Street Walls and Fences
A street wall or fence is any fence or wall, screen or barrier that abuts a street boundary or is located in the front setback area (normally anywhere in front of the house). This includes fencing on the side boundaries in the street setback area.
It does not relate to a dividing fence, which is the fencing along a shared lot boundary between two properties and is not within the street setback area.
Planning requirements
Fencing above 1.2m must be ‘visually permeable’ from natural ground level. The R-Codes define this as:
In reference to a wall, gate, door, screen or fence that the vertical surface when viewed directly from the street or public space has:
- Continuous vertical or horizontal gaps of 50mm or greater width, occupying not less than one third of the total surface area.
- Continuous vertical or horizontal gaps less than 50mm in width, occupying at least one half of the total surface area in aggregate.
- A surface offering equal or lesser obstruction to view.
Generally, for a single house or grouped dwelling a development (planning) application is not required for your street wall or fence if it complies with the following:
- The portions of solid wall meet the height requirements for your density code (see table below).
- The structural pillars have a maximum height of 1.8m from natural ground level and a maximum dimension of 400mm.
- Fence and walls within 1.5m of where the driveway meets the street boundary has a solid portion which is no higher than 750mm from natural ground level, excluding a pillar which can be a maximum height of 1.8 metres and a maximum dimension of 350mm x 350mm.
- Infill panels 1.2m above natural ground level are visually permeable.
- Additional requirements may apply if you are within a structure plan area.
| R-Code Density | Street the House Faces | Other Streets |
| R20 | Solid walls within 6m of the street boundary: No higher than 1.2m measured from the midpoint of the verge, including the height of any retaining wall built or proposed.
Any fencing above 1.2m to be visually permeable between the structural pillars. |
Solid walls to a secondary street boundary (corner site), right of way or battleaxe leg: No higher than 1.2m for a minimum of 50% of the boundary length.
Any fencing above 1.2m to be visually permeable between the structural pillars. |
| R20/25*
R20/30* R20/40* R20/60* |
Solid walls within 4m of the street boundary (2m for R20/60): No higher than 1.2m from natural ground level on the street side of the fence, including the height of any retaining wall built or proposed.
Any fencing above 1.2m to be visually permeable between structural pillars. |
Corner sites are required to address the street with equal importance as the street the house faces. |
| *For properties with a dual-density code (e.g. R20/40) the requirements only apply if the property is developed at the higher density (e.g. R40). If your property has not been built to the higher density, refer to R20 requirements. | ||
Building permit requirements
A building permit is not required when a front fence complies with all of the following:
- The structure is constructed in accordance with the City’s Fencing Amendment Local Law 2021.
- The structure, if constructed in masonry, is no more than 750mm in height.
- The structure, if constructed of a material other than masonry, is no more than 1.8 metres in height.
Structural requirements for a masonry fence
The design of the masonry fence shall meet the requirements of a practising structural engineer.
Swimming pool barrier requirements
In addition to the minimum planning and building requirements, front fences that are to be used as a swimming pool barrier will need to comply with AS1926.1 Swimming pool safety. For further information refer to swimming pool barriers and approvals.