Front fence

Front fence in front of a hedge.
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A front fence can include a wall, screen, or the like abutting a street boundary, or is located in a primary street setback area.

In most cases, you need to apply for development approval and/or a building permit before you can construct or alter a fence on your property in the City of Belmont.

When is (planning) development approval required?

Development approval is required when the front fence:
  • Exceeds 1800mm in height;
  • Is not visually permeable* above 1200mm in height;
  • Includes pillars exceeding 400mm in width;
  • Exceeds 750mm in height where located within 1500mm of where a driveway intersects a street frontage boundary;
  • Is in a heritage area designated in the City’s Local Planning Scheme No.15, or;
  • Is located on a lot in a Special Development Precinct.

Note: All heights are measured from natural ground level as seen from the street side elevation.

*The term visually permeable is defined under the Residential Design Codes (R-Codes) of Western Australia to mean, in reference to a wall, gate, door, screen or fence, that the vertical surface when viewed directly from the street or other 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, or;
  • a surface offering equal or lesser obstruction to view.

How to apply for development approval 

To apply for development approval, you need to:
What is the development approval process?
How do I know what has been approved for my property?

 
You can lodge your application:
  • Online using the City’s Planning and Building Online Application portal;
  • In person at the City of Belmont, 215 Wright Street, Cloverdale;
  • By mail to City of Belmont, Locked Bag 379, Cloverdale WA 6985.
Visit the Planning and Building Online Application portal

When is a building permit required?

A building permit is required for the erection of all front fences except where:
  • It is a masonry fence and does not exceed 750mm in height measured from natural ground level, or
  • It is a non-masonry fence and does not exceed 1800mm in height measured from natural ground level.

While a front fence may be exempt from planning development approval, a building permit still may be required.

When a building permit is not required, the location and construction of the structure still must comply with the applicable building standards of the National Construction Code.

Where an application for a building permit is lodged that also requires planning development approval, a building permit (where fully compliant) cannot be issued until the development approval has been granted and any relevant conditions have been resolved.

How to apply for a building permit

Where a building permit is required, you need to:
  • Complete and submit a Form BA1 Application for a Building Permit – Certified* or Form BA2 Application for a Building Permit – Uncertified
  • A Form BA1 must be accompanied with a Form BA3 Certificate of Design Compliance issued by a registered Building Surveying Contractor
  • Pay statutory fees
  • If the estimated value of the works exceeds $20,000, provide a recept issued by CTF demonstating that the Levy due to them has been paid
  • Relevant plans and specifications. In the case of a Form BA1 application, this information will be determined by your Building Surveying Contractor. In the case of Form BA2 application, the City will reasonable expect the provision of the following:
    • A site plan (minimum scale 1:200) showing the location of the lot boundaries and lot dimensions, location of all existing structures on the lot, proposed location of your fence, location of the existing/proposed driveway(s) and crossover(s) and the dimensions of the fence, including location and size of brick piers;
    • A copy of Elevations of the proposed structure(s) (minimum scale 1:100)
    • Structural designs certified by a practising registered Structural Engineer for masonry fences.

Please note, where your front fences are proposed to sit adjacent to existing street trees, it is highly recommended that you discuss the footing design with Structural Engineer to ensure of the tree root system will not compromise your fence.

You can lodge your application:

  • Online using the City’s Planning and Building Online Application portal;
  • In person at the City of Belmont, 215 Wright Street, Cloverdale;
  • By mail to City of Belmont, Locked Bag 379, Cloverdale WA 6985.
Visit the Planning and Building Online Application portal

Useful links

To learn more about the Local Laws and regulations which apply to front fences, you might like to explore these links. For more information, please email building@belmont.wa.gov.au or phone the City’s Building Services team on 9477 7425.