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Detached buildings

Shed 2.

This is a new exemption, introduced in October 2008.

(i) of Schedule 1

A building consent is not required for the following building work:

Building work in connection with any detached building (except a building that is required to be licensed in terms of the Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Act 1996 or a building closer than its own height to any residential accommodation or to any legal boundary) that—

(i) houses fixed plant or machinery, the only normal visits to which are intermittent visits for routine inspection and maintenance of that plant or machinery; or

(ii) into which, or into the immediate vicinity of which, people cannot or do not normally go; or

(iii) is used only by people engaged in the construction or maintenance of another building for which a building consent is required; or

(iv) does not exceed 1 storey, does not exceed 10 square metres in floor area, and does not contain sanitary facilities or facilities for the storage of potable water, but may contain sleeping accommodation (without cooking facilities) if the detached building is used in connection with a dwelling.

Guidance

Previously, Schedule 1 allowed certain small detached buildings to be erected without a building consent, for example, a garden shed. This exemption has now been extended to include sleeping areas such as cabins or sleep-outs, but only those that will not have water or sanitary facilities included. Where sleeping accommodation is provided, no cooking facilities are allowed due to the increased risk of fire. Note that this sleeping accommodation must be used in connection with a dwelling. Where sleeping accommodation is provided, the facilities of the existing dwelling will be used for sanitation and cooking.

Note: Smoke alarms must be installed in all sleeping areas.

Examples where this exemption could apply Examples where building consent is required
  • An industrial complex installs a new compressor, which needs to be protected from the weather. A 15-square-metre in floor area by 3 metre high building is constructed to house the compressor, which only requires maintenance once a month. The building is sited 7 metres from the closest boundary.
  • A purpose-built construction site office 20 square metres in area by 2.4 metres high is located on a commercial building site. It is located 3 metres from the nearest boundary and is used only by people engaged on the construction of the building.
  • A 9 square metre sleep-out is constructed in the backyard of a residential dwelling. It is more than its own height away from all boundaries and the associated residential dwelling, and does not contain cooking or sanitary facilities, or a potable water supply.
  • A rural land owner decides to erect a 10 square metre sleep-out on a property that does not have a residential dwelling on it. This sleep-out would require a building consent.
  • A building owner erects a kit-set garden shed that is 2 metres high. It is located 1 metre from the boundary. This garden shed would require a building consent as it is not its own height away from the boundary.
  • An industrial building owner proposes to construct a building. The building will contain chemicals that require the building to be licensed under the Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Act 1996, so a building consent is required.


Shed.