Wanneroo Draftsman for City of Wanneroo Plans and Council Approval
The City of Wanneroo exempts more residential work from planning approval than most Perth councils. Patios, sheds, garages, carports, pools, fences and ancillary accommodation can all be built without a development application, provided they comply. But the exemption carries one condition people miss constantly, and getting it wrong turns a simple shed into a full application.
This page sets out how the City of Wanneroo actually assesses residential work, what its building rules require, and the costs that only show up in Wanneroo.
What a Wanneroo draftsman or Wanneroo drafter does for you
Because Wanneroo’s exemptions are broad, the drafting job here is about proving compliance rather than arguing a case. Land inside the criteria and you skip the development application entirely.
For a City of Wanneroo project that means:
- Confirming the zone, because the planning exemption applies only in a Residential Zone
- Confirming an approved single house or grouped dwelling already exists on the lot
- Checking whether a Local Development Plan or Structure Plan applies, which overrides the standard setbacks
- Testing the design against District Planning Scheme No. 2 and the R-Codes before assuming an application is needed
- Preparing either a certified or an uncertified building permit package, which are two different documentation loads
- Factoring in the Street and Verge Bond, which catches almost every homeowner by surprise
We draw architectural and planning documentation. We do not produce structural engineering drawings or electrical design.
What “Wanneroo council approval” actually means
People use “council approval” to cover two or three separate things. They are assessed by different people under different legislation, and most projects do not need all of them.
A building permit. The construction approval under the Building Act 2011, covering structural adequacy, fire separation, energy efficiency and compliance with the National Construction Code. You will almost always need this one.
Development approval, also called planning approval or a DA. The planning assessment against the R-Codes, the local planning scheme and the council’s own local planning policies, covering siting, setbacks, height, bulk, open space and streetscape.
Here is the part that saves people time and money. On most smaller residential jobs, development approval is only needed where the design does not meet the deemed-to-comply provisions of the R-Codes. Draw a patio, shed or carport inside the numbers and you generally go straight to a building permit. Step outside them and you are asking for a variation, and the variation is what triggers the planning application.
A deemed-to-comply check. This is the step most people have never heard of. Where no development approval is needed, your building surveyor still needs evidence of that before issuing a certificate of design compliance. A number of WA councils run a formal written check for exactly this purpose, and some expect it before a building permit will proceed even where the design fully complies. Fees and turnarounds vary widely: the Town of Victoria Park charges $73, while the Town of Cambridge charges $295 for a new single house and $100 for additions, with a 14 day response. The City of Wanneroo runs a deemed-to-comply check service.
One rule holds everywhere. Being exempt from development approval does not exempt you from a building permit.
Wanneroo council approval: when you need it and when you do not
Under District Planning Scheme No. 2, the following do not require planning approval:
- Internal work that does not affect the external appearance of the building
- The erection or extension of a single house that is a permitted use in the zone and complies with the R-Codes, any Local Development Plan and DPS 2
- The erection or extension of ancillary accommodation, an outbuilding, a boundary wall or fence, a patio, pergola, veranda, garage, carport or swimming pool, where it is a permitted use, complies with the R-Codes, any Local Development Plan and DPS 2, and there is an approved single house or grouped dwelling already on the site
- The demolition of any structure
- Temporary works in existence for less than 48 hours in total in a 12 month period
That bolded condition is the one that catches people. The exemption for a shed, patio or carport only applies where an approved dwelling already exists on the lot. Building a shed on a vacant block before the house goes up is not exempt, and in Wanneroo’s newer estates, where people buy land early and want storage on site, this comes up regularly.
The second limitation is zoning. Planning approval is exempt only in a Residential Zone. On rural and special rural land in the eastern and northern parts of the City, the exemption does not apply.
City of Wanneroo building rules for sheds and outbuildings
Wanneroo splits outbuildings into two categories.
Small outbuilding. No more than one per dwelling site, no more than two boundary walls, not exceeding 10m2 in area, not exceeding 2.7m for both wall and ridge height, not located in the primary or secondary street setback area, and not reducing the open space or outdoor living area requirements.
Large and multiple outbuildings. Individually or collectively not exceeding 60m2 or 10 per cent of the site area, whichever is the lesser. Side boundary setback of at least 1m where the wall length is 14m or less, and at least 1.5m where the wall length is greater than 14m. Wall height not exceeding 2.4m and ridge height not exceeding 4.2m. Not in the street setback area, and not reducing open space or outdoor living area.
One detail worth reading twice: multiple small outbuildings must comply with the requirements for large and multiple outbuildings. Two 8m2 sheds are not two small outbuildings, they are a 16m2 combined outbuilding assessed against the stricter row, which drops your allowable wall height from 2.7m to 2.4m.
These figures apply to most residential properties coded R20 and R30. Setbacks vary on other codings, and where a Local Development Plan or Structure Plan exists it governs instead. Given how much of Wanneroo sits inside structure plan estates, that check is not optional.
When you need a building permit in Wanneroo
Separate from planning, a building permit is not required for an outbuilding no greater than 10m2 in area and no greater than 2.4m in height, under Schedule 4 of the Building Regulations. Above either figure, a building permit is required.
Note the mismatch. The planning exemption for a small outbuilding allows 2.7m. The building permit exemption stops at 2.4m. A 9m2 shed at 2.6m needs no planning approval but does need a building permit.
Wanneroo fire separation for sheds
The City’s guidance is that regardless of whether a building permit is required, an outbuilding must achieve a 900mm separation, either between the outbuilding and the boundary or between the outbuilding and the dwelling.
There is also a bushfire trigger. Where the existing dwelling was constructed to bushfire requirements and the proposed outbuilding is within 6m of that dwelling, the outbuilding must be assessed under the bushfire requirements and a new Bushfire Attack Level report is needed. In Wanneroo’s rural and semi rural areas that is a real cost and a real delay.
One caution on sourcing. The City’s outbuilding information sheet dates from July 2020 and still refers to the Building Code of Australia Volume 2. Western Australia moved to NCC 2025 on 1 May 2026, which introduced WA Part 9.6 covering roofed outdoor areas such as patios and alfrescos as a separate rule set from enclosed sheds. Confirm the current position with the City before relying on an older figure for a patio.
City of Wanneroo patio rules
A patio is exempt from planning approval on the same basis as everything else in the exemption list: permitted use, an approved dwelling already on site, and compliance with the R-Codes, any Local Development Plan and DPS 2. There is no separate Wanneroo patio table, so the R-Codes provisions govern.
That makes the fire separation question more important here, not less. Under WA Part 9.6 you have two routes to the boundary: 900mm measured to the outermost structural projection and excluding the eave overhang, or 500mm measured to the outermost projection and including the eave overhang.
The 500mm route brings conditions with it, including two or more sides open with at least one third of the perimeter open, a non-combustible supporting structure, a polycarbonate or non-combustible roof covering, a non-combustible floor, no direct vertical support to the house, and a solid non-combustible screen at least 1500mm high along every side facing a boundary. Where that does not suit the build, take the 900mm route.
Certified and uncertified building permits in Wanneroo
Wanneroo accepts both, and the documentation differs substantially.
A certified application has been assessed by a private building surveyor and comes with a Certificate of Design Compliance. You lodge a BA1 form, the fees, the certificate with all referenced documents, a Street and Verge Bond Permit application, and the development approval if one was required. All prior approvals must already be issued.
An uncertified application is assessed by the City. You lodge a BA2 form, the fees, a site plan at 1:200 showing setbacks to boundaries and other structures, floor plans and elevations at 1:100 with all dimensions, construction details covering materials, sizes, spacing and spans, footing and flooring details, structural engineer’s details, a Bushfire Attack Level report if required, the Street and Verge Bond Permit application, and the development application if required.
One useful piece of flexibility: an uncertified application can be lodged while the development application is still pending. It is placed on hold until the development approval issues, but the queue position is held.
The Street and Verge Bond nobody budgets for
If you apply for a building permit in Wanneroo you must also apply for the City’s Street and Verge Bond Permit. It carries a non-refundable administration fee, and where the construction value is over $5,000, an additional bond applies on top.
This is a genuine Wanneroo cost that quotes from outside the district routinely omit. It is refundable, but it is money out the door at the start of the job, and it needs to be in your budget rather than a surprise at lodgement.
Wanneroo plans we prepare
| Project type | What we prepare |
| New single houses | Concept design through to submission documentation |
| Additions and extensions | Existing and proposed plans, demolition plan |
| Second storey additions | Full working drawings, elevations, sections |
| Patios and alfrescos | Plans with the fire separation route identified |
| Sheds and outbuildings | Plans tested against both Wanneroo size categories |
| Garages and carports | Setback and frontage width assessment |
| Ancillary accommodation | Plans and area calculations to the 70m2 limit |
| Retaining walls and front fences | Plans including sight line truncation |
Wanneroo projects and what they teach you
Work across the City of Wanneroo is a steady part of what we do, from the established southern suburbs through to the newer coastal estates in the north, covering certificates of design compliance, building permits and development applications.
Two patterns come up repeatedly. The first is engineering referral: Wanneroo applications frequently need engineering input before they can progress, and building that step into the program from the start avoids a stall halfway through. The second is the structure plan check. So much of the northern corridor sits inside a structure plan or local development plan that assuming the standard R-Codes setbacks apply is a genuine risk.
The practical lesson we carry into every Wanneroo job is to confirm three things before drawing: the zone, whether a local development plan applies, and whether there is already an approved dwelling on the lot. Those three answers determine whether you need an application at all.
What City of Wanneroo approval costs
Planning application fees are set by state regulation and are the same at every WA council, calculated on the estimated cost of development:
| Estimated cost of development | Application fee |
| Not more than $50,000 | $147 |
| $50,001 to $500,000 | 0.32% of the estimated cost |
| $500,001 to $2.5 million | $1,700 plus 0.257% of the amount above $500,000 |
| Written planning advice | $73 |
| Amending or cancelling an approval | $295 |
If the work has already been built, the fee is that figure plus a penalty of twice the fee, so three times the normal amount.
Budget separately for the Street and Verge Bond and its administration fee, and for a Bushfire Attack Level report where one is triggered. Neither forms part of a drafting fee.
Our drafting fee is quoted per project rather than by a rate card, because a flat estate block in Banksia Grove and a rural lot in Mariginiup are not the same job. As a rough guide only, a shed or patio submission sits at the lower end, an addition in the middle, and a new house or second storey at the upper end. You get a fixed figure before we start.
How long the drawings take
We are one of the quicker drafting practices in Perth, and we would rather tell you that plainly than quote a number we cannot stand behind.
Turnaround depends on what is being drawn. A patio or a shed is not a second storey addition, and a straightforward flat block is not a sloping site with an existing dwelling to survey and match into. Anyone quoting you a fixed timeframe before seeing the scope is guessing.
What we do is give you a realistic date once we have seen the project, and then keep to it. If we cannot hit something you need, we say so before you commit rather than after.
It is also worth knowing that on most jobs the drafting is not the long pole. The parts that usually set the overall timeline are:
- The council clock, which is set by regulation rather than by us
- Third party reports, such as a Bushfire Attack Level assessment, an arborist report or engineering certification, each of which has its own lead time
- Decisions, meaning how quickly changes come back once you have the first draft in front of you
Those are the things worth planning around, and we will tell you which of them apply to your project at the start.
Draftsman services by Wanneroo suburb
The City of Wanneroo runs from Two Rocks in the north down to Koondoola in the south and covers 36 suburbs. What governs your design changes considerably along that stretch.
| Suburb | What tends to drive the design |
| Yanchep, Two Rocks, Alkimos and Eglinton draftsman | Newer coastal estates, local development plans and design guidelines sit over the R-Codes |
| Butler, Merriwa, Ridgewood and Clarkson draftsman | Structure plan areas throughout, worth confirming before assuming standard setbacks |
| Quinns Rocks and Mindarie draftsman | Coastal exposure drives wind classification and material selection at permit stage |
| Banksia Grove, Tapping, Carramar and Ashby draftsman | Estate lots with local development plans, smaller frontages, garage width matters |
| Wanneroo, Sinagra, Hocking and Pearsall draftsman | Mixed established and newer stock, standard R-Codes assessment in most cases |
| Landsdale, Darch, Madeley and Wangara draftsman | Established family blocks, additions and outbuilding work dominates |
| Girrawheen, Koondoola, Marangaroo and Alexander Heights draftsman | Older larger blocks, ancillary accommodation and shed work common |
| Mariginiup, Jandabup, Pinjar, Nowergup and Carabooda draftsman | Rural and special rural land where the planning exemption does not apply |
| Neerabup and Gnangara draftsman | Mixed rural and industrial, zoning confirmation is the first step |
The City’s contact number is 9405 5000.
Wanneroo draftsman questions
Do I need council approval for a shed in Wanneroo?
Usually not, provided the lot is in a Residential Zone, there is already an approved single house or grouped dwelling on the site, and the shed complies with the R-Codes, any local development plan and DPS 2. That last set of conditions is what the exemption rests on. On rural or special rural land, or on a vacant block, the exemption does not apply. In every case this only removes the development approval. A building permit is still required for any shed over 10m2 or over 2.4m high.
How big a shed can I build in Wanneroo without planning approval?
Up to 60m2 or 10 per cent of the site area, whichever is less, with a wall height under 2.4m and a ridge height under 4.2m, set back at least 1m from a side boundary where the wall length is 14m or less, or 1.5m where it is longer. A single shed under 10m2 gets 2.7m for wall and ridge instead, but two small sheds together are assessed as one large outbuilding.
Do I need a building permit for a small shed in Wanneroo?
Not if it is no greater than 10m2 in area and no greater than 2.4m in height. Above either figure a building permit is required. Watch the gap between the planning limit of 2.7m and the building permit limit of 2.4m, because a shed can be exempt from one and not the other.
What is the Street and Verge Bond in Wanneroo?
It is a permit you must apply for alongside any building permit. It carries a non-refundable administration fee, and where the construction value exceeds $5,000 an additional bond applies. The bond is refundable but it is payable up front, and it is a Wanneroo specific cost that quotes from outside the district often leave out.
Can I lodge a building permit before my development approval comes through in Wanneroo?
You can lodge an uncertified application while the development application is still pending. It will be placed on hold until the development approval is issued, but you do not have to wait to lodge. A certified application is different, it must be submitted complete with all prior approvals already issued.
