How Close Can I Build To My Boundary?

If you are thinking of building a shed on rural land, you may be wondering 'how far from the boundary can I build my shed?'

In this blog we explore the distances required between your shed and the road, and then the distance between your shed and a neighbouring property. It is important to note that the information in this blog is indicative only, and relates to standard farm sheds on rural properties. Furthermore, please also note that the council rules change overtime, and these distances are based on information found in the operative district plans as at Aug 2024 (e&oe).Ensure you get in touch with your local council as they can provide you with detailed information about your specific site and boundary setback requirements. Otherwise, get in touch with the team at Alpine who can also provide information for your specific site requirements.

NORTH ISLAND

Far North District Council:

District Plan | Far North District Council (fndc.govt.nz)

Distance to the road boundary = 10 metres.

Distance to the side boundary = 10 metres.

For sites less than 5,000m2, accessory buildings can be located 3m from the side and rear boundaries (subject to recession planes).

There are 3 rural zones in this region - rural production zone, rural living zone, and minerals zone. The above information is for the rural production zone which covers the majority of the rural part of the District.

Kaipara District Council:

Operative District Plan 2013, Kaipara District Council

Distance to the road boundary = 10 metres (or 20m for Industrial/Commercial use).

Distance to the side boundary = 3 metres (recession planes also apply).

There are further boundary setback rules for Coastal Marine areas, indigenous wetland areas, state highways, plantation forestry, and lakes and rivers. These boundary setbacks can range from 30 metres to 300 metres, so it pays to check these as well.

Auckland Council

Auckland Unitary Plan Operative in part (aucklandcouncil.govt.nz)

There are 5 rural zones in H19 Rural Zones rules (Rural Production, Mixed Zone, Rural Coastal, Rural Conservation, and Countryside Living Zones). The minimum yards setback varies, but is generally:

Road boundary setback: 10m (or 20m from arterial road boundaries).

Side and rear boundary setback: 12m.

Waikato District Council:

Waikato District Plan

Distance to the road boundary:

• For properties more than 1.6ha, the distance to the road boundary = 12 metres.
• For properties less than 1.6ha, the distance to the road boundary = 7.5 metres.
• For properties near the Waikato Expressway, road boundary = 25 metres.
• For properties near a state highway, road boundary = 15 metres.

Distance to the side boundary:

• For an allotment less than 1.6ha, the distance to the side boundary = 12 metres.
• For an allotment more than 1.6ha, the distance to the side boundary = 25 metres.

The setback rules above are for the Waikato section. The Franklin section of the Waikato District Plan has different setback rules, typically 10m to side boundaries and 10-20m to road boundaries (depending on the road type).

Matamata Piako District Council:

District Plan (mpdc.govt.nz)

Rural zone:

Distance to the road boundary = 25 metres.

Distance to the side boundary = 10 metres.

For properties less than 2,500m2, the distance to the road boundary is 15 metres and the distance to the side boundary is 10 metres (or 5m when adjacent property is 1ha or less).

Rural-Residential zone:

Distance to the road boundary = 25 metres.

Distance to the side boundary = 10 metres.

Otorohanga District Council:

District Plan | Ōtorohanga District Council | Ōtorohanga | Waikato | NZ (otodc.govt.nz)

Distance to the road boundary = between 7 and 15 metres.

Distance to the side boundary = 15 metres.

The distance to the road boundary is 7 metres, but this increases to 15 metres for those located near a state highway or regional arterial route.

Rotorua District Council:

District Plan - Rotorua Lakes Council

Rotorua contains 3 rural zones.

1. Working Rural zone, which is agricultural, and forestry based.

• The distance to the road boundary for this zone = 10 metres.
• The distance to the side boundary = 10 metres.

2. Rural lifestyle zone, which refers to rural-residential living.

• The distance to the road boundary for this zone = 7.5 metres.
• The distance to the side boundary = 7.5 metres.

3. Rural village zone, which is predominantly housing / commercial use.

• The distance to the road boundary for this zone = 5 metres.
• The distance to the side boundary = 2.5 metres.

Great Lakes Taupo District Council:

District Plan - Taupō District Council (taupodc.govt.nz)

Distance to the road boundary = 25 metres.

Distance to the side boundary = 15 metres (or 25m from Residential Environment Boundaries).

New Plymouth District Council:

District Plan (npdc.govt.nz)

Rural Production Zone:

Distance to the road boundary = 20 metres.

Distance to the side boundary (subject to recession planes):

1. agricultural, pastoral and horticultural activity structures (excluding rural industry activities): 10m.
2. artificial crop protection structures and crop support structures: 3m.
3. all other structures (including rural industry activities): 15m.

Rural Lifestyle Zone:

Distance to the road boundary = 10 metres.

Distance to the side boundary (also subject to recession planes):

1. When adjoining a Rural zoned site: 5m.
2. When adjoining a Residential, Commercial and Mixed Use, General Industrial, Open Space and Recreation or Special Purpose (excluding Future Urban Zone) zoned site: 15m.
3. When adjoining the site of a Future Urban Zone site: 30m.

Rangitikei District Council:

The District Plan (Rangitīkei District Plan): Rangitikei District Council

Distance to the road boundary = 5 metres.

Distance to the side boundary = 5 metres.

Distance to the boundary with an existing state highway = 10 metres.

Hastings District Council:

District Plan | Hastings District Council (hastingsdc.govt.nz)

Distance to the road boundary= 7.5 metres.

Distance to the side boundary = 5.0 metres.

These boundaries are for accessory buildings associated with residential and land based primary production use.

Central Hawke's Bay District Council:

District Plan | Central Hawke's Bay District Council (chbdc.govt.nz)

Distance to the road boundary = 20 metres (or 5m for residential use garage).

Distance to the side boundary = 10 metres (or 5m for residential use garage).

Horowhenua District Council:

District Plan - Horowhenua District Council

Distance to the road boundary = 10 metres.

Distance to the side boundary = 10 metres.

The distance to the state highway boundary = 15 metres.

For sites less than 5,000m2, the distance to the side boundary = 3 metres.

Masterton District Council:

Wairarapa Combined District Plan - Masterton District Council (mstn.govt.nz)

Distance to the road boundary, on sealed roads = 10 metres.

Distance to the road boundary, on unsealed roads = 25 metres.

Distance to the side boundary = 5 metres (recession planes also apply).

Additional boundary rules apply when building close to waterbodies, so please check your specific site requirements.

Upper Hutt City Council:

District Plan UHCC (upperhutt.govt.nz)

Distance to the road boundary = 12 metres.

Distance to the side boundary = 12 metres (recession planes also apply in some situations).

There are four different rural zones within Upper Hutt (general rural zone, rural production zone, rural lifestyle zone, and settlement zone). The above information is based on the rural production zone.

SOUTH ISLAND

Kaikoura District Council:

District Plan - Kaikōura District Council (kaikoura.govt.nz)

Distance to the road boundary = 10 metres.

Distance to neighbours = no less than 10m to any residential unit on an adjoining site.

Hurunui District Council

District Plan - Hurunui District Council

Distance to the road boundary = 10 metres (or 25 m from a boundary with a strategic arterial road, a district arterial road or a collector road).

Distance to the side boundary = 1 metre (or 25 metres when a wall exceeds 30m in length).

Waimakariri District Council

District Plan | Waimakariri District Council

Distance to the road boundary = 10 metres.

Distance to the side boundary = 3 metres.

Selwyn District Council

Selwyn District Council - Operative Selwyn District Plan

Distance to the road boundary = 10 metres.

Distance to the side boundary = 5 metres (or 3m where the site is less than 1ha).

Westland District Council 

District Plan | Westland District Council (westlanddc.govt.nz)

Distance to the road boundary = 10 metres (or 20m from a State Highway boundary).

Distance to the side boundary = 3 metres.

Ashburton District Council:

District Plan | Ashburton DC

Distance to the road boundary = 10 metres.

Distance to the side boundary = 3 metres.

For State Highway 1 and State Highway 77, the distance to the road boundary increases to 20 metres from the left edge of the nearest traffic lane for residential units.

Mackenzie District Council:

District Plan | Mackenzie District Council

Distance to the road boundary = 20 metres.

Distance to the side boundary = 6 metres.

For buildings facing SH8, 79, or 80, the distance to road boundary is between 20 - 50 metres. It's a good idea to check the requirements for your specific site.

Timaru District Council

Operative District Plan - Timaru District Council

Distance to the road boundary = 6 metres.

Distance to the side boundary = 3 metres (subject to recession planes).

These distances are for Rural R1, R2 and R3 only.

Waimate District Council:

District Plan - Waimate District Council (waimatedc.govt.nz)

Distance to the road boundary = 7.5 metres.

Distance to the side boundary: 20 metres for residential units (and residential accessory buildings). For all other rural buildings, the distance from the side boundary is to be equal to the height of the building. For example, a 4 metre high building would require a 4 metre side boundary.

Waitaki District Council:

District plan | Waitaki District Council

Distance to the road boundary = 15m (or 20m from a State Highway).

Distance to the side boundary = 6m.

The minimum setback from a State Highway is 20 metres.

Waitaki has both a Rural Residential zone and Rural zone. The above information is based on the Rural zone.

Gore District Council:

District Plan - Gore District Council (goredc.govt.nz)

Distance to the road boundary = 6 metres.

Distance to the side boundary = 6 metres (subject to recession planes).

Southland District Council:

District Plan | Southland District Council (southlanddc.govt.nz)

Distance to the road boundary =  4.5 metres.

Distance to the side boundary = Min 1.0m, but subject to height recession planes.

Factors to consider

Often buildings housing animals (and sometimes dairy sheds, shearing sheds and other buildings that are associated with animal use) are subject to more stringent boundary setbacks. There are often other factors to consider such as distance to waterways, dams, floodbanks, coastal zones and other site features. Some areas of the country have specific overlays such as a Visual Amenity Landscape or Outstanding Natural Features/Landscapes, which changes the setback rules and other requirements. Check your District Plan if this is the case.

Sometimes a District Plan rule will require a Recession Plane setback, particularly in Residential or Rural Residential type zones. Recession planes can also be called Daylight Controls or Daylighting Envelopes.

Recession Planes

A recession plane is to help limit the amount of shading on a neighbour’s property. Because of this, a recession plane will often be less onerous when it is adjacent to a North boundary, as the risk of over-shadowing is much less than the South boundary due to the angle of the winter sun in the Southern Hemisphere.

A recession plane is an imaginary line that comes up on an angle from the boundary, and usually starts from 2.0m to 3.0m above the existing ground level. This angle is often between 35 degrees and 60 degrees, depending on the location on the site. If the recession plane is variable, a diagram to help you determine the correct angle can be found in the District Plan.

If you wish to build closer to the boundary that what the Minimum setback or Recession plane allows, there are 2 options available:

• Resource Consent. This may or may not require written permission from your neighbour, depending on how much it is determined to affect them.
• Deemed Permitted Boundary Activity (DPBA). This is a fast-track approval consent, which requires your neighbour to sign an affected party form and a copy of the site plan and elevations. Council cannot refuse a DPBA that has been supplied in full, with the affected neighbours signature, and is more cost-effective and faster processing time than a full R/C.

For further detail, get in touch with your local council, or contact the team at Alpine, as they can look up the boundary setback requirements for your specific site.