Land fronting a classified road, the State and regional roads managed by or with Transport for NSW, carries extra planning tests that do not apply on a quiet local street. Under section 2.119 of State Environmental Planning Policy (Transport and Infrastructure) 2021, development with frontage to a classified road is assessed for whether vehicle access can be provided from another road. This long-standing policy is carried over from clause 101 of the former Infrastructure SEPP: access to the classified road should not be relied on where practicable access to the local road network exists. Councils add their own controls; Camden DCP 2019, for example, prohibits direct vehicular site access to Camden Valley Way and the Camden Bypass. Any work on the classified road itself needs Transport for NSW involvement under the Roads Act 1993, and since 1 July 2026 several State referrals for traffic and road matters run through the Development Coordination Authority. For investors, a main-road duplex or townhouse site can still work, but the access, noise and road widening questions have to be answered before the price is agreed.
Key takeaways
- Section 2.119 of the Transport and Infrastructure SEPP deals with development with frontage to a classified road, and the policy expectation is that vehicle access comes from another road where practicable and safe.
- Councils’ DCPs may go further, such as Camden DCP 2019’s prohibition on direct vehicular access to Camden Valley Way and the Camden Bypass.
- Works on a classified road, including a new or relocated driveway crossing, involve Transport for NSW under the Roads Act 1993, often through a works authorisation deed.
- Since 1 July 2026, the Development Coordination Authority has taken over several Transport for NSW concurrence and consultation roles, including traffic-generating development and development on proposed classified roads, but not works authorisation deeds.
- Road noise, road widening reservations and forward-entry, forward-exit driveway design commonly affect the yield and layout of main-road sites.
Who this is for: investors and small developers looking at duplex, manor house or townhouse sites on main roads in Western Sydney, the Central Coast and regional NSW centres, who want to understand the extra approvals and design constraints before buying.
What is a classified road?
A classified road is a road classified under the Roads Act 1993, such as a State highway, main road or other road for which Transport for NSW has a role. Many arterial roads through Sydney suburbs are classified. The NSW Planning Portal’s section 138 guidance notes that the council is the roads authority for unclassified roads and some classified roads, and that for other classified roads Transport for NSW may also need to give approval. The Department’s road network classification map shows which roads are classified, and the section 10.7 planning certificate and council records can confirm it for a particular lot.
What does the SEPP require for a site on a classified road?
Section 2.119 of State Environmental Planning Policy (Transport and Infrastructure) 2021, “Development with frontage to a classified road”, requires the consent authority to consider vehicle access, safety and efficiency of the classified road, and the effect of traffic noise and emissions on the development. The policy position is consistent: where practicable and safe, access should be from a road other than the classified road. Transport for NSW correspondence on regional DAs shows how this is applied, preferring that all vehicle access to corner sites come from the local road because a driveway on the classified road would add conflict points and affect traffic efficiency.
| Site situation | Likely access outcome |
|---|---|
| Corner lot with a side street | Access from the side street; classified road frontage used for pedestrian entry and landscaping |
| Lot with a rear lane | Access from the lane |
| Single frontage to the classified road only | A consolidated single driveway, often with forward entry and exit, subject to Transport for NSW and council views |
| Frontage to a road with a council DCP access prohibition (for example Camden Valley Way) | No direct access; development may not be feasible without another frontage |
Who approves what since July 2026?
From 1 July 2026, State referrals on local DAs are coordinated by the Development Coordination Authority. Commentary on its commencement explains that the DCA takes over from Transport for NSW and related transport bodies for development adjacent to rail corridors, traffic-generating development and development on proposed classified roads, and takes over Transport for NSW’s concurrence role for roads affected by a road widening order. The DCA has not been given a role in works authorisation deeds under the Roads Act 1993, which Transport for NSW typically requires before work is done on a classified road. In practice, an investor should expect the DA to be assessed with input coordinated by the DCA, and the driveway and any road works to be agreed with Transport for NSW afterwards.
What else changes the design on a main road?
- Road traffic noise. Residential development near busy roads may need an acoustic assessment and design measures such as glazing, ventilation and room layout to meet internal noise levels.
- Road widening. Some classified roads carry a road widening reservation in the LEP or a road widening order; the affected strip may be unavailable for building.
- Driveway design. Forward entry and exit, sight distances and queuing space under AS 2890.1 often need more site area than a local street driveway.
- Parking and bins. On-street parking may be restricted, and waste collection may need to occur on site or from a side street.
- Bus stops, medians and turning bans. These can limit left-in, left-out movements and affect how residents arrive and leave.
Due diligence on a main-road site
- Confirm whether the road is classified, and whether the LEP shows a road widening reservation.
- Read the council DCP’s access and traffic chapters for specific road prohibitions.
- Identify any secondary frontage or lane that can carry vehicle access.
- Have a traffic engineer test a compliant driveway, including swept paths, before settling the yield.
- Commission an early acoustic review if the road is busy.
- Allow for Transport for NSW involvement in any road works, and DCA-coordinated referrals for the DA.
- Price the time and cost into the purchase.
Definitions
- Classified road
- A road classified under the Roads Act 1993, such as a State highway or main road, for which Transport for NSW has a role.
- Section 2.119
- The provision of the Transport and Infrastructure SEPP dealing with development that has frontage to a classified road.
- Works authorisation deed
- An agreement with Transport for NSW setting the terms for a developer to carry out works on a classified road.
- Forward entry and exit
- A driveway and parking design allowing vehicles to enter and leave the site driving forwards, often required on busy roads.
- Road widening reservation
- Land identified in a planning instrument or order for future road widening, which limits building on that strip.
Frequently asked questions
Can I build a duplex on a main road in NSW?
Often yes, but vehicle access is assessed under section 2.119 of the Transport and Infrastructure SEPP and the council DCP. Where a side street or lane exists, access is expected from there.
Do I need Transport for NSW approval for a driveway?
If the driveway is on a classified road, Transport for NSW is usually involved under the Roads Act 1993, commonly through a works authorisation deed, in addition to the council’s approval.
Has the Development Coordination Authority replaced Transport for NSW?
Only for listed referral matters, such as traffic-generating development and development on proposed classified roads, from 1 July 2026. Works authorisation deeds remain with Transport for NSW.
How do I know if a road is classified?
Check the NSW road network classification map, the planning certificate and the council’s records.
Main-road access, noise and yield are tested in our development due diligence reports before you commit, and we design the planning case for townhouse and duplex sites around them. For driveway and swept path design, our sister company SweptPaths can assist. To assess a main-road site, request a fee proposal.
Sources and references
- State Environmental Planning Policy (Transport and Infrastructure) 2021, section 2.119 Development with frontage to a classified road, accessed October 2026
- Camden Development Control Plan 2019, 2.18.1 Access to classified roads and sub-arterial roads, accessed October 2026
- NSW Planning Portal, Section 138 approvals, accessed October 2026
- Mills Oakley, Development Coordination Authority starts 1 July 2026, accessed October 2026
- NSW Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure, What’s changed for councils from 1 July 2026, accessed October 2026
Information disclaimer. This article is general planning information prepared by the URBA Planning Team and is current at the date of publication. It is not planning, legal or financial advice for any specific property. Planning instruments, development control plans, state policies and the National Construction Code are amended regularly and councils interpret them differently; the controls quoted here should be confirmed against the versions in force at the date of lodgement and against the consent authority’s current requirements. Reliance on this article is at the reader’s own risk. URBA Planning, a division of Contrive Consultants Pty Ltd, accepts no liability for loss arising from its use. For advice on a specific site, contact URBA for a fee proposal.