HOW TO BUILD THE IDEAL MAN CAVE

Written by: Sarah Hunt, Zone Planning Group

Wanting to build that man cave? Dreaming of a shed to call your own? Not sure where to start or what you need to do to tick all the regulatory boxes? Zone Planning Group shares a few tips to ensure you know the do’s and don’ts to avoid regulatory pitfalls and timely construction delays.

In addition to choosing your shed company and ensuring you obtain the necessary building approvals to support your shed construction, Gladstone Regional Council requires certain shed developments to obtain Amenity and Aesthetic approval. Council regulates the location and size of sheds within the bulk of residential areas, along with our Regions Centres, and it is on this basis that aspiring shed owners need to know what’s what.

PREPARING FOR APPROVAL

Where a property already contains a Dwelling House, introducing a shed onsite must ensure that the combined house and shed area does not exceed 50% site cover and 9m/2 storeys in height. Exceedance of these requirements would require further assessment from Council. It is essential that you stick to these restrictions to avoid costly assessment fees and months long approval timeframes, with no specific guarantee of receiving an approval.

In the event that your property is vacant, introduction of a shed prior to your Dwelling House will require further assessment against Council’s Amenity and Aesthetics Policy. This policy favours the delivery of sheds in conjunction with a Dwelling House and limits sheds on vacant land to the following:

Lot Area Shed Size
<450m2 <54m2
450m2 – 2,000m2 <72m2
2,000m2 – 40,000m2 <150m2

KNOWING YOUR RESTRICTIONS

Council will consider any adverse amenity impacts created as a result of the proposal on the established built form of your surrounding area, including adjoining neighbours and public places. They will also assess whether the proposed works will jeopardise the ability to locate a future Dwelling House on your property – amongst an extensive list of other assessment criteria.

In light of these restrictions and assessment requirements, it’s preferable that your Dwelling House is built first or at the same time as your shed. It is also recommended that you work with your shed company and Council to come up with a built form outcome that suits your site and specifications, prior to undertaking any construction works. This way you can potentially avoid further red tape and delays on building that shed you’ve been dreaming of.