Kaipara’s treehouses permitted with conditions

 

BY JULIA WADE

Kiwi DIY tree shacks, from miniature cabins balanced between strong boughs to a couple of rough-sawn platforms complete with sky roofs and leafy windows, have given many children past and present the gift of imagination and outdoor adventure. However the construction, safety and legality of the proverbial treehouse has come under recent examination. 

On TV One’s Fair Go programme July 2 and 9, a treehouse belonging to an Otago district family was featured after neighbours approached the Dunedin Council enquiring about the proximity of the elevated playground. The story highlighted unforeseen council regulations regarding construction and placement of outdoor playgrounds and posed the question: How do you build a treehouse to code? 

For Kaipara residents set on flexing their creative building muscles and showing off their DIY skills to offspring, the same rules presented in the show also apply here. 

From information provided by Kaipara District Council (KDC), according to the Building Act treehouses and other outdoor playground equipment such as a playhouse with a slide attached, are exempt from requiring a building consent as long as the structure is under three metres in height from the supporting ground, and is ‘for use by a single private household’. 

Any tree hut that falls outside the Building Act exemptions would require a building consent, however council can make exemptions for structures that do not comply with the building code if they are unlikely to endanger people or property. Any sanitary facilities that are proposed require a building consent regardless of the size.

So if you have plans to create a deluxe, designer-styled treehouse complete with ensuite for your young ones, best to consult with council. 

 Thinking of building a treehouse or outdoor play equipment? Contact Kaipara District Council for details of the Building Code. Visit kaipara.govt.nz

Talking to neighbours about plans for a treehouse, and keeping within height restrictions, is advised.