What's Pink and an Elephant ? - the ACT Planning Authority.

Thats why my 30,000 l “watertank” is buried in the ground. (Oh, it also has an open top, and a filtering system to ensure that the water stays clean. And, just like in the country, where there are dams, the kids can jump into it. Of course, it holds ‘non-potable’ water….

Unapproved stuff around the house cant be that much of an issue when selling your place – I remember being at an auction in Lyneham a couple of years ago. Just before bidding started the real estate agent advised the gathered crowd that he was obliged to let everyone know that the deck attached to the house and the car-port were not approved structures. There was a momements silence and then some guy up the back asked if he could start the bidding at $600,000 …

Don’t seek permission. But you might want to change to a more traditional style tank. A pink one shaped like an elephant may attract negative responses from your neighbours.

You know if the conveyancing solicitor played those games, I would raise my price. Solicitors are cnuts.

Bypassing it sounds like it would remove the pain now but if you’d then need to deal with it quickly because you need to sell your house in the future, would you really want to add that pain to the stress of the house sale? Now is pain with plenty of time but then would be pain with limited time – plus the prospective owner may not pay so well when he learns of the problem via his conveyancing solicitor.

Anybody know how to get through the red-tape a little easier ?

Bypass it.

Is there anywhere less visible the tank can be installed?

Shiny – thanks for the warning. We’ll remember not to ask anyone’s permission before we get our tank(s). The nanny state can go hang.

Cheapest tanks I’ve found locally:
http://www.thetankman.com.au

Don’t ask for permission!

If the neighbours ask just say yes you got permission.

When you sell the house, move the water tank, or get rid of it.