Fences and retaining walls in Gladstone — do you need approval?
Gladstone Regional Council's planning scheme — the Gladstone Regional Council Planning Scheme (Version 2.1) — decides whether a fence or retaining wall needs a development application, and the answer depends on the zone your property is in. Below is what its table of assessment says for each zone; or check your own address.
In a low density residential zone
No planning approval needed. A fence or retaining wall needs no planning development application in the Low density residential zone, because the scheme regulates no other building work unless an overlay such as heritage applies (a building approval may still be required).
I don't know my zone — choose my council instead
The zone is on your rates notice, or a Landbrief site report will find it for you.
Zone by zone
Building work (a fence or retaining wall). Residential zones first.
| Zone | What the table says | Conditions | What you'll need |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low density residential zone | No planning approval needed Section 5.7 | A fence or retaining wall needs no planning development application in the Low density residential zone, because the scheme regulates no other building work unless an overlay such as heritage applies (a building approval may still be required). | Building approval for fences over 2 m or retaining walls over 1 m |
| Low–medium density residential zone | No planning approval needed Section 5.7 | A fence or retaining wall needs no planning development application in the Low–medium density residential zone, because the scheme regulates no other building work unless an overlay such as heritage applies (a building approval may still be required). | Building approval for fences over 2 m or retaining walls over 1 m |
| Medium density residential zone | No planning approval needed Section 5.7 | A fence or retaining wall needs no planning development application in the Medium density residential zone, because the scheme regulates no other building work unless an overlay such as heritage applies (a building approval may still be required). | Building approval for fences over 2 m or retaining walls over 1 m |
| Character residential zone | No planning approval needed Section 5.7 | A fence or retaining wall needs no planning development application in the Character residential zone, because the scheme regulates no other building work unless an overlay such as heritage applies (a building approval may still be required). | Building approval for fences over 2 m or retaining walls over 1 m |
| Rural residential zone | No planning approval needed Section 5.7 | A fence or retaining wall needs no planning development application in the Rural residential zone, because the scheme regulates no other building work unless an overlay such as heritage applies (a building approval may still be required). | Building approval for fences over 2 m or retaining walls over 1 m |
| Emerging community zone | No planning approval needed Section 5.7 | A fence or retaining wall needs no planning development application in the Emerging community zone, because the scheme regulates no other building work unless an overlay such as heritage applies (a building approval may still be required). | Building approval for fences over 2 m or retaining walls over 1 m |
| Township zone | No planning approval needed Section 5.7 | A fence or retaining wall needs no planning development application in the Township zone, because the scheme regulates no other building work unless an overlay such as heritage applies (a building approval may still be required). | Building approval for fences over 2 m or retaining walls over 1 m |
| Centre zone | No planning approval needed Section 5.7 | A fence or retaining wall needs no planning development application in the Centre zone, because the scheme regulates no other building work unless an overlay such as heritage applies (a building approval may still be required). | Building approval for fences over 2 m or retaining walls over 1 m |
| Community facilities zone | No planning approval needed Section 5.7 | A fence or retaining wall needs no planning development application in the Community facilities zone, because the scheme regulates no other building work unless an overlay such as heritage applies (a building approval may still be required). | Building approval for fences over 2 m or retaining walls over 1 m |
| Conservation zone | No planning approval needed Section 5.7 | A fence or retaining wall needs no planning development application in the Conservation zone, because the scheme regulates no other building work unless an overlay such as heritage applies (a building approval may still be required). | Building approval for fences over 2 m or retaining walls over 1 m |
| Environmental management zone | No planning approval needed Section 5.7 | A fence or retaining wall needs no planning development application in the Environmental management zone, because the scheme regulates no other building work unless an overlay such as heritage applies (a building approval may still be required). | Building approval for fences over 2 m or retaining walls over 1 m |
| Industry investigation zone | No planning approval needed Section 5.7 | A fence or retaining wall needs no planning development application in the Industry investigation zone, because the scheme regulates no other building work unless an overlay such as heritage applies (a building approval may still be required). | Building approval for fences over 2 m or retaining walls over 1 m |
| Limited development zone (constrained land) | No planning approval needed Section 5.7 | A fence or retaining wall needs no planning development application in the Limited development zone, because the scheme regulates no other building work unless an overlay such as heritage applies (a building approval may still be required). | Building approval for fences over 2 m or retaining walls over 1 m |
| Low impact industry zone | No planning approval needed Section 5.7 | A fence or retaining wall needs no planning development application in the Low impact industry zone, because the scheme regulates no other building work unless an overlay such as heritage applies (a building approval may still be required). | Building approval for fences over 2 m or retaining walls over 1 m |
| Major tourism zone | No planning approval needed Section 5.7 | A fence or retaining wall needs no planning development application in the Major tourism zone, because the scheme regulates no other building work unless an overlay such as heritage applies (a building approval may still be required). | Building approval for fences over 2 m or retaining walls over 1 m |
| Medium impact industry zone | No planning approval needed Section 5.7 | A fence or retaining wall needs no planning development application in the Medium impact industry zone, because the scheme regulates no other building work unless an overlay such as heritage applies (a building approval may still be required). | Building approval for fences over 2 m or retaining walls over 1 m |
| Minor tourism zone | No planning approval needed Section 5.7 | A fence or retaining wall needs no planning development application in the Minor tourism zone, because the scheme regulates no other building work unless an overlay such as heritage applies (a building approval may still be required). | Building approval for fences over 2 m or retaining walls over 1 m |
| Mixed use zone | No planning approval needed Section 5.7 | A fence or retaining wall needs no planning development application in the Mixed use zone, because the scheme regulates no other building work unless an overlay such as heritage applies (a building approval may still be required). | Building approval for fences over 2 m or retaining walls over 1 m |
| Neighbourhood centre zone | No planning approval needed Section 5.7 | A fence or retaining wall needs no planning development application in the Neighbourhood centre zone, because the scheme regulates no other building work unless an overlay such as heritage applies (a building approval may still be required). | Building approval for fences over 2 m or retaining walls over 1 m |
| Open space zone | No planning approval needed Section 5.7 | A fence or retaining wall needs no planning development application in the Open space zone, because the scheme regulates no other building work unless an overlay such as heritage applies (a building approval may still be required). | Building approval for fences over 2 m or retaining walls over 1 m |
| Principal centre zone | No planning approval needed Section 5.7 | A fence or retaining wall needs no planning development application in the Principal centre zone, because the scheme regulates no other building work unless an overlay such as heritage applies (a building approval may still be required). | Building approval for fences over 2 m or retaining walls over 1 m |
| Rural zone | No planning approval needed Section 5.7 | A fence or retaining wall needs no planning development application in the Rural zone, because the scheme regulates no other building work unless an overlay such as heritage applies (a building approval may still be required). | Building approval for fences over 2 m or retaining walls over 1 m |
| Special industry zone | No planning approval needed Section 5.7 | A fence or retaining wall needs no planning development application in the Special industry zone, because the scheme regulates no other building work unless an overlay such as heritage applies (a building approval may still be required). | Building approval for fences over 2 m or retaining walls over 1 m |
| Special purpose zone | No planning approval needed Section 5.7 | A fence or retaining wall needs no planning development application in the Special purpose zone, because the scheme regulates no other building work unless an overlay such as heritage applies (a building approval may still be required). | Building approval for fences over 2 m or retaining walls over 1 m |
| Specialised centre zone | No planning approval needed Section 5.7 | A fence or retaining wall needs no planning development application in the Specialised centre zone, because the scheme regulates no other building work unless an overlay such as heritage applies (a building approval may still be required). | Building approval for fences over 2 m or retaining walls over 1 m |
| Sport and recreation zone | No planning approval needed Section 5.7 | A fence or retaining wall needs no planning development application in the Sport and recreation zone, because the scheme regulates no other building work unless an overlay such as heritage applies (a building approval may still be required). | Building approval for fences over 2 m or retaining walls over 1 m |
Overlays that change the answer
- Heritage overlay (local heritage place). On a local heritage place: a change of use that would be accepted subject to requirements and involves building work becomes code assessable; any building work not associated with a change of use (including minor work) is code assessable; demolition, partial demolition or removal is impact assessable; operational work changing landscaping, fencing or natural features named in the citation is code assessable. Work under a Queensland Heritage Act exemption certificate is accepted. (Table 5.10.1 Heritage overlay code)
Worth knowing in Gladstone
Gladstone Regional Council Planning Scheme (Version 2.1), Part 5, converted from the council's PDF (not an official copy). A material change of use is impact assessable unless the table says otherwise or the use isn't listed; reconfiguring a lot is code assessable unless Table 5.6.1 says otherwise; building work and operational work are accepted unless the tables say otherwise (section 5.3.2). Building work (section 5.7): for a dwelling house there is 'no change to assessment category' against the relevant zone code, and no other building work is regulated unless an overlay table says so — so sheds, extensions, pools, fences and demolition need no planning development application outside overlays (mainly the Heritage overlay); a building approval under the Building Act is still needed. Accepted development subject to requirements that doesn't meet the listed acceptable outcomes becomes code assessable (section 5.3.3). Schedule 6 of the Planning Regulation (Table 5.4.1) can make a dwelling house or community residence accepted development regardless of the zone tables; Table 5.4.2 lets a one-into-two-lot subdivision in a residential or industry zone (not rural residential) be code assessable under schedule 10, part 12 of the Regulation against schedule 12 benchmarks. Precincts: Medium density residential — Beaches Village Circuit (dwelling house and dual occupancy impact assessable; 1,000 m² lots) and Gladstone West Hospital (shop/office/café code); Low density residential — Calliope neighbourhood (800 m² lots); Mixed use — Jeffery Court (office and some other uses lose their code/accepted pathway); Specialised centre — Clinton and Central Gladstone / Toolooa Street east (the only places retail/office uses are listed); Low impact industry — Hanson Road (showrooms, hardware); Medium impact industry — Red Rover Road (structure-plan pathway); Rural residential — Bicentennial Drive Enterprise; Sport and recreation — Benaraby Motor Sport; Special purpose — Gladstone Airport; Limited development — Flood affected lands (dwelling house code assessable, home based business accepted subject to requirements) and Major industry buffer. There are no local plans (section 5.9). Operational work: earthworks of 100 m³ or more are code assessable in all zones (Rural zone: 500 m³ for water retention, 100 m³ otherwise, accepted subject to requirements); the Coastal hazard and Flood hazard overlays make filling or excavation over 50 m³ code assessable. The Coastal hazard, Hazardous activities, Steep land, Scenic amenity and Water resource catchment overlays don't change the category but add their own acceptable outcomes to accepted development subject to requirements (code assessable if not met). Where land is in more than one zone or overlay, the highest category applies, and an overlay's category overrides the zone's (section 5.3.2).
What else you'll need
- Building approval for fences over 2 m or retaining walls over 1 m
More about Gladstone
- What can you build in Gladstone? Council overview and development applications
- Every Queensland zone explained, with what each council allows and the planning overlays that change the answer
- What Gladstone Regional Council charges for a development application, compared with other councils
- A Landbrief site report for your Gladstone address — every planning layer that applies to the lot
- Development applications in Clinton
- Development applications in Agnes Water
- Development applications in Boyne Island
- Development applications in Tannum Sands
- Development applications in Gladstone Central
- Development applications in Calliope
- Development applications in New Auckland
- Development applications in West Gladstone
Other projects in Gladstone
Granny flatDual occupancySubdivideShed or carportExtensionPoolHome businessTownhousesShop, café or officeClear treesDemolish
The statewide position on this project: Fence or wall in Queensland.
Read from the Gladstone Regional Council Planning Scheme (Version 2.1) tables of assessment. General information, not advice. The council's planning scheme and the Planning Act 2016 decide — confirm with the council or a town planner before you build.