Home Planning & building Swimming Pools and Safety Fencing

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Council Requirements

You MUST get Council approval for the construction or erection of any swimming pool.

DEVELOPMENT APPLICATION

You MUST COMPLETE an application form and lodge this with the prescribed fee, plans and specifications, including:

1. for Prefabricated above ground pools
   • manufacturer's installation instructions;
2. for In-ground pools and other prefabricated pools
   • full structural details prepared by a practicising Structural Engineer and a member of the Institute of Engineers of Australia or a person holding equal qualifications approved by Council.

Please read the section "Development Applications" to find out exactly how many copies of the site plan are required.

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THE SITE PLAN

must include the following:
• lot description and dimensions;
• position of other building(s) on the lot;
• distance of the pool from the boundaries, measured from the edge of the pool closest to the boundary;
• safety fence location and type of construction;
• north point and scale;
• location of drainage;
• location and name of roads/laneways which are next to the site;
• location of any easements, rights of way or natural watercourses on the site;
• location and type of any existing tree(s) on the site;
• soil erosion and sedimentation control measures;
• location of the filter and pool pump

Recommended scales are 1:200 or 1:500.

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MINES SUBSIDENCE DISTRICT

If you want to erect a swimming pool on land which is situated within a Mines Subsidence District you will also need to meet the requirements of the Mines Subsidence Board. You can obtain this information from your local office of the Mines Subsidence Board.

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BUILDERS LICENCE AND INSURANCE

The Building Services Corporation Act, requires that an insurance premium be paid to the Department of Fair Trading when residential building work is carried out by a licensed builder and the work is valued at $5,000 or more. If the work is going to be done by the owner, an Owner Builders Permit must be obtained from the Department of Fair Trading.

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DRAINAGE

You must make sure that waste water is disposed of in a manner approved by Council.

Waste water is generally from one or more of the following sources:

1. Backwashing of filter
2. Vacuuming
3. Overflow of pool due to rainwater
4. Splashing of water out of pool during use
5. Emptying of pool

If Your Pool is in a Sewered Area

1. Backwashing systems must discharge into the sewerage system as per Council drainage codes or Hunter Water Corporation requirements.
2. Waste water from vacuuming operations to clean the pool must discharge to the sewerage system. This usually happens as part of the filtration and backwashing process.
3. The surrounds (or concourse) of an in-ground pool must be adequately graded (sloped) away from the pool to the surrounding ground surface so that any surface waters (eg. from rainfall) cannot flow into the pool. You must make sure that water does not drain onto adjoining properties.
4. When emptying the pool, the water should be discharged into the sewerage system, but check first with the local water and sewerage authority.

If Your Pool is in an Unsewered Area

You must dispose of all waste water from the pool in a manner approved by Council.

Contact details
Dungog Shire Council
02 4995 7777 (ph)
02 4995 7750 (fax)
shirecouncil@dungog.nsw.gov.au

© 2008 Dungog Shire Council
This page: http://www.dungog.nsw.gov.au/planning/1550/1551.html