About 1200 Wyndham businesses and residents have been served show-cause notices for illegal building works in the past five years.
Wyndham council statistics show 4212 building permits were issued by the council and private building surveyors across the city in the past calendar year, with new carports, sheds, verandahs, swimming pools and extensions being the top five changes made to properties.
Building permits are required for additions to properties such as garages, carports, verandahs, sheds, decks, pergolas, swimming pools and spas, fences and retaining walls. Alterations and demolition also require permits.
Wyndham council sustainable development director Dean Rochfort said the council did not fine residents for failing to obtain the required building permits, instead giving them “the opportunity to explain their circumstances and fix or demolish the building works”.
Mr Rochfort said the council had issued about 1200 show-case notices for illegal building works between January 1, 2011, and December 31, 2015.
Ten of those cases were heard in a magistrates court and in each case the property owner was found guilty.
In one case, a company was fined $17,500 for converting a residential property into a café without a building permit.
In another, a Tarneit resident was fined $6000 for building a high front fence without a building permit and refusing to reduce the height of the fence.
