If you’ve been dreaming about putting up a garden shed, sleepout, or small garage on the Hibiscus Coast, it just got a whole lot simpler.

New setback rules have kicked in, meaning you can now build single-storey detached buildings closer to your boundary without needing building consent.

The old rule—where a shed had to be as far from your fence as it was tall—has been scrapped.

That means small sheds under 10 square metres can now sit right up to the boundary, and larger ones between 10 and 30 square metres only need a one-metre gap.

Regulation Minister David Seymour says the change came after hearing from frustrated homeowners through the Red Tape Tipline.

“No one wants to put their shed in the middle of their lawn or pay for a consent to store tools,” he said.

Building Minister Chris Penk added that it’s good news for property owners, builders, and local companies that make modular sheds and workshops.

“We’re cutting bureaucracy so Kiwis can make practical improvements to their own backyards.”

Homeowners will still need to follow the Building Code and local district plans, but the change makes smaller projects faster and cheaper to complete.

So, if you’ve been putting off that shed project, now’s the time to dust off your plans.

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