building permit for a cubby house?

**HotI** · November 18th, 2012, 03:33 PM

i am attempting to navigate the local council website but haven't found an answer yet. wondering if you have to get a building permit to build a cubby house in the front yard. also trying to find any local laws on distances from fences etc.

any experiences or info welcome

**Tinks** · November 18th, 2012, 03:41 PM

I don't think you'd need a permit for a cubby house. In our are you don't need a permit for anything under $5000.

**OceanPrincess** · November 18th, 2012, 04:46 PM

In Banyule it depends on size of structure, distance from other walls/fences/structures etc. We've just navigated the permit waters - I'll ask DH and be back after dinner...

**Phteven** · November 18th, 2012, 04:59 PM

Some councils can be very funny about things that affect the 'character' of the suburb.

The easiest thing to do is to ring up the council tomorrow morning and ask to be put through to the town planner. I have lost count of how many planners in how many councils I have rung and they have never failed to be polite and helpful. They also seem to have an amazing knack of being able to memorise a squillion regulations and ordinances.

**LimeSlice** · November 18th, 2012, 05:13 PM

One would nee a permit for any premanant structure in our place in WA.

So if we bought a shed from Bunnings, for example, we could put it up no problems, unless we bolted it to a poured concrete slab. We could bolt it to a paved footing with no permit.
It needed to be at least 1.5metres from one fence and 1mtr from the other. Must be under 6metres square and temporary to be built without a permit...

They are all different basically, your best bet will be to call the council directly, tell them exactly what you want to do - position, dimensions, material - and ask them to send the regulations to you in writing.

**~ Zarava Flutterby ~** · November 18th, 2012, 05:54 PM

If call your council Hun, ours is a bit weird - we can't build an extra room without plans and providing color details etc but we can build a cubby house as big as we like ????? Hmmm

**Netix** · November 18th, 2012, 06:16 PM

As Onyx said, I would also call the town planner. Take notes about the conversation, just in case neighbours get cranky or something like that. And it would be best to check, because I would hate to build something for the kids only to have someone at council tell me to pull it down. Hopefully you won't need a permit.

**OceanPrincess** · November 18th, 2012, 06:26 PM

DH says you shouldn't need a permit - as long as the cubby is under 10 sq m. Are you City of W, or something else?

**HotI** · November 19th, 2012, 08:42 AM

Thank you! Spoke to Council to confirm, and as long as it as smaller than 10 square metres and no higher than 3.6 metres high i don't need a building permit.