Construction planning guide
Ground-level hoarding and overhead gantry protection solve different site-interface risks. This guide explains the distinction, the questions a project team should ask and why the approving authority, site conditions and engineered design must drive the final solution.
A solid barrier separating a worksite from a public area is commonly described in NSW council guidance as Type A hoarding. The term Class A hoarding is also used in searches and industry conversations, but project teams should confirm the terminology used by the relevant council or road authority.
A gantry hoarding is an overhead protective structure. In City of Sydney guidance, this is generally described as Type B hoarding. It spans a footway or roadway so people or vehicles can pass beneath a designed protective deck.
A solid site fence used to separate work activities from pedestrians, neighbouring property or public space.
A designed structure that creates a protected route beneath works where an overhead interface needs to be controlled.
The label is not the design. Selection should follow the actual interface between construction activities and the public, then be confirmed against the relevant authority requirements and project documentation.
Current official guidance should be checked for the exact site. See the City of Sydney code of practice for temporary structures and the SafeWork NSW site security checklist. Requirements can differ by authority and location.
For a broader explanation of the installation pathway, read the construction hoarding installation guide.
“Class A”, “Type A” and “gantry” can be used inconsistently. Base the brief on the required protective function and the terminology of the approving authority.
Clearances, support locations, loading, ground conditions, services and street constraints can change the design and approval pathway.
Inspection, lighting, access control, presentation, maintenance and incident response must remain workable throughout the installation period.
A technically robust structure can still create a poor outcome if pedestrian access, visibility, accessibility or vehicle interfaces are not resolved.
This article supports the service pathway; it does not replace site-specific advice, design or approval.
The terms are often used for the same general ground-level barrier, but official guidance commonly uses “Type A”. Confirm the term and technical requirements used by the council or authority responsible for the site.
Class A or Type A hoarding is generally a solid ground-level fence that separates the worksite from the public. A gantry, commonly described as Type B hoarding, adds a designed overhead protective structure for a route beneath or beside the works.
A gantry may be considered when work occurs above a public footway or roadway, when the public route cannot be removed from the exposure, or when the approving authority requires overhead protection. The need and design must be assessed for the specific site.
Approval requirements depend on the location, land ownership, encroachment and authority rules. Temporary structures on or above public land commonly require approval. Check the relevant council or road authority before installation.
Only where the structure has been specifically designed and approved for those loads and arrangements. Never assume a gantry deck can support scaffolding, storage or site facilities without documented engineering and authority acceptance.
Useful starting information includes the site address, scope of work, programme, site and footway dimensions, photographs, public-access constraints, available approvals and any existing design or authority correspondence.
SCE Corp can review the construction scope, access constraints and available documentation to help define a practical hoarding delivery pathway. Final requirements remain subject to site conditions, design, approvals, safety and project suitability.
