Powerlines and Electricity Easements Explained

Powerline and electricity easements are a common feature of many blocks in Australia, particularly in new estates and in areas near existing power infrastructure. While they may not seem like a major issue, they can significantly affect where you can build on the block and what you can do with the land.

An electricity easement gives the power authority the right to access and maintain power infrastructure on your land. In exchange, the easement restricts what you can build and plant in the easement area. Understanding the easement — where it is, what it covers, and what it means for your build — is essential before you buy.

Types of Electricity Easements

There are two main types of electricity easements:

What You Cannot Do in an Electricity Easement

If your block has an electricity easement, the following restrictions typically apply:

• **No building** — You cannot build any structure in the easement area, including the house, garage, shed, carport, swimming pool, or retaining wall. This is the most significant restriction.
• **No tall planting** — You cannot plant trees that could grow into the powerlines or whose roots could damage underground cables. The specific planting restrictions depend on the power authority and the voltage.
• **No excavation** — For underground cable easements, you cannot excavate in the easement area without the power authority's approval (to avoid damaging the cables).
• **No filling** — For overhead powerline easements, you cannot fill the easement area (which would reduce the clearance between the ground and the powerlines).
• **Access by the power authority** — The power authority has the right to access the easement at any time to inspect, maintain, or replace the infrastructure. They can enter your property without notice in an emergency.

How an Easement Affects House Position

If the easement runs through the middle of the block, it can significantly affect where the house can be positioned. The house must be positioned entirely outside the easement area, which may:

• Reduce the usable area of the block (the easement area is effectively wasted space)
• Limit the house size (if the buildable area is smaller than the house design requires)
• Require a different house design (if the original design doesn't fit the buildable area)
• Affect the orientation (the house may need to be rotated or shifted, which could affect the north-facing living areas)
• Affect the setback (the house may need to be set back further from the street or the boundary)

Clearance Requirements

Even if the house is not in the easement area, there are minimum clearance requirements between the powerlines and any building. The clearance depends on the voltage of the powerlines:

The clearance requirements mean that even if the house is outside the easement, it may need to be set back further from the powerlines to maintain the required clearance. Check with the power authority for the specific clearance requirements for the powerlines on or near your block.

How to Check for Electricity Easements

1. Check the title and the plan of subdivision for any easements — electricity easements are typically shown on the plan as 'Easement for Power Purpose' or similar.
2. Check with the power authority (e.g. Energex, Ausgrid, Powercor) for any easements or power infrastructure on or near the block.
3. Look for overhead powerlines on or near the block — if there are powerlines, there is almost certainly an easement.
4. Look for power authority access pits, pillars, or cabinets on the block — these indicate underground cables and an easement.
5. If the block is in a new estate, check the developer's estate plan for any powerline easements.

Undergrounding of Powerlines

In many new estates, powerlines are underground (there are no overhead powerlines). However, the underground cables still have an easement — the easement is a strip of land above the cables where building and deep excavation are restricted.

In some established areas, overhead powerlines are being progressively undergrounded by the power authority or the local council. If the overhead powerlines near your block are scheduled for undergrounding, the easement may change from an overhead easement to an underground easement, which may have different restrictions.

How Builders Handle Easement-Related Costs

If the easement affects the house position, the builder may need to:

• Modify the house design to fit the buildable area (which may add design cost)
• Use a different house design (which may change the price)
• Add additional site costs (e.g. if the house needs to be positioned further from the street, the driveway may need to be longer)
• Add a concrete pump for the slab pour (if the powerlines prevent the concrete truck from reaching the slab)

Most builders do not include easement-related costs in their base price — they are typically charged as a variation after the site inspection. Check whether the builder has reviewed the easement and whether any easement-related costs are included in the fixed price.

What to Check Before Buying Land

Common Mistakes and Hidden Costs

• Not checking the title for electricity easements before buying.
• Assuming the easement is only a small strip — some easements can be 10–30 metres wide and can take up a significant portion of the block.
• Not checking whether the house design fits in the buildable area (outside the easement).
• Forgetting the clearance requirements — even if the house is outside the easement, it may need to be set back further from the powerlines.
• Not checking whether the builder has included easement-related costs in the fixed price.
• Planting trees in the easement area — the power authority can require you to remove them at your cost.
• Building a shed, garage, or other structure in the easement area — the power authority can require you to remove it at your cost.

Frequently Asked Questions