1 Survey Plans – Retaining Walls
The Board has recently written to a number of surveyors for failing to record the location of retaining walls on survey plans when the retaining wall is close to the boundary. This is specifically the case with new sub-divisions. While the Board accepts that it is possible for the survey to be completed and the plan lodged before the retaining wall is built the Board is also aware of cases where the retaining walls were in place at the time of survey and no reference was made on the plan to the location of the retaining wall.
The Board refers all surveyors to Section 3.20 of the Cadastral Survey Requirements which states:
3.20 Encroachment and improvements on or near a boundary
The size, nature and location of any encroachment, and other improvements on or near a boundary, must be shown on all survey plans lodged or deposited with the department. Guidelines for depiction of these on plans are given at section 9.7 Buildings and other improvements on or near a boundary.
There are a number of provisions of the Survey and Mapping Infrastructure Regulation 2014 regarding improvements on or near the boundary:
- Section 9(2)(a) provides for the recording of information about permanent improvements on the land that are used as reference points for the survey.
- Section 10(1) provides some examples of “a party affected by a boundary”.
- Section 10(2)(e) requires any encroachment to be identified and the owner to be notified where a substantial encroachment exists.
- Section 17 requires the position to be recorded of any encroachment, and any permanent improvement that affects, or is affected by, a reinstatement.
- Section 18 requires that the owner of land who may be adversely affected by a reinstatement be notified.
2 Use of Drones for Surveys
The Board takes this opportunity to remind surveyors that the use of drones for business purposes requires compliance with Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) guidelines which require licences or certifications to be held subject to the proposed use of the drone, eg flying at night or flying closer than 30 metres.
3 Executive Officer
The Board’s Executive Officer, Mr Murray Fox will retire effective from 31 July 2020. The Board recently completed an extensive selection process and appointed Mr David Jenkins to the role. David will commence with the Board on 15 June 2020 which will hopefully provide for a smooth transition.