Tag: carport

Carports are a quintessential feature of Australian residential development. Rising to popularity in post-war Australia during the 1950s and 1960s, carports have evolved from basic wooden structures to a wide variety of modern designs of varied materiality.

Does a carport need council approval?

Yes and No.

Whilst some carports can be constructed as exempt development (no council approval necessary), under Part 2, Subdivision 10 of the SEPP (Exempt and Complying Development Code) 2008, this provision doesn’t apply to all properties or structures, making it crucial to understand the specific requirements for your site.

Today, the majority of Councils have a number of specific development controls that will require council approval. These include:

• location,
• size, and
• colour of carports

These controls can vary dependant on a variety of factors including a property’s:

• land zoning,
• heritage status,
• lot size, and
• the general pattern of development in the street.

When do I need a Town Planner for a carport construction?

Many Councils require carports to be:

• positioned behind the front building line,
• aligned with the front façade of your home, or
• recessed behind the front façade of your home.

This requirement can pose design challenges, particularly if your property’s side setbacks are too narrow to fit a structure in this location, given that a standard carport needs a minimum width of 2.7 meters.

If your council is one of those that enforces Development Control Plans (DCP) and building a carport requires their council approval, you may be able to apply for a variation to this rule depending on the unique characteristics of your site.

You should consult a qualified Town Planner to help you with this. Ask Corona Projects to help you with this.

What else do I need to do if my carport does not need council approval?

If you’ve confirmed that your proposed carport qualifies as exempt development and you don’t need council approval, you now must make sure that they final structure complies with all relevant exempt provisions is crucial.

What are ‘exempt provisions’?

If your carport is built too close to a property boundary and doesn’t meet the required setbacks, it will no longer be considered exempt development and will need to be altered.

You will need to have your carport approved with a Building Information Certificate (BIC).

To avoid unintentionally encroaching into the minimum setbacks, it’s advisable to obtain a ‘Boundary Identification
Survey’ to accurately mark your property boundaries before beginning construction. The Corona Projects team can help you with this.

What happens if I have already built my carport without checking for council approval?

If you have already built a carport and later realise that council approval was required, you need to have your carport construction approved.

You need to ‘retrospectively’ gain council approval for your unauthorised building works, known as ‘regularisation’. This requires a Building Information Certificate (BIC). This process requires comprehensive documentation including;

• structural certification,
• an as-built survey,
• architectural drawings, and
• other development specific documents.

Below are a few examples of when a carport is considered as an ‘unauthorised works’ and requires a Building Information Certificate:

Mosman Carport:

This project involved a standard Colorbond carport, accessed by an existing vehicle crossing from the rear lane. However, this structure was built over the rear and side boundaries as the builder had not taken the time to obtain a boundary ID survey and instead relied on the existing boundary fencing to determine the property boundaries. This approach can be misleading, as fences often shift, warp over time, or may have been incorrectly positioned during initial construction.

To rectify this, a new Development Application (DA) was lodged to modify the structure within the property boundaries. A boundary ID survey was obtained to ensure accuracy and appease Council. A Building Information Certificate (BIC) application was then submitted to regularise the remaining portion of the carport, that has not been replaced by the DA. Both applications were approved by Mosman Council.

Carlingford Carport:

This unauthorised carport was built forward of the building line without the proper stormwater connections. As is often the case, the structure was reported by the neighbours to Council. Whilst the setbacks of the structure were sufficient, further stormwater works were required for the compliant drainage of stormwater runoff.

In certain situations, Council can request further exempt works to be undertaken during assessment. In this case, the required stormwater upgrades were completed during assessment at Councils behest, with photographic evidence provided to confirm compliance. Once completed, the BIC was approved without any need to further alter the structure.

To prevent costly mistakes and potential unauthorised development, its important to carefully review the relevant regulations and consult your Council’s duty planner. Getting the proper approvals, where necessary, at the outset is key to ensuring your project proceeds smoothly and legally.

Request a Free Sonsultation from the Corona Projects team today!