It is important to check with Council on what approvals may be required for a deck or covered area prior to commencing. Balconies, decks, and verandahs are defined as class 10a structures under the Building Code of Australia.

Building approval for decks, balconies and verandahs

In accordance with the Queensland Building Act 1975, a building approval is required for the construction of a balcony, deck or verandah where any of the following apply:

  • a plan area of more than 10m2, or
  • an overall height of more than 2.4, or
  • a mean height of more than 2.1m, or
  • an side longer than 5m, or
  • the floor height is higher than 1m above the natural ground surface, or
  • not freestanding (attached to another building or structure).

Council recommends speaking with a licensed building certifier to confirm whether a building approval is required.

Planning approval

In some instances, a planning approval may also be required to build a deck. This could be likely if the property is in a Neighbourhood Character area or a Heritage listed property.

To assist in identifying if a planning approval is required, Council’s Technical Advice Officers are available on 131 872.

Other approvals

Additional approvals may also be required for the proposed work, such as a siting discretion or an approval for building close or over to council assets such as sewer or stormwater mains.

Council’s Customer Service Team are able to assist with these enquiries on 131 872.

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