Bespoke Driveway Gates New Forest
A rural driveway, planned around how people and vehicles arrive.
Bespoke driveway gates and electric gate systems for New Forest homes. We plan the layout, frontage design and automation together, then manufacture and install the agreed entrance.
Book a free site surveyRural approaches need careful geometry
A driveway gate has to work with the length of the approach, the ground and the way vehicles turn. Think about where a car waits, how people walk to the house, and whether the opening sits close to a lane or further in from the road.
New Forest properties include country houses with long drives, cottages and homes on larger plots. We survey the particular entrance rather than assuming one arrangement suits every setting. Levels, parking, boundary positions and access to power all shape the recommendation.
Automated Openings is based in Southampton and covers the New Forest. Your free site survey establishes the dimensions and constraints before the design is agreed.
Choose the arrangement that fits the driveway
The shape of the entrance decides where the gate can move safely. We discuss vehicle and pedestrian routes before fixing the appearance.
Protect the opening arc
Swing gates need clear space behind them. On a longer rural drive, we still check parked vehicles, paths, walls and any slope before recommending hinge and motor positions.
Allow a clear side run
Sliding gates need room beside the entrance as well as suitable support. Ground conditions and the requirements of a track or cantilever arrangement are assessed at the survey.
Plan walking routes
A separate pedestrian gate can make everyday arrivals simpler when the vehicle gate is set back from the house. Its position and controls should be considered with the vehicle entrance, not added afterwards.
Made-to-measure design, materials and finish
We design and manufacture steel gates for the agreed entrance. Gate height, detailing, posts and finish are considered with the automation, so appearance and operation work together.
Proportions for the setting
Discuss how the gate sits against the posts and boundary. The design should suit both the opening and the character of the home, rather than adapting a standard-size gate to the space.
Privacy & visibility
Tell us what you want screened and where visibility needs to be retained. Height and detailing affect more than appearance: construction and exposure also need assessment.
Construction & finish
Our steel gates are made to the agreed design. Pattern, construction and finish are confirmed before manufacture, with the gate's weight and intended operation in mind.
Built for its equipment
Hinges, motor mounting points and clearances are considered during design. The gate needs to move correctly before the automation can do its job.
Power, controls and safe operation
Decide who needs to enter and how: household members, visitors, deliveries or someone arriving on foot. Remotes, keypads and intercoms offer different ways to control access; a GSM intercom can let you answer and release the gate from your phone.
We check where controls can be reached, how vehicles leave and where power can be supplied. Where an entrance is a long way from the house, the survey considers whether a mains supply or an off-grid solar arrangement is appropriate for that site. We do not assume one power option suits every rural driveway.
Automation is specified for the gate and its use, with appropriate safety equipment. If suitable gates are already in place, we can assess their condition, hinges, posts and movement for automation rather than assuming a replacement is needed.
From New Forest survey to tested handover
01 / Survey
Measure the entrance, discuss your priorities and assess access, levels, ground conditions and power.
02 / Agree the design
Confirm the gate arrangement, appearance, construction, finish and access controls, with a quotation for the agreed work.
03 / Make & install
Manufacture the gates, fit the equipment and set up the controls and safety devices for the entrance.
04 / Safe handover
Fully risk assessed before handover, with force testing, safety checks and guidance on operating the gates.
At handover we explain the controls and provide operating and maintenance information and force-testing readings. Gates are fully risk assessed before handover. Arrange professional servicing at least every six months, with attention to the gate movement, controls and safety devices.
Our design-to-installation approach →Ongoing gate maintenance →
Planning your New Forest entrance
What should I photograph for the survey?
The opening, the driveway behind it and the boundary on both sides are useful. Include any existing gates or posts, and tell us whether you want new gates, automation or both. We confirm measurements on site.
Our entrance is a long way from the house — what about power?
The survey looks at how far the entrance is from a suitable power supply and whether a mains connection or an off-grid solar arrangement is appropriate for that site. We advise on the options after seeing the entrance.
What do we agree before the gate is made?
The opening dimensions, gate arrangement, design, construction and finish, alongside the automation and access-control requirements. The quotation sets out the agreed work so the gate and equipment can be planned together.
Can the design include a pedestrian gate?
Yes. We can consider a pedestrian gate alongside the driveway entrance. Its position, opening space and controls should allow people to enter without relying on the vehicle gate every time.
Do I need planning permission?
Planning requirements depend on the property and the work proposed. We can discuss practical entrance design at the survey, but planning consent — where required — remains your responsibility to check and obtain.
What happens after installation?
The gate is fully risk assessed before handover, with force testing, safety checks and guidance on the controls. Keep the operating information available and arrange professional servicing at least every six months.
Plan the whole entrance, not just the gate
Tell us about your New Forest property, the layout and the finish you have in mind. We offer a free site survey and quotation for new installations.
Book a free site survey