White House to get bigger, stronger fence

First it was Parliament House in Canberra.

Now United States President Donald Trump's new home in Washington is set to get a bigger fence.

The final design for a 3.5 metre fence around the White House was given the tick of approval on Tuesday, just days after President Trump's inauguration.

The fence, proposed by the US Secret Service and National Park Service, will be almost 1.4 metres taller than the current barrier, with wider and stronger pickets.

It will also include "anti-climb and intrusion detection technology, while respecting the historical significance and visitor experience" at the White House and President's Park, the agencies said in a statement.

Construction is expected to begin by 2018, once approved by the National Capital Planning Commission.

Over the past two years, a number of temporary security enhancements have been made to the complex, including a removable anti-climb feature on the top of the White House fence.

They will be kept in place until longer-term solutions are finished.

Late last year, both houses of Australia's parliament approved a range of security upgrades to the Canberra building - including a 2.6m perimeter fence.

It means public access to the grassy slopes will be blocked, preventing people from rolling down.

The country's peak body for architects has deep concerns about the plans and has urged the government to put them on hold while a review is undertaken.