Fences rules in Canterbury-Bankstown
Building a fence in Canterbury-Bankstown? City of Canterbury-Bankstown applies the New South Wales planning framework. Here's what that means locally — plus the overlays worth checking on your specific block.
Usually no approval needed within the exempt heights
Most residential fences in NSW are exempt development under the Codes SEPP, so no DA or CDC is needed - up to 1.8 m behind the building line and 1.2 m in front of it. Masonry is capped at 1.2 m anywhere, and the exemption switches off on heritage items and in heritage conservation areas.
Key rules at a glance
| Max height (front setback) | 1.2 m above existing ground level forward of the building line, or in the setback to a primary or secondary road |
| Max height (side/rear) | 1.8 m above existing ground level behind the building line |
| Masonry limit | No masonry construction above 1.2 m - a taller brick or block fence needs a DA |
| Approval needed? | No DA or CDC if every exempt standard is met; a DA to council otherwise |
| Pool fence | Min 1.2 m, compliant with AS 1926.1; a boundary fence used as part of the barrier must be at least 1.8 m |
| Dividing fence law | Dividing Fences Act 1991 |
| Who pays? | Adjoining owners contribute equally to a 'sufficient dividing fence'; anything above that standard is at the requesting owner's cost |
Heritage and flood controls on your specific lot can remove the fast-track and require a full application — even when the general rules say you're fine.
How often this applies in Canterbury-Bankstown
These are the overlays that can remove the fast-track, measured across every parcel in Canterbury-Bankstown from the same data behind our zoning map. They describe the council, not your block, and they are counted separately — one parcel can carry more than one, so they cannot be added together.
| Overlay | Share of parcels | What that means here |
|---|---|---|
| Heritage | 2.8% | 2,725 parcels flagged. The rest are mapped and sit outside it. |
| Flood | 0% | 3 parcels flagged. 100% of the council carries no flood mapping at all — unassessed, not cleared. |
The most common zone in Canterbury-Bankstown is Low Density Residential, covering 56.0% of its 97,381 parcels. What you can build is decided by your own lot's zone, not the council's most common one.
Measured from our mapped parcel data, snapshot taken 2026-09-06. Overlays are checked live for a specific address on the address tool.
Fences in Canterbury-Bankstown
City of Canterbury-Bankstown is the authority for Canterbury-Bankstown in Sydney. The statewide New South Wales rules above set the baseline; the council can apply extra local controls, and heritage, flood or bushfire overlays on your lot can change what's allowed.
Visit City of Canterbury-Bankstown ↗ Full New South Wales rules →
See the Canterbury-Bankstown zoning map → — every parcel in Canterbury-Bankstown by zone, lot size and mapped constraints.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need council approval for a fence in Canterbury-Bankstown?
Often not. New South Wales allows a fence to proceed without a full development application when it meets the standards, and City of Canterbury-Bankstown follows that framework. But local overlays — heritage, flood or bushfire — can remove the fast-track, so check your exact address before you rely on it.
Which council approves a fence in Canterbury-Bankstown?
City of Canterbury-Bankstown is the consent authority for Canterbury-Bankstown (Sydney). You can review local planning controls on the council website and lodge through your state planning portal.
How high can a fence be in NSW without council approval?
Up to 1.8 m above existing ground level behind the building line, and up to 1.2 m forward of the building line or in a road setback. Masonry is limited to 1.2 m anywhere.
Sources
- NSW Planning Portal - fences (exempt development) ↗
- Fences - rules for exempt and complying development (NSW DPHI) ↗
- Dividing Fences Act 1991 No 72 (NSW legislation) ↗
- Dividing fences - State Library of NSW, Find Legal Answers ↗
Related building rules
General guidance only — not professional planning advice. Local requirements in Canterbury-Bankstown can differ from the statewide summary and change over time; always confirm with City of Canterbury-Bankstown before starting work. Last reviewed: July 2026.
Talk to a town planner in Canterbury-Bankstown
This page covers the general rules. A qualified town planner can tell you what applies to your actual block — the zone, the overlays and the approval path — before you spend money on drawings.
- Qualified, practising town planners
- Advice on your property, not a generic rule
- No cost, no obligation