Hot Water heater on Balcony

Hi,

I am renovating our kitchen and want to move a small water heater from under a bench to the next size up but on our balcony. The heater would be below the level of the balcony edge so not visible from either the street or other apartments. As there would require some plumbing work through the common wall between kitchen and balcony I understand this will require permission as balcony is common property. I have had some initial advice that this will require a full vote of all owners (extraordinary AGM). I find this hard to believe….though I could stand corrected. There is already plumbing through that same wall for air conditioning motor that is situated on the balcony.

The Strata manager said ‘the work to the area where the water heater used to be can easily be seen as structural renovation which requires owners’ consent at a general meeting’.

Can anyone shed some light on this? Cheers.