Renovations and building

When building a new dwelling (home), or making modifications to an existing one, there are a number of obligations that must be fulfilled.

If you are unsure of your obligations, it is essential that you contact a private building certifier.

For more information about the certification process and how to obtain approval for building work, view our information about building certifiers.

Sheds

A permit is required to erect a garden shed. The permit and construction requirements can be obtained from a building certifier.

Any resident wishing to build a shed larger than 85 square metres must seek approval as per council's planning scheme.

Easements

An easement is a registered agreement between a landowner and someone else (i.e.council to utilise a particular part of the person's property for such things as:

• Sewerage
• Drainage
• Water supply
• Access
• Power supply
• Environmental buffer purposes
• Public utility
• Right of way

Easements can affect residents in the following ways:

• Council does not generally approve the erection of buildings over or within easements
• No building work, excavation or filling work is to be carried out within an easement without prior approval from council
• Easements may be created over underground pipe networks or may be an area where stormwater flows are transferred via overland flow in an open channel
• The area contained within an easement (that is part of the overall allotment) is the responsibility of the allotment owner to maintain
• Works or landscaping in a drainage easement may cause blocking of the natural flow of stormwater resulting in direct discharge of stormwater onto private property, which may result in civil action
• Alterations to the surface level of the land within an easement requires the written approval of council prior to works commencing

Easements are located throughout the region and can be located on council's mapping system MiMAPS.

For more information contact council.