Building a shed

A planning permit is required if the shed is in a Farming Zone,:

• 100 metres from a Transport Zone 2 (i.e. principal road network).
• 100 metres from a dwelling not in the same ownership.
• 100 metres from a waterway, wetlands or designated flood plain.
• 40-100 metres from land in a Public Acquisition Overlay (please call our team if this applies)
• 40 metres from a Transport Zone 3 (i.e. significant Council road).
• 20 metres from any other road.
• 5 metres from any other boundary.

The above requirements differ slightly if your land is in a Rural Living Zone, Rural Conservation Zone or a Rural Activity Zone - please contact us to assist.

Check the zones and overlays that apply to your property at VicPlan.

No.

If a shed is proposed on a lot without an existing dwelling or dwelling construction already underway, this is then considered to be a store, and is prohibited in most residential zones.

If you would like to build your shed at the same time as your dwelling, it should be included in your building permit, or constructed once dwelling construction is underway.

A planning permit is not required for a shed (out-building) associated with a dwelling on a lot in the General Residential Zone, Township Zone or Mixed-Use Zone, unless:

• The lot has an area of less than 300m² and the shed is greater than 10m²; or
• The land is affected by an overlay that may trigger a planning permit for certain buildings and works.

Check the zones and overlays that apply to your property at VicPlan.

For a shed greater than 10m2

A building permit is required for sheds greater than 10m² in floor area.

You will need to engage a private building surveyor to obtain a building permit for your shed. Council’s Building Department does not offer building permit services. For more information on appointing a building surveyor, you can contact the Victorian Building Authority.

For a shed less than 10m2

For sheds not more than 10 m² in floor area, a building permit is not required if the shed is:

• not more than 3m in height or if within 1 m of a boundary not more than 2.4m in height; and
• associated with a building of a different class on the same allotment i.e. dwelling, office building, etc.; and
• is located no further forward on the allotment than the front wall of the associated building; and
• is not constructed of masonry.

Consent of a service authority may be required to construct a building over an easement or within 1m laterally, i.e. water authority, council etc.

For more information or to discuss your planning application, contact our Statutory Planning team by:

• Requesting a call back to speak to a planner (in most cases calls are returned on the same day and no later than 48 hours).
• Calling our Statutory Planning Department on 1300 BCOAST (226 278) or (03) 5671 2211
• Visiting the Wonthaggi Customer Service Centre (76 McBride Avenue, Wonthaggi) between 10am and 3pm every Wednesday to speak to a planner (please note that a planner may not be available between 12pm-12:45pm).
• Requesting a Pre-Application discussion (may include a telephone conversation, a face-to-face/virtual meeting or e-mail correspondence) before your formal planning permit application is lodged with Council. To ensure the meeting is beneficial, please ensure conceptual plans and photographs are provided along with a detailed outline of your proposal before lodging.