Skate parks

Standards
Compliance requirements for embellishments
Note:
- Where Australian Standards or part thereof have been adopted by legislation, they are a legal requirement.
- This list may not be exhaustive. Please refer to the relevant authority websites for updated information and current document distribution dates. These documents are subject to amendments from time to time.
Legislation
Refer Legislation for guidance.
Australian Standards/industry guidelines
National Construction Code (NCC)
The embellishment shall be developed in accordance with the NCC (current edition):
- Building Code of Australia (BCA) Volumes 1 and 2
- Plumbing Code of Australia (PCA) Volume 3.
Safety in design (SiD)
Include Safety in Design (SiD) principles to eliminate, or if not reasonably practical, minimise risks to health and safety throughout the design, construction and life of the embellishment.
See Legislation – Work Health and Safety Act 2011 for additional safety guidance.
Skate parks
- AS EN 14974:2021 Skateparks – safety requirements and test methods. Specifies safety requirements and requirements for testing and marking, information supplied by the manufacturer, information for users, as well as for inspection and maintenance to protect users and third parties (e.g. spectators) from hazards, as far as possible, when using a skatepark as intended, or as can be reasonably expected.
- AS 1170.1:2002 – Structural design actions – Permanent, imposed and other actions. For permanent, imposed, static liquid pressure, ground water, rainwater ponding and earth pressure actions to be used in the limit state design of structures and parts of structures
- AS 1170.2:2011 – Structural design actions – Wind actions. Procedures for determining wind speeds and actions to be used in the design of structures.
- AS 1170.4:2007 – Structural design actions – Earthquake actions in Australia. Procedures for determining earthquake actions and detailing requirements for structures and components to be used in the design of structures.
- AS 1379:2007 – Specification and supply of concrete. Sets out minimum requirements for materials, plant and equipment used in the supply of concrete and the testing of concrete.
- AS 3600:2009 – Concrete structures. Provides nationally accepted rules for the design and detailing of concrete structures, members and footings.
- AS/NZ 3661.2:1994 – Slip resistance of pedestrian surfaces – Guide to the reduction of slip hazards. Guidance on the selection, installation, care and maintenance of flooring and other surfaces in domestic, public and commercial areas for the purpose of reducing the slip hazard to pedestrians, including people with disabilities.
- AS 4586:2013 – Slip resistance classifications of new pedestrian surface materials. Testing of new products and floors. This Standard is referenced in legislation.
Taps and drinking fountains
See the following for further guidance:
Designing for shade
- Creating Shade at Public Facilities: Policy and Guidelines for Local Government Edition 2 - prepared by Australian Institute of Environmental Health. Technical resource containing guidelines about ‘essential’ and ‘preferred’ quantities of shade at public facilities.
Designing for access and inclusion
- AS 1428 (Set) – Design for access and mobility. Design requirements for new building work to provide access for people with disabilities. This Standard is referenced in legislation.
Designing for safety (CPTED)
- Queensland Government – Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) – Guidelines for Queensland, 2021. Provides guidelines about designing a safe environment to assist in the prevention of the opportunity for crime.
Erosion and sediment control
- Best Practice Erosion and Sediment Control (BPESC) documents - IECA Australasia. Erosion and sediment control documents by the International Erosion Control Association (IECA).
- Queensland Acid Sulfate Soil Technical Manual: Soil Management Guidelines. Technical and procedural advice to avoid environmental harm and to assist in achieving best practice environmental management (BPEM).
- Procedural guide (Environmental Protection Act 1994) - Releases to waters. Best practice guide to achieve water quality objectives and management goals:
- from building sites and small construction sites less than 2500 m2
- from land development sites and construction sites greater than 2500 m2.
Trees
- AS 4970:2025 – Protection of trees on development sites. Provides guidance on the principles for protecting trees on land subject to development.
- AS 2303:2018 – Tree stock for landscape use. Specifies the criteria for the assessment of above-ground and below-ground characteristics of tree stock that are to be supplied for landscape use.
- AS 4373:2007 – Pruning of amenity trees. Specifies methods for pruning trees and gives guidance on correct and uniform practices.
Approvals/authorised person
Assessable development
- Where a sports and games facility is deemed ‘assessable development’ it requires building approval from a private building certifier and must meet all of the requirements of the Building Regulation 2006, the Building Code of Australia (current edition) and the Sunshine Coast Planning Scheme 2014.
- Building Code of Australia (BCA) Volumes 1 and 2 are a uniform set of technical provisions for the design and construction of buildings and other structures throughout Australia.
Skate park design
- Skate parks must be designed by an experienced professional skate park designer in consultation with users and certified by a suitably qualified engineer.
- All elements including footing design is to be designed by a suitably qualified engineer.
QBCC licensed builder
- In Queensland, individuals and companies must hold a Queensland Building and Construction Commission (QBCC) license to carry out:
- Any building work valued over the QBCC amount (includes all labour and material costs regardless of who supplies the materials).
Signage
- All ‘activity entry’ signs and ‘regulatory’ signs appropriate for skate parks must refer to LIM Signage suite for guidance, technical drawings and graphic design templates.
Taps and drinking fountains
- All plumbing is regulated by council under state government legislation requirements.
See the following for further guidance:
Coastal management district
- Ensure appropriate environmental approvals are obtained and the conditions observed where any building work is proposed in the Coastal Management District.
- Consult with Queensland Government Department of State Development, Infrastructure and Planning (DSDIP) – State Assessment and Referral Agency (SARA) for application forms, guidelines and information sheets.
Other
- Ensure all relevant approvals are obtained from the appropriate governing bodies and all conditions are observed.
- Department of Transport and Main Roads (DTMR) approval is required for works near state controlled roads. This applies to any part of the road reserve including pathways, kerb and channelling, nature strip and traffic island.
Council additional requirements
Corporate documents
- Refer Overview of corporate documents for guidance.
Corporate liaison
Developer delivered assets
- Council (Development Services) – all works associated with any development application.
Council delivered assets
- Council (Parks and Gardens) – recreation parks, amenity reserves, linear parks, landscape corridors, sports grounds and recreation trails enquiries relating to asset management, business planning and direction.
- Council (Environmental Operations) – recreation trails, foreshore infrastructure, environment reserves, constructed waterbodies and wetlands.
- Council (Design and Placemaking Services) – recreation parks, amenity reserves, linear parks, landscape corridors, sports grounds, specific purpose (sports), recreation trails and streetscape/centres enquiries relating to design.
- Council (Sport and Community Venues) – sports ground planning and asset management.
This component is currently in development