Retaining Walls in Gosford and across the Central Coast

What retaining wall work in Gosford and across the Central Coast actually involves

Structural landscaping is its own category of building work, covering the construction of external landscape features and non-habitable structures, including retaining walls of any material that do not form part of a habitable building. A licence is required wherever the work is done under a contract for residential building work.

Building it yourself

If you supervise or do the work yourself, without a licensed builder to supervise it, you need an owner-builder permit once the job is valued at more than A$10,000, but only if the work also needs a development application or complying development certificate. Above A$20,000 you also need to complete units of competency or hold an equivalent qualification.

Building without council approval

A wall can go up with no planning approval only if every one of these holds: no more than 600 mm high, measured from its base to its top; at least 1 m from each lot boundary; at least 2 m from any other retaining wall on the site; at least 1 m from a registered easement, sewer main or water main; at least 40 m from a natural waterbody; and with drainage lines connected to the site's stormwater system that do not redirect water or sediment onto a neighbour. It also cannot sit on a heritage item, a flood control lot or environmentally sensitive land, and it must meet the Building Code of Australia or otherwise be structurally adequate.

Over 600 mm

A standalone wall more than 900 mm from the house is complying development under Part 3 of the Codes SEPP, the Housing Code: the Policy defines a retaining wall in that position as detached development and makes erecting detached development complying development. Earthworks and walls over 600 mm may also be done as complying development in their own right. Either way the wall must be certified by a professional engineer as structurally sound against lateral soil load, keep the same 2 m separation and drainage requirements, and be installed to the manufacturer's specifications. Central Coast Council's own plan sets the same trigger a different way: a wall more than 600 mm above or below ground within 1 m of a boundary, or more than 1 m anywhere else, must be designed by a professional engineer.

Any structure on or over public land or a road needs its own approval from Council or Transport for NSW under the Roads Act 1993 and the Local Government Act 1993, so a wall that touches the verge is a different job from one wholly inside the lot.

Retaining Walls in Gosford and across the Central Coast — common questions

Does a retaining wall need a licensed contractor?

Over A$5,000 in labour and materials including GST, yes: a retaining wall not part of a habitable building is structural landscaping work, and the contractor needs a NSW contractor licence.

Can I build one without council approval?

Only within the exempt limits: no more than 600 mm high, at least 1 m from each lot boundary and clear of easements, sewer and water mains, and not on a heritage item or flood control lot.

When does Council want an engineer?

Council's plan requires a professional engineer for a wall more than 600 mm above or below ground within 1 m of a boundary, or more than 1 m anywhere else.