Scenic Rim Council Shed Planning Guide
If you live anywhere in the Scenic Rim and are thinking about building a new shed, you want to make sure your new structure falls within your local council guidelines. Scenic Rim’s planning scheme breaks setbacks out by zone — most residential zones share the same height-based formula, but the Limited Development Zone doubles the side and rear setbacks for fire and amenity reasons.
Scenic Rim Regional Council covers Beaudesert, Tamborine Mountain, Boonah, Canungra, Kalbar, Aratula, Mt Tamborine, Maroon, Rathdowney and the wider Border Ranges hinterland. The rules below apply across the whole council area.
If you build with Stockman, every council application, certifier inspection and overlay assessment is handled by our team — you don’t need to read any of this. We’ve put it together for the times you do want to know what’s going on under the hood.
What is a Class 10a structure?
A shed in Queensland is a Class 10a structure — non-habitable buildings including detached garages, carports, and storage sheds. Class 10a buildings are governed separately from your dwelling (Class 1) under the Building Code of Australia, which is why councils set out specific shed rules independent of your house build. Every rule on this page applies to Class 10a buildings on residential and rural lots in the Scenic Rim Regional Council area.
Do you need council approval?
Approval is required for any shed that:
- Has a floor area larger than 10m²
- Is taller than 2.4m (or has a mean height above 2.1m)
- Is longer than 5 metres on any side
- Is attached to another building (not a standalone structure)
Most useful Scenic Rim shed builds tick at least one of those boxes. Smaller garden sheds are usually exempt. Stockman lodges and manages approval for every shed we build in the Scenic Rim.
Maximum domestic outbuilding floor area
Across all residential zones, combined gross floor area for domestic outbuildings is capped on a 3-tier sliding scale:
| Lot size | Max combined outbuilding area |
|---|---|
| Up to 600m² | 55m² |
| 600 – 2,000m² | 110m² |
| Over 2,000m² | 200m² |
Combined area must also not exceed the gross floor area of any dwelling on the lot. Sheds must be single-storey and not exceed the height of any residence on the premises.
Sizes and setbacks by zone
The table below covers all 7 zones. The side and rear formula uses the QDC height brackets (1.5m up to 4.5m, 2m up to 7.5m, +0.5m per 3m above).
| Zone | Front setback | Secondary frontage (corner) | Side / rear setback |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low Density Residential | 6m | 3m | Per QDC height formula |
| Low-Medium Density Residential | 6m | 3m | Per QDC height formula |
| Township | 6m | 3m | Per QDC height formula |
| Minor Tourism | 6m | 3m | Per QDC height formula |
| Limited Development | 6m | 3m | 3m up to 4.5m / 5m up to 7.5m / +0.5m per 3m |
| Rural | 10m | 10m | 6m |
| Rural Residential | 10m | 10m | Per QDC height formula |
See the Queensland Development Code for the full setback formula.
Building codes and standards
Your custom Scenic Rim shed needs to comply with the following codes:
- The Building Act 1975 (chapters three and four)
- Any local law or planning instrument that applies under the Building Act
- The Queensland Development Code (especially MP1.2)
- The Building Code of Australia
- Scenic Rim Regional Council planning scheme
Stockman builds every Scenic Rim shed to these standards as a baseline.
Overlays
Bushfire Hazard
The most common overlay across the Scenic Rim — especially around Tamborine Mountain, Mt Lindesay and the Border Ranges hinterland.
- For dwellings built before 2009, no bushfire protection is required for the shed — but maintain at least 900mm fire separation from the boundary or dwelling.
- For dwellings built after 2009, the shed must sit at least 6 metres from the dwelling, or be built to the same Bushfire Attack Level (BAL) rating as the house.
Local Heritage
If your property is on the Scenic Rim Local Heritage Register, any building work — including a shed — requires a code-assessable Development for Building Work (DBW) application. Heritage Places are most common around Beaudesert, Boonah and Tamborine Mountain.
Always confirm Fire Separation requirements per the Queensland Fire Separation reference.
Contact the Scenic Rim shed builders
If you’re going to build a shed anywhere in the Scenic Rim, you’re going to want it built right. It needs to meet all council regulations, it needs building approval and the construction process needs to be on the right side of the relevant building codes.
Sound overwhelming? It doesn’t have to be. Stockman Sheds takes care of all your council requirements — you sit back, we do the hard yards. At the end of the day, you’ll end up with a strong, durable, custom-made shed built with quality Aussie materials and craftsmanship.
Give us a call on 0493 791 972, or get a quote below.
Official resources
- Scenic Rim Regional Council domestic sheds guide — the council’s own shed guidance
- Scenic Rim Regional Council planning scheme — full planning scheme documents
- QLD Globe — state-wide zoning and overlay mapping
- Queensland Development Code (MP1.2) — full setback formula
- Queensland Fire Separation reference — BCA 3.7.2.5 detail
Other South East Queensland councils
The Scenic Rim sits between Logan, the Gold Coast hinterland and Ipswich. If your build is near the boundary or you’re comparing rules:
- Logan City Council shed planning
- City of Gold Coast shed building rules
- Ipswich City Council shed requirements
- Brisbane City Council shed requirements
Or browse all 10 council guides on our shed planning guide hub.
Last reviewed April 2026. Council planning schemes change — always confirm specifics with Scenic Rim Regional Council or your building certifier before lodging.