up most often.
In the fens — the water table
Around Wisbech, March and the northern fens the water table sits close to the surface. Underground motors need a housing that drains, and where it cannot, that housing fills and the operator fails. An above-ground ram or arm is usually the sensible specification there, whatever the brochures suggest.
In Cambridge — protected trees
The city roads where gated driveways are common are heavily treed, and every tree in a conservation area is protected by default. Excavating within a root protection area can need consent or a different foundation method. Cutting roots to suit a post position is not an option.
On new estates — covenants
St Neots, Waterbeach and the newer developments frequently carry restrictive covenants governing boundary treatments. These sit separately from planning permission, so you can have permitted development rights and still be in breach. A five-minute check of the deeds saves a great deal of trouble.
In the villages — the opening itself
Older village entrances are frequently wider than a modern driveway, not square, and hung from walls rather than pillars. Past about two and a half metres a swing leaf becomes unwieldy, which points toward sliding or bi-folding gates — often cheaper as well as more practical.
Electric gate types & services
Electric Swing Gates
The most popular residential choice. Two leaves hinged to pillars, opening inward or outward, in a wide range of materials and styles.
Learn more →Electric Sliding Gates
Slides parallel to your fence — no swing clearance needed. The usual answer on wide village entrances or shallow driveways.
Learn more →Electric Bollards
Automatic rising bollards for driveways and commercial entrances. Often the answer on listed frontages where a gate will not get consent.
Learn more →Driveway Automation
Full driveway systems including video intercom, keypads, remote fobs, vehicle detection loops and app control.
Learn more →Automate Existing Gates
Already have gates? In many cases motors can be added without replacing them, typically at around half the cost of a new installation.
Find out more →Gate Repairs
Motor faults, damaged panels, failed intercoms or misaligned tracks — repairs covered across the county.
Learn more →How much do electric gates cost in Cambridgeshire?
Prices depend on gate size, material, type and automation spec. Ground conditions matter too — the fen ground in the north of the county needs deeper post foundations than the firmer ground further south.
The figures below are typical ranges. A precise quote follows a site survey, which is free and carries no obligation.
Full cost guide →Frequently asked questions about electric gates in Cambridgeshire
Which parts of Cambridgeshire do you cover?
The whole county, from Peterborough and the northern fens through Cambridge to the villages in the south. Sixteen towns and villages have their own page, listed below, and the surrounding areas of each are covered too. If yours is not shown, send us your postcode and we will confirm straight away.
Do I need planning permission for electric gates?
Often, yes. A gate adjoining a highway used by vehicles may be no more than one metre tall under permitted development, and most driveway gates exceed that. Cambridgeshire also has numerous conservation areas and listed buildings, particularly in Cambridge, Ely and the older villages, where consent is required regardless of height. Our planning permission guide covers the rules in full.
Can you automate the gates I already have?
Often, yes, and it is worth asking before assuming you need new ones. The gates need to be structurally sound, the posts must carry the additional load automation applies, and the weight and leaf width need to fall within an operator's range. Where all three hold, it typically costs around half what a new installation would.
Can you make a gate to fit an unusual opening?
Yes. All metalwork is fabricated to measure rather than bought in as stock sizes, so an opening that is out of square, on a slope, or wider at one side than the other can be worked with rather than altered. Village properties and farm conversions across the county frequently fall into this category.
How long does installation take?
Most residential installations are completed in one to two days. Projects involving new pillars, trenching for cable runs or full intercom systems can take two to three days. Bollard installations require excavation and typically take two days. Where consent is needed, factor that timescale in beforehand — it sits with the local authority rather than your installer.
Electric gate installers across Cambridgeshire
Towns & cities
Each with its own page and surrounding area covered
Villages around Cambridge
Where most of the county’s gated properties are
Don’t see your village? Send us an enquiry — the surrounding areas of each are covered too.