Site coverage, landscaped area and FSR in townhouse design
How FSR, site coverage and landscaped area controls interact on a NSW townhouse DA, with a worked example on a Western Sydney lot.
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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
Manor houses and terraces explained for NSW investors and developers
What manor houses and terraces are in NSW planning, where they are now permitted near Sydney town centres, and how they are approved by…
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Campbelltown and Macarthur: dual occupancy and townhouse planning
Dual occupancy and townhouse rules in Campbelltown and Macarthur under Campbelltown LEP 2015 and the Sustainable City DCP 2015, plus station catchments.
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How many dwellings can my site take? Planning capacity and yield
How many dwellings can my site take? Yield in NSW is capped by the tightest of lot size, FSR, height, site coverage and parking.…
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BASIX and NatHERS in your DA: what the planner needs from the assessor
BASIX and NatHERS in a NSW DA: a certificate is mandatory for new homes and $50,000+ renovations. What Sydney planners need from the energy…
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Regional NSW development due diligence: what differs outside Sydney
Regional NSW development due diligence differs from Sydney: council-run sewer, section 64 charges, bushfire, biodiversity and R1 zoning in Dubbo and Wagga.
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Building a duplex in Blacktown: LEP 2015 and DCP controls that matter
The Blacktown LEP 2015 and DCP 2015 controls that decide a duplex DA: lot size, frontage, landscaping, stormwater and the station catchments.
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What a council-ready SEE for a new house in Sydney must contain
A checklist of what a council-ready Statement of Environmental Effects for a new house in Sydney must contain, from permissibility to the DCP table.
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Responding to a council request for information: a planner’s playbook
A council request for information stops the DA clock in NSW until you answer. How our Sydney planners triage an RFI and respond once,…
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R2, R3, R4 and RU5 zoning explained: what each zone lets you build
R2, R3, R4 and RU5 zoning explained for NSW: what each zone permits, how the LEP land use table works, and how the housing…
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Local planning panels: when your DA goes to a panel and what changes
Local planning panels decide DAs in Sydney and Wollongong councils when a DA is contentious, varies a standard by over 10% or involves council.
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How long does a DA take in NSW? Timeframes by council (2025-26)
How long a DA takes in NSW in 2025-26: statutory clocks, realistic timeframes for houses, duplexes and townhouses, and why Sydney councils differ.
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Next step
Tell us about your site. We will tell you what it can carry.
Send the address and your plans or concept. A URBA planner will confirm the pathway and send a fixed-fee proposal, usually within one business day.