Fences and retaining walls in Townsville — do you need approval?
Townsville City Council's planning scheme — the Townsville City Plan — 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 only regulates building work in the Character residential zone and certain overlays (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 zone | No planning approval needed Section 5.3.2(3); Table 5.7.1 | A fence or retaining wall needs no planning development application in the Low density residential zone because the scheme only regulates building work in the Character residential zone and certain overlays (a building approval is still required). | Building approval for fences over 2 m or retaining walls over 1 m |
| Medium density residential zone | No planning approval needed Section 5.3.2(3); Table 5.7.1 | A fence or retaining wall needs no planning development application in the Medium density residential zone because the scheme only regulates building work in the Character residential zone and certain overlays (a building approval is still required). | Building approval for fences over 2 m or retaining walls over 1 m |
| High density residential zone | No planning approval needed Section 5.3.2(3); Table 5.7.1 | A fence or retaining wall needs no planning development application in the High density residential zone because the scheme only regulates building work in the Character residential zone and certain overlays (a building approval is still required). | Building approval for fences over 2 m or retaining walls over 1 m |
| Character residential zone | No planning approval needed Table 5.7.1 | A fence or retaining wall is not listed in the Character residential building work table, so it falls under the 'any other building work' row and needs no planning development application (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 5.3.2(3); Table 5.7.1 | A fence or retaining wall needs no planning development application in the Rural residential zone because the scheme only regulates building work in the Character residential zone and certain overlays (a building approval is still required). | Building approval for fences over 2 m or retaining walls over 1 m |
| Emerging community zone | No planning approval needed Section 5.3.2(3); Table 5.7.1 | A fence or retaining wall needs no planning development application in the Emerging community zone because the scheme only regulates building work in the Character residential zone and certain overlays (a building approval is still required). | Building approval for fences over 2 m or retaining walls over 1 m |
| Community facilities zone | No planning approval needed Section 5.3.2(3); Table 5.7.1 | A fence or retaining wall needs no planning development application in the Community facilities zone because the scheme only regulates building work in the Character residential zone and certain overlays (a building approval is still required). | Building approval for fences over 2 m or retaining walls over 1 m |
| District centre zone | No planning approval needed Section 5.3.2(3); Table 5.7.1 | A fence or retaining wall needs no planning development application in the District centre zone because the scheme only regulates building work in the Character residential zone and certain overlays (a building approval is still required). | Building approval for fences over 2 m or retaining walls over 1 m |
| Environmental management and conservation zone | No planning approval needed Section 5.3.2(3); Table 5.7.1 | A fence or retaining wall needs no planning development application in the Environmental management and conservation zone because the scheme only regulates building work in the Character residential zone and certain overlays (a building approval is still required). | Building approval for fences over 2 m or retaining walls over 1 m |
| High impact industry zone | No planning approval needed Section 5.3.2(3); Table 5.7.1 | A fence or retaining wall needs no planning development application in the High impact industry zone because the scheme only regulates building work in the Character residential zone and certain overlays (a building approval is still required). | Building approval for fences over 2 m or retaining walls over 1 m |
| Local centre zone | No planning approval needed Section 5.3.2(3); Table 5.7.1 | A fence or retaining wall needs no planning development application in the Local centre zone because the scheme only regulates building work in the Character residential zone and certain overlays (a building approval is still required). | Building approval for fences over 2 m or retaining walls over 1 m |
| Low impact industry zone | No planning approval needed Section 5.3.2(3); Table 5.7.1 | A fence or retaining wall needs no planning development application in the Low impact industry zone because the scheme only regulates building work in the Character residential zone and certain overlays (a building approval is still required). | Building approval for fences over 2 m or retaining walls over 1 m |
| Major centre zone | No planning approval needed Section 5.3.2(3); Table 5.7.1 | A fence or retaining wall needs no planning development application in the Major centre zone because the scheme only regulates building work in the Character residential zone and certain overlays (a building approval is still required). | Building approval for fences over 2 m or retaining walls over 1 m |
| Medium impact industry zone | No planning approval needed Section 5.3.2(3); Table 5.7.1 | A fence or retaining wall needs no planning development application in the Medium impact industry zone because the scheme only regulates building work in the Character residential zone and certain overlays (a building approval is still required). | Building approval for fences over 2 m or retaining walls over 1 m |
| Mixed use zone | No planning approval needed Section 5.3.2(3); Table 5.7.1 | A fence or retaining wall needs no planning development application in the Mixed use zone because the scheme only regulates building work in the Character residential zone and certain overlays (a building approval is still required). | Building approval for fences over 2 m or retaining walls over 1 m |
| Neighbourhood centre zone | No planning approval needed Section 5.3.2(3); Table 5.7.1 | A fence or retaining wall needs no planning development application in the Neighbourhood centre zone because the scheme only regulates building work in the Character residential zone and certain overlays (a building approval is still required). | Building approval for fences over 2 m or retaining walls over 1 m |
| Open space zone | No planning approval needed Section 5.3.2(3); Table 5.7.1 | A fence or retaining wall needs no planning development application in the Open space zone because the scheme only regulates building work in the Character residential zone and certain overlays (a building approval is still required). | Building approval for fences over 2 m or retaining walls over 1 m |
| Principal centre zone | No planning approval needed Section 5.3.2(3); Table 5.7.1 | A fence or retaining wall needs no planning development application in the Principal centre zone because the scheme only regulates building work in the Character residential zone and certain overlays (a building approval is still required). | Building approval for fences over 2 m or retaining walls over 1 m |
| Rural zone | No planning approval needed Section 5.3.2(3); Table 5.7.1 | A fence or retaining wall needs no planning development application in the Rural zone because the scheme only regulates building work in the Character residential zone and certain overlays (a building approval is still required). | Building approval for fences over 2 m or retaining walls over 1 m |
| Special purpose zone | No planning approval needed Section 5.3.2(3); Table 5.7.1 | A fence or retaining wall needs no planning development application in the Special purpose zone because the scheme only regulates building work in the Character residential zone and certain overlays (a building approval is still required). | Building approval for fences over 2 m or retaining walls over 1 m |
| Specialised centre zone | No planning approval needed Section 5.3.2(3); Table 5.7.1 | A fence or retaining wall needs no planning development application in the Specialised centre zone because the scheme only regulates building work in the Character residential zone and certain overlays (a building approval is still required). | Building approval for fences over 2 m or retaining walls over 1 m |
| Sport and recreation zone | No planning approval needed Section 5.3.2(3); Table 5.7.1 | A fence or retaining wall needs no planning development application in the Sport and recreation zone because the scheme only regulates building work in the Character residential zone and certain overlays (a building approval is still required). | Building approval for fences over 2 m or retaining walls over 1 m |
Overlays that change the answer
- Cultural heritage overlay — on a heritage place. Operational work changing fencing, landscaping or natural features named in the heritage place citation (SC6.3) becomes code assessable. (Table 5.9.1 Cultural heritage overlay — On a heritage place)
Worth knowing in Townsville
Townsville City Plan (Version 2025/01), Part 5, converted from the council's Part 5 PDF (not an official copy). A material change of use not listed in a zone table, or not meeting the listed description, is impact assessable; reconfiguring a lot is code assessable unless Table 5.6.1 says otherwise; building work and operational work are accepted unless Tables 5.7 / 5.8 or an overlay say otherwise (section 5.3.2). Accepted development subject to requirements that doesn't meet its requirements becomes code assessable (section 5.3.3(2)). Townsville regulates building work in Table 5.7.1 only in the Character residential zone (contributing character buildings and work near the street façade — see SC6.2); elsewhere building work is regulated only through overlays (heritage, flood, coastal). A building approval under the Building Act is always still needed. Granny flats: only the Low density and Rural residential zones split out a 'secondary dwelling' (accepted subject to requirements); the Rural and Emerging community zones cap a lot at two dwellings. Dual occupancy is accepted in the Low (outside the Stables precinct), Medium and High density and Character residential zones. Schedule 6 of the Planning Regulation 2017 overrides the scheme — e.g. a dwelling house in a residential zone (other than Medium or High density) can't be made assessable unless a relevant overlay applies; the Major infrastructure and hazardous facilities overlay isn't a relevant overlay, so its dwelling-house triggers don't apply in the Low density or Character residential zones. Many centre, mixed use and medium density rows vary by precinct (e.g. Table 5.5.3 storey limits of 2–8 storeys by precinct for multiple dwellings in the Medium density residential zone; Breakwater, Thuringowa centre support, Civic and administration, James Cook University–Townsville University Hospital precincts) — check the conditions. Local plans are not used in this scheme. The Special purpose zone covers the Townsville State Development Area, where change of use, subdivision and vegetation clearing are decided by the Coordinator-General. Operational work filling or excavation within 1.5 m of a boundary deeper than 300 mm, deeper than 1 m, or 100 m³ or more is code assessable in every zone (10 m³ in the high/medium flood hazard area). Where premises are in more than one zone or overlay, the highest category applies to the affected part. The Transport noise corridor overlay is for information only. The source Part 5 extract was a PDF conversion: Table 5.5.12 (Specialised centre) splits across chunks and the Table 5.8.2 advertising-device extract is incomplete.
What else you'll need
- Building approval for fences over 2 m or retaining walls over 1 m
More about Townsville
- What can you build in Townsville? Council overview and development applications
- Every Queensland zone explained, with what each council allows and the planning overlays that change the answer
- What Townsville City Council charges for a development application, compared with other councils
- A Landbrief site report for your Townsville address — every planning layer that applies to the lot
Other projects in Townsville
Granny flatDual occupancySubdivideShed or carportExtensionPoolHome businessTownhousesShop, café or officeClear treesDemolish
The statewide position on this project: Fence or wall in Queensland.
Read from the Townsville City Plan 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.