Fences and retaining walls in Noosa — do you need approval?
Noosa Shire Council's planning scheme — the Noosa Plan 2020 — 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
Accepted if you meet the requirements. A fence or retaining wall needs no planning development application in the Low Density Residential zone if it meets the listed zone code and Low Density Housing Code requirements, otherwise it needs a code assessable application (a building approval is still 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 | Accepted if you meet the requirements Table 5.7.1 | building work not associated with a material change of use, for a dwelling house or a Class 10 structure, meeting the listed acceptable outcomesIf not met: a development application with code assessment. | Building approval for fences over 2 m or retaining walls over 1 mAssessed against: Low Density Residential Zone Code, Low Density Housing Code |
| Medium Density Residential | Accepted if you meet the requirements Table 5.7.1 | building work not associated with a material change of use, for a dwelling house or a Class 10 structure where associated with a dwelling house, meeting the listed acceptable outcomesIf not met: a development application with code assessment. | Building approval for fences over 2 m or retaining walls over 1 mAssessed against: Medium Density Residential Zone Code, Low Density Housing Code |
| High Density Residential | Accepted if you meet the requirements Table 5.7.1 | building work not associated with a material change of use, for a dwelling house or a Class 10 structure where associated with a dwelling house, meeting the listed acceptable outcomesIf not met: a development application with code assessment. | Building approval for fences over 2 m or retaining walls over 1 mAssessed against: High Density Residential Zone Code, Low Density Housing Code |
| Tourist Accommodation | Accepted if you meet the requirements Table 5.7.1 | building work not associated with a material change of use, for a dwelling house or a Class 10 structure where associated with a dwelling house, meeting the listed acceptable outcomesIf not met: a development application with code assessment. | Building approval for fences over 2 m or retaining walls over 1 mAssessed against: Tourist Accommodation Zone Code, Low Density Housing Code |
| Rural Residential | Accepted if you meet the requirements Table 5.7.1 | building work not associated with a material change of use, for a dwelling house or a Class 10 structure, meeting the listed acceptable outcomesIf not met: a development application with code assessment. | Building approval for fences over 2 m or retaining walls over 1 mAssessed against: Rural Residential Zone Code, Low Density Housing Code |
| Community Facilities | Needs a development application (code assessment) Table 5.7.1 | building work is accepted only within an existing building with no new building, expansion or new tenancy; anything else is code assessable | Building approval for fences over 2 m or retaining walls over 1 mAssessed against: Applicable zone code, Applicable use code, Works codes |
| District Centre | Needs a development application (code assessment) Table 5.7.1 | building work is accepted only within an existing building with no new building, expansion or new tenancy; anything else is code assessable | Building approval for fences over 2 m or retaining walls over 1 mAssessed against: Applicable zone code, Applicable use code, Works codes |
| Environmental Management and Conservation | Needs a development application (code assessment) Table 5.7.1 | building work is accepted only within an existing building with no new building, expansion or new tenancy; anything else is code assessable | Building approval for fences over 2 m or retaining walls over 1 mAssessed against: Applicable zone code, Applicable use code, Works codes |
| Innovation Zone | Needs a development application (code assessment) Table 5.7.1 | building work is accepted only within an existing building with no new building, expansion or new tenancy; anything else is code assessable | Building approval for fences over 2 m or retaining walls over 1 mAssessed against: Applicable zone code, Applicable use code, Works codes |
| Local Centre | Needs a development application (code assessment) Table 5.7.1 | building work is accepted only within an existing building with no new building, expansion or new tenancy; anything else is code assessable | Building approval for fences over 2 m or retaining walls over 1 mAssessed against: Applicable zone code, Applicable use code, Works codes |
| Low Impact Industry | Needs a development application (code assessment) Table 5.7.1 | building work is accepted only within an existing building with no new building, expansion or new tenancy; anything else is code assessable | Building approval for fences over 2 m or retaining walls over 1 mAssessed against: Applicable zone code, Applicable use code, Works codes |
| Major Centre | Needs a development application (code assessment) Table 5.7.1 | building work is accepted only within an existing building with no new building, expansion or new tenancy; anything else is code assessable | Building approval for fences over 2 m or retaining walls over 1 mAssessed against: Applicable zone code, Applicable use code, Works codes |
| Medium Impact Industry | Needs a development application (code assessment) Table 5.7.1 | building work is accepted only within an existing building with no new building, expansion or new tenancy; anything else is code assessable | Building approval for fences over 2 m or retaining walls over 1 mAssessed against: Applicable zone code, Applicable use code, Works codes |
| Neighbourhood Centre | Needs a development application (code assessment) Table 5.7.1 | building work is accepted only within an existing building with no new building, expansion or new tenancy; anything else is code assessable | Building approval for fences over 2 m or retaining walls over 1 mAssessed against: Applicable zone code, Applicable use code, Works codes |
| Recreation and Open Space | Needs a development application (code assessment) Table 5.7.1 | building work is accepted only within an existing building with no new building, expansion or new tenancy; anything else is code assessable | Building approval for fences over 2 m or retaining walls over 1 mAssessed against: Applicable zone code, Applicable use code, Works codes |
| Rural | Accepted if you meet the requirements Table 5.7.1 | building work not associated with a material change of use, for a dwelling house or a Class 10 structure, meeting the listed acceptable outcomesIf not met: a development application with code assessment. | Building approval for fences over 2 m or retaining walls over 1 mAssessed against: Rural Zone Code, Low Density Housing Code |
Overlays that change the answer
- Biodiversity, Waterways and Wetlands Overlay. A material change of use or building work becomes code assessable where it clears mapped biodiversity significance or riparian buffer vegetation or is on the riparian buffer part of the lot (not where inside an existing building, within an approved building envelope or exempt clearing). (Table 5.9.2 Biodiversity, Waterways and Wetlands Overlay)
- Coastal Protection and Scenic Amenity Overlay. Within a coastal protection area, any material change of use or building work involving building work becomes code assessable against the Coastal Protection and Scenic Amenity Overlay Code; demolition work stays accepted. (Table 5.9.4 Coastal Protection and Scenic Amenity Overlay)
- Heritage Overlay. For a local heritage place, new buildings or external building work become code assessable; in a character area, extensions or new buildings forward of the front building line or over 10 m², enclosing a front verandah, or changing front/side materials or front windows become code assessable against the Heritage Overlay Code. (Table 5.9.7 Heritage Overlay)
Worth knowing in Noosa
Noosa Plan 2020 (Amendment 3, effective 20 March 2026), Part 5. 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 in every zone (Table 5.6.1); building work and operational work are accepted unless the tables say otherwise. Noosa makes demolition or removal of any building code assessable in all zones (Table 5.7.1), unusually. Building work for a dwelling house or a Class 10 structure (shed, carport, pool, fence) is accepted subject to requirements in the Low, Medium and High Density Residential, Tourist Accommodation, Rural Residential and Rural zones; in all other zones building work is accepted only inside an existing building with no new buildings or expansion, otherwise code assessable. A building approval under the Building Act is still needed in all cases. Accepted development subject to requirements that doesn't meet the listed acceptable outcomes becomes code assessable (section 5.3.3). A dwelling house includes a secondary dwelling (granny flat); in the Medium and High Density Residential zones a dwelling house is only listed for lots under 500 m², so on bigger lots the 'any other use' impact row applies. Schedule 6, Part 2 of the Planning Regulation 2017 can make a dwelling house, community residence, home-based business or rooming accommodation accepted regardless of these tables. Precincts: the Major Centre (Noosa Junction Hospitality; Noosa Business Centre Showroom, Business Park, Retail, Village Mixed Use), District Centre (Mary/Thomas Street Health and Wellbeing, Doonella Street, Noosaville Mainstreet), Low Impact Industry (Lionel Donovan Drive Auto, Hofmann Drive, Factory Street, Kin Kin, Gateway West Makers) and Medium Impact Industry (Venture Drive Enterprise) zones have precinct tables that vary some uses; the 'Where not located in a Precinct' tables are empty on the ePlan, so the parent zone table applies outside precincts. The Major Centre page labels its own table 'Table 5.5.1' (a typo) — it is Table 5.5.5. Many rows are tied to named lots or streets (e.g. 99 Noosa Drive, Gympie Terrace, Hastings Street) — check the conditions. Where premises are in more than one zone or overlay, the highest category applies to the part affected. Operational work for a dwelling driveway is accepted subject to the Low Density Housing Code; excavation or filling over 10 m³ (residential and environmental zones) or 100 m³ (other zones) is code assessable. Vegetation clearing benchmarks sit in the Biodiversity, Waterways and Wetlands Overlay Code; state Vegetation Management Act rules apply separately.
What else you'll need
- Building approval for fences over 2 m or retaining walls over 1 m
More about Noosa
- What can you build in Noosa? Council overview and development applications
- Every Queensland zone explained, with what each council allows and the planning overlays that change the answer
- What Noosa Shire Council charges for a development application, compared with other councils
- A Landbrief site report for your Noosa address — every planning layer that applies to the lot
- Development applications in Noosaville
- Development applications in Noosa Heads
- Development applications in Cooroy
- Development applications in Peregian Beach
- Development applications in Sunshine Beach
- Development applications in Exempt Clearing
Other projects in Noosa
Granny flatDual occupancySubdivideShed or carportExtensionPoolHome businessTownhousesShop, café or officeClear treesDemolish
The statewide position on this project: Fence or wall in Queensland.
Read from the Noosa Plan 2020 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.