Browse Forums Renovation + Home Improvement 1 Jan 05, 2015 7:10 pm Hello, We have a side easement on the right side of our block from front to back. Officially it is supposed to be 3m wide and only designed to provide a driving access to the manhole near the back fence. There is no anything in the ground. We are in the final stage of planning our extension and I got a permission from water services to decrease it to 2.2m. They were saying that this is the width required between the boundary and the house wall for a service vehicle to get to the back yard. However, we just realized that the fence is not exactly on the boundary but 4-5 cm inside of our block. It makes the easement width 2.16m instead of 2.2m. We have two options: 1. To move the wall by 5cm on the plans. It creates extra work to change plans and makes a long and narrow walk-in robe even narrower. 2. Leave it at 2.16m. Plans were designed by a draftsman and a building certifier will need certify them. Could it be a problem ? It is all correct on the plans since it was measured from the boundary. Can surveyor measure the distance after construction and demand to rectify it ? I don't really think that the service vehicle is just under 2.2m and won't fit in 2.16m. The chances that the service of the manhole will ever be required are close to zero. Re: Easement size tolerance 2Jan 07, 2015 4:18 pm You need to find someone with experience in dealing with your council or whoever the easement is for - sewerage ?, water ?. Here with Sydney Water they are pretty relaxed about the exact size of an easement. Cutting it back by 50 -100mm and they wouldn't have a problem. Other authorities may not be so forgiving. A plumber once told me that Sydney Water aren't worried so much about a service vehicle like a truck for an easement as long as they could squeeze a bobcat down there for heavy lifting. Stewie Re: Easement size tolerance 3Jan 07, 2015 9:31 pm How long has the fence been there for? You could re-establish your boundary which would mean rebuilding your fence. Depending on the age your neighbour may have a claim of adverse possession however they may not choose to fight it (it's worth a shot!) Re: Easement size tolerance 4Jan 08, 2015 4:26 pm It is for sewage. The problem is that ACTEW water has already approved a reduction from 3m to 2.2m saying that it is an absolute minimum they would allow. The fence is only 5 years old, has concrete posts and I am not going to rebuild it. I still think that I go with option 2 and leave it at 2.16m. If they have a vehicle wider than this we can remove a part of the fence to get it through. Re: Easement size tolerance 5Jan 08, 2015 9:18 pm manger It is for sewage. The problem is that ACTEW water has already approved a reduction from 3m to 2.2m saying that it is an absolute minimum they would allow. The fence is only 5 years old, has concrete posts and I am not going to rebuild it. I still think that I go with option 2 and leave it at 2.16m. If they have a vehicle wider than this we can remove a part of the fence to get it through. At 5 years I'd just re-establish the boundary, suck it up and rebuild the fence. If it were only 5 years adverse possession should not be an issue. i inspect..there is no construction tolerance or building tolerances. Your option to instruct council with your surveyors report as they would have possibly had to obtain… 9 5112 7 1801 You should be able to encase the sewer but you will need it designed and approved and access to lot 580 to do the work 2 11942 |