Regulations & Compliance



Regulations & Compliance

Our concrete sleepers and posts are all engineer designed, and meet the Australian Standards AS 4678 compliance code for earth retaining structures.
 
Australian Standard, AS 4678-2002, Earth Retaining Structures
Apart from structural design, “the code addresses the crucial, often neglected, aspect of ‘design life’. The code nominates design life in years for various types of works (e.g. 30 years for industrial structures and 60 years for residential dwellings). This is particularly important for large retaining walls, sub-divisional retaining walls and retaining wall structures that support buildings…Too often inspectors see poorly constructed… non-durable… inadequately treated timber walls.”
 
“The AS 4678–2002 standard was introduced to enforce adherence to ‘engineering correctness’ of retaining wall design and construction…
 
Using cheaper, less durable and/or poorly engineered products on the market that do not meet the requirements of AS 4678 may result in costly failure and expensive rectification costs”. (Source p. 17 ‘Building Links’, BSA Winter Edition, 2009).
 
Council Regulations 
All councils in the Gold Coast, Brisbane, Sunshine Coast and Ipswich regions have certain regulations in regards to the construction of retaining walls. 
In brief, “According to Queensland building regulations, you do not need building approval for a retaining wall if it fulfils the following three criteria:
 

  • There is no ‘surcharge loading’ over the ‘zone of influence’ for the wall (refer to definitions in the Building Regulation 2006 – Schedule 1 Section 3).
  • The total height of the wall and of the fill or cut retained by the wall is no more than one metre above the wall’s natural ground surface.
  • The wall is no closer than 1.5 metres to a building or another retaining wall.”
    (Referenced from Brisbane City Council website)

If your retaining wall will not meet all of these requirements, a building application is mandatory and it needs to be approved by a building certifier. You will need to provide the following documents to council:

  • Rates notice.
  • Current title search & registered plan if you can provide otherwise certifier will do this.
  • Copy of Q leave portable long service leave and workplace health and safety notification receipt, if the job exceeds $80,000
  •  3 sets of architectural plans (site plan to include boundary details and roof water connection to storm water) and 3 sets of structural drawings, including soil reports and structural engineer’s certificate & Form 15
  • Completed and signed Form 1 IDAS Development Applications Form (Part A & B) available from http://www.dip.qld.gov.au/idasforms

The Code also requires minimum clearances from roads, and side and rear boundaries, and also of council underground services (sewer main, storm water pipe or water supply main pipe).

Aussie Concrete Products can assist you with engineer designs, council approval and certification.

Please note: If you do not obtain council approval for assessable retaining walls, you may face heavy penalties for committing an offence against the Building Act 1975 and consequently against the Integrated Planning Act 1997.

For more information regarding council regulations and approvals, please click on your relevant council link below.

Brisbane City Council
Brisbane City Council retaining walls approvals page

Redland City Council
Contact council on 07 3829 8999 for more information

Gold Coast City Council
Gold Coast City Council retaining walls approvals page

Logan City Council
Logan City Council PDF – Retaining walls

Moreton Bay Regional Council
Moreton Bay Council retaining walls page

Sunshine Coast Regional Council
Sunshine Coast Council – retaining walls: masonry diagram (PDF)

Ipswich City Council
Contact council on 07 3810 6666 for more information

Toowoomba Regional Council
Issue Codes – Development Works PDF – See Page Eight