Dual occupancy in R2 zones across NSW: the July 2024 rule change
On 1 July 2024 dual occupancies became permissible in every NSW R2 zone. What changed, what did not, and how Sydney councils assess duplex…
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Planning insights
Practical planning guides for NSW
Plain-English explainers on Statements of Environmental Effects, DA and CDC pathways, duplex and granny flat rules, due diligence and the controls of specific councils across Sydney and regional NSW.
- All
- DA Process & Council
- Dual Occupancy & Duplex
- Due Diligence & Feasibility
- Granny Flats & Secondary Dwellings
- Local Areas
- Planning Rules & Reforms
- Regional NSW
- Statements of Environmental Effects
- Subdivision & Land
- Townhouses & Multi-Dwelling
SEE for a granny flat when complying development is not available
When a granny flat cannot be approved as complying development in NSW, it needs a DA and a Statement of Environmental Effects. What the…
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Townhouses and terraces in R2 near town centres: the 2025 reforms
Townhouses and terraces are now permitted in R2 zones within 800 m of nominated Sydney centres and stations. The 2025 standards and exclusions explained.
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Penrith duplex and granny flat rules: what to know before you buy
Penrith duplex and granny flat rules under Penrith LEP 2010, DCP 2014 and the Housing SEPP, with the flood, bushfire and airport checks to…
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SEE for a townhouse development: the multi dwelling housing checklist
The assessment checklist a Statement of Environmental Effects for a townhouse (multi dwelling housing) DA in Sydney must work through, control by control.
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Section 4.15 matters: how a council planner actually assesses your DA
Section 4.15 of the EP&A Act lists what a NSW council must consider on a DA. How a planner works through each matter and…
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Pre-lodgement meetings with council: when they are worth the time
A pre-lodgement meeting is worth it in NSW when the DA involves a variation, a constrained site or a new housing type. When Sydney…
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Knock-down rebuild in Sydney: DA or CDC, and what the SEE has to cover
Can a Sydney knock-down rebuild go through as complying development or does it need a DA, and what must the Statement of Environmental Effects…
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Duplex as complying development: the Low Rise Housing Diversity Code
How a duplex is approved as complying development under the Low Rise Housing Diversity Code in NSW, and when a Sydney site needs a…
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Tree removal and DAs in NSW: arborist reports, canopy and biodiversity
Tree removal in a NSW DA needs an AS 4970 arborist report, a case against council canopy rules and a biodiversity check. What Sydney…
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Parramatta and Cumberland: planning townhouses in Sydney’s middle ring
How townhouse DAs work in Parramatta and Cumberland under Parramatta LEP 2023 and Cumberland LEP 2021, including the R2 station catchments.
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Section 4.55 modifications: changing an approved DA without a new DA
Section 4.55 modifications let you change an approved DA in NSW without a new application if it stays substantially the same. The 3 pathways…
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