Civic Centre 61 Broun Avenue Morley WA 6062

The Garden City – Quality Lifestyle

Postal Address: Telephone: (08) 9272 0622 Email: mail@bayswater.wa.gov.au PO Box 467 Facsimile: (08) 9272 0665 Website: www.bayswater.wa.gov.au Morley WA 6943

RETAINING WALL INFORMATION SHEET

This information sheet relating to Retaining Walls has been created using the Residential Building Codes and Building Act 2011 and should only be used as a guide. WHAT IS A RETAINING WALL? A retaining wall is a wall or structure designed and constructed to support soil at a slope steeper than can naturally be supported. Whilst retaining walls are primarily designed to support soil, they may also be placed under stress from other factors such as buildings, footings, vehicle loads and/or wind loads on dividing fencing. Some pre-manufactured retaining walls are designed to support only soil and not other contributing stress factors. WHEN IS A RETAINING WALL REQUIRED? Retaining walls may be required during the construction of dwellings, subdivision of land, erection of dividing fences and/or for landscaping purposes.

Whilst the City may require that retaining walls be constructed as part of building works, other retaining walls may be necessary depending on contributing factors as mentioned above. Any land difference over 150mm is required to be retained, or battered, so that the ground level at the boundary is supported or the same level. COST SHARING FOR COMMON BOUNDARY RETAINING WALLS Each land owner has an obligation to retain soil where necessary resulting from earth works on their property, (see diagram below). Adjoining owners who have both undertaken earthworks and the ground levels have been altered are advised to attempt to negotiate a proportional based agreement when retaining walls are required along the common boundary for support of a dividing fence, landscaping or other works. When agreement cannot be reached through arbitration and mediation, then legal action may be instigated by either adjoining owner and can be costly.

Civic Centre 61 Broun Avenue Morley WA 6062

The Garden City – Quality Lifestyle

Postal Address: Telephone: (08) 9272 0622 Email: mail@bayswater.wa.gov.au PO Box 467 Facsimile: (08) 9272 0665 Website: www.bayswater.wa.gov.au Morley WA 6943

Retaining Wall

Height of fence(H) measuredfrom higher level

Retaining Wall

Upper ground level

Upper ground level

Upper ground level

Lower ground level

Lower ground level

Lower ground level

Retaining Wall

Retaining Wall

TerracingRetaining

H

500mm

500mm

MAINTENANCE OF RETAINING WALLS When the City is of the opinion that a retaining wall is structurally inadequate, then the owner must consult a practising Structural Engineer to determine what action, if any, is required to restore the structural integrity of the wall. The cost for the Structural Engineer’s services is the responsibility of the owner. CITY APPROVAL A Building Permit is required where retaining is 500mm or greater in height, adjoining a boundary or being used to support a building. Retaining 500mm or greater is to be signed Structural Engineer. Certified drawings are to be submitted with the Building permit application. ENCROACHMENTS Where a retaining wall is to encroach over a boundary, then written consent from the adjoining land owner is required to be provided to the City on a BA20 form or a Court Order permitting the encroachment is to be submitted with the application.

ADVERSELY AFFECTING LAND Any retaining wall that is located closer to the boundary than the height of the retaining wall is considered to have an adverse affect on the adjoining land and therefore will require consent from the adjoining land owner on a BA 20 form or a Court Order permitting the adverse affect. The form or Court Oder will need to be submitted with the application. BUILDING PERMIT SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS FOR RETAINING WALLS

• Application form

• Site Plan – Two copies to a scale not less than 1:200 indicating site boundaries, existing and proposed levels and the proposed wall location.

• Two original signed copies of Engineer’s Structural details of the proposed retaining wall (where applicable 500mm or over in height)

APPLICATION FEE STRUCTURE

• Application Fee As per the prescribed fees for a Certified or Uncertified application based on the value of work.

• Building Services Levy As per the prescribed fees based on the value of work.

• CTF Levy: (only applicable to works valued over $20,000)

• 0.182% of the estimated value of the work (including GST)

DISCLAIMER

This information sheet is correct as at April 2012 and may be subject to alteration without notice

POSITIONING OF DIVIDING FENCES NEAR RETAINING WALLS & TOTAL HEIGHT OF WALL Dividing fences should be positioned on the higher ground level of a retaining wall which abuts a common boundary. The height of 500mm for retaining is measured overall including terracing.