Adelaide block check
Easements on Your Title: How They Change Where You Can Build
Quick answer
An easement is a strip of your Adelaide block over which a third party (usually SA Water, a network operator, or the council) has legal rights. You cannot build a permanent structure over most easements. Find them on the Certificate of Title and the deposited plan via sailis.sa.gov.au before commissioning any design.
The title of your Adelaide block usually shows one or more easements: strips of land where another party has legal rights. Most commonly a utility (SA Water, an electricity network, or the council) has the right to run pipes or cables through, and to access them. You cannot build over or through most easements, so they directly shape where your house can sit.
Public source: Lands Titles Office SA: title searchesWatch: Homes By Homes podcast, episode 92
Buying Land? These 3 Overlooked Details Could Cost You Thousands
Easements often live in the fine print of the Certificate of Title. This episode covers what to actually look for.
Section 1
Where easements show up
On the Certificate of Title, listed as "encumbrances." Also drawn on the deposited plan for the parcel. You can request a title search through Land Services SA (sailis.sa.gov.au) for a small fee. Your conveyancer usually provides both documents as part of a purchase; if you already own the block, you can order them yourself.
Section 2
Common easement types in Adelaide
Drainage easement (usually rear-of-block, giving council or SA Water access to stormwater infrastructure). Sewer easement (running to a shared connection point). Electricity easement (overhead lines or underground cables). Right-of-way (a shared driveway or path benefiting a neighbouring block). Party wall easement (shared wall with a neighbouring dwelling).
Section 3
What you cannot do over an easement
Build a permanent structure with footings. Plant trees whose roots may damage the infrastructure. Pave over a manhole or access point without approval. Change ground levels significantly.
Section 4
What you can usually do
Lawn, garden beds, low fences, and paving that can be lifted are usually fine. Some easement wordings allow specific structures with the beneficiary's written consent (for example, a carport over an electricity easement, subject to the network operator agreeing).
Section 5
How easements shape your design
The house has to sit clear of the easement footprint. On a typical Adelaide block, a 3-metre rear drainage easement can eat 20 to 30 square metres of buildable area. On battle-axe or narrow blocks, an easement can decide the entire orientation of the home.
Section 6
What to do
Get the title search and the deposited plan. Hand both to your builder or designer at the first meeting. If the easement wording is unclear, ask the beneficiary (SA Water, the council, or the network operator) whether specific structures could be considered under their consent process. Do this before you pay for drawings.
What to do next
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Learn moreThis is general planning and technical information drawn from public sources. It is not legal, planning, or engineering advice. Rules and overlays change; always confirm current requirements directly through SAPPA and engage a qualified professional (town planner, building designer, private certifier, arborist, or geotechnical engineer) for your specific block.