Thinking about building a seawall, rock wall, retaining wall, or any other coastal protection structure on your property?

Before you engage a contractor or break ground, understand your legal obligations. Building coastal protection works without the right approvals can lead to enforcement action, significant costs, and works that may need to be altered or demolished — and poorly designed structures can make coastal erosion worse, not better.

What are coastal protection works

Any structure built to protect land from coastal erosion or inundation, including:

  • Seawalls
  • Rock walls and rock armouring
  • Retaining walls in coastal areas
  • Revetments and riprap
  • Sand bags and temporary barriers
  • Drainage structures in coastal hazard areas

Do you need approval?

In most cases, yes. Coastal protection works in coastal erosion and inundation hazard areas require both planning approval and building approval before construction begins. These are separate processes, and both must be obtained.

You need planning approval under the Tasmanian Planning Scheme if:

  • Your property is in a Coastal Erosion Hazard Area or Coastal Inundation Hazard Area
  • Your proposed works constitute use or development as defined under the planning scheme
  • The Coastal Erosion Hazard Code or Coastal Inundation Hazard Code applies to your land

You need building approval under the Building Act 2016 if:

  • Your works constitute building work as defined under the Act
  • Your property is in a coastal erosion or inundation hazard area (triggering additional requirements under Director’s Determinations)

Start here: is your property in a hazard area?
Most approval requirements depend on whether your land is in a Coastal Erosion or Coastal Inundation Hazard Area. Check the Tasmanian Planning Scheme layers on the LIST map at www.thelist.tas.gov.au — search for Coastal Erosion Hazard Areas and Coastal Inundation Hazard Areas.

The legal framework

Document What It Does 
Building Act 2016 (ss. 20, 25, 26, 237, 246, 247) Requires building approval for building work; provides Council with enforcement powers including building notices and building orders 
Building Regulations 2016 Sets out technical requirements for building work 
Director’s Determination — Coastal Erosion Hazard Areas Specifies additional requirements for building and demolition work in coastal erosion hazard areas, including specialist reports 
Director’s Determination — Coastal Inundation Hazard Areas Specifies additional requirements for building and demolition work in coastal inundation hazard areas, including specialist reports 
Tasmanian Planning Scheme — Coastal Erosion Hazard Code (C10) & Coastal Inundation Hazard Code (C11) Controls development in coastal erosion hazard areas Controls development in coastal inundation hazard areas 
Crown Lands Act 1976 Governs use of Crown land, including the Crown foreshore 

Is your property on or near Crown land?

Many coastal property owners don’t realise this applies to them. Most coastal properties in Tasmania directly adjoin Crown land — the Crown foreshore, between the high-water mark and the water’s edge, owned and managed by the State Government.

If your works are on, or extend onto, Crown land, you will need:

  • Landowner consent from the Crown before any works proceed
  • Appropriate Crown land licences, leases, or works approvals from the relevant Crown land manager (such as Parks and Wildlife Service Property Services)
  • Planning approval from Council under the Tasmanian Planning Scheme
  • Building approval from Council under the Building Act 2016

Works on Crown land without these approvals may breach the Crown Lands Act 1976. For Crown land enquiries, contact Parks and Wildlife Service Tasmania (Property Services).

Important: The Crown does not accept responsibility for coastal erosion affecting private property, and does not install or maintain infrastructure on Crown land to protect private property from coastal hazards. Managing coastal risk on your property is your responsibility and cost as the owner.

For Crown land enquiries, contact Parks and Wildlife Services Tasmania (Property Services).

Why do these approvals exist?

Approval requirements aren’t red tape — they protect you (poorly designed works can fail suddenly), your neighbours (badly engineered walls redirect wave energy and accelerate erosion next door), the coastline (a shared natural and community asset), and ensure works are fit for purpose as climate change increases coastal hazard risk.

What happens if you build without approval?

Coastal protection works built without the required approvals can lead to enforcement action under the Building Act 2016 — including building notices, orders to alter or demolish, and significant penalties. Both owners and builders can be held responsible.

For the full picture — Council’s enforcement powers, penalties, and the wider risks to your property and any future sale — see Consequences of Unapproved Works.

Don’t put yourself at risk of costly enforcement action — get approval first.

Before you start: your step-by-step checklist

Download the printable checklist: [Checklist — Coastal Protection Works (PDF)]

Need help?

Council’s planning and building teams can help guide you through the approval process.

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