City of Boroondara

The conditions for requiring a building permit depend on the fence’s position. For the front fence, homeowners in Boroondara need only fulfil any of the following:

  • Any alteration to the fence’s structure, such as fence posts and footings
  • Located within 9.0 metres of an intersection or laneway and height exceeds 1.0 metre from the footpath level
  • Built using masonry (e.g., concrete, brick, stone) and height exceeds 1.2 metres from the natural ground level
  • Built using non-masonry materials (e.g., timber, steel) and height exceeds 1.5 metres from the natural ground level
  • The fence will serve as a pool or spa safety barrier

Request a Free Quote

For the side and rear fences, they need to fulfil any of the following:

  • Boundary fences (between neighbouring homes) that are over 2.0 metres in height
  • Located within 9.0 metres of an intersection or laneway and height exceeds 1.0 metre from the footpath level
  • Remaining fencing from the corner fence within 3.0 metres of the boundary and adjacent to a street or road (pedestrian paths are exempted)
  • Built using masonry (e.g., concrete, brick, stone) and height exceeds 1.2 metres from the natural ground level
  • Built using non-masonry materials (e.g., timber, steel) and height exceeds 1.5 metres from the natural ground level
  • The fence will serve as a pool or spa safety barrier

Applying for a building permit warrants a copy of each structural drawing (minimum scale of 1:500 for the site plan and 1:100 for the floor plan) and a copy of the Land Title and Plan of Subdivision. Depending on the project, the council may ask for other documents.

The fees are based on the project cost, including a fixed lodgement fee of AUD$134.40. The building permit processing time is 10 to 20 days.