Dual occupancies and small subdivisions on the Central Coast are assessed under Central Coast LEP 2022 and Central Coast DCP 2022, which replaced the old Gosford and Wyong instruments and gave the whole local government area one set of rules. The LEP sets the zone, the minimum lot size and whether a dual occupancy can be subdivided; the DCP sets the design controls. Most sites from Umina Beach to Budgewoi then carry at least one hazard overlay (flood, bushfire, coastal or acid sulfate soils) that adds a specialist report to the DA.
Key takeaways
- Central Coast LEP 2022 and Central Coast DCP 2022 now apply across the former Gosford and Wyong council areas.
- Minimum lot sizes for dual occupancies and for their subdivision are set by the LEP and vary by locality, so check the lot size map for your street.
- Since 1 July 2024 dual occupancies are permissible in R2 zones across NSW; the LEP still controls lot size, frontage and subdivision.
- Flood, bushfire and coastal hazard mapping shape a large share of Central Coast DAs, particularly around Tuggerah Lakes, the Peninsula and the escarpment suburbs.
- Central Coast Council is also the water and sewer authority, so servicing advice comes from council rather than Sydney Water.
Where the Central Coast rules come from now
Until the new LEP commenced, a duplex in Terrigal was assessed under Gosford LEP 2014 and one in Toukley under Wyong LEP 2013, with two different DCPs behind them. Central Coast LEP 2022 consolidated those into one instrument with a single land use table and a single set of maps, and Central Coast DCP 2022 did the same for the design controls. Older advice and older DAs next door are not a reliable guide, because some outcomes shifted in the consolidation.
The instruments cover a large and varied area:
- The Peninsula: Woy Woy, Umina Beach, Ettalong Beach, Blackwall, Booker Bay. Flat, sandy, flood and groundwater affected.
- Gosford and the valleys: Gosford, West Gosford, Point Clare, Tascott, Narara, Niagara Park, Lisarow, Ourimbah, Kariong. Steep, bushfire prone edges and the Gosford city centre with its own height and density controls.
- The coast: Terrigal, Wamberal, Avoca Beach, Kincumber, Erina, Bateau Bay, Long Jetty, The Entrance, Toowoon Bay. Coastal hazard issues.
- The north: Wyong, Tuggerah, Watanobbi, Warnervale, Wadalba, Hamlyn Terrace, Woongarrah, Lake Haven, Gorokan, Toukley, Budgewoi.
Dual occupancy under Central Coast LEP 2022: the four checks
1. Zone and permissibility
Dual occupancies are permissible in the R1 General Residential, R2 Low Density Residential and R3 Medium Density Residential zones. Since 1 July 2024 the State Government’s Low and Mid-Rise Housing Stage 1 changes have made dual occupancies and semi-detached dwellings permissible in all R2 zones in NSW, which cleared up permissibility on the Central Coast where the LEP had not already done so. The RU and C zones remain a different story; dual occupancies in rural and conservation zones are often limited to attached forms or prohibited.
2. Minimum lot size for the dual occupancy
The LEP sets a minimum lot size for a dual occupancy that varies by locality. It is shown on the lot size map and in the dual occupancy clause. We do not quote a single number here because the figure differs between the former Gosford and Wyong areas and between R1, R2 and R3 land. Check the current map for your lot.
3. Subdivision of the dual occupancy
This is the check that decides whether you end up with two Torrens titles or a strata plan. The LEP allows Torrens subdivision of a dual occupancy only where each resulting lot meets the minimum size the LEP sets for that purpose. Where it cannot, strata subdivision is usually still available and produces two saleable lots, but the value uplift is generally smaller than with Torrens.
4. Frontage and access
Central Coast DCP 2022 sets minimum frontage widths and garage width limits for dual occupancies, plus driveway and sight distance requirements. Battle-axe lots need a wider access handle for two dwellings, and lots on classified roads (the Central Coast Highway, Pacific Highway, Wisemans Ferry Road) attract Transport for NSW referral under SEPP (Transport and Infrastructure) 2021.
The hazard overlays that add reports to the DA
Central Coast DAs are heavy on specialist input compared with a typical Sydney suburb. The overlays we deal with most often:
| Constraint | Where it turns up | What the DA usually needs |
|---|---|---|
| Flood planning area | Tuggerah Lakes foreshore, Wyong River, Ourimbah Creek, Narara Creek, the Peninsula, Chittaway Bay, Berkeley Vale | Flood report with finished floor levels above the flood planning level, flood-compatible construction and evacuation advice |
| Bushfire prone land | Kariong, Somersby, Erina Heights, Holgate, Matcham, Kincumber South, Wadalba, Wyong Creek, Bateau Bay backing onto reserves | Bushfire Assessment Report under Planning for Bush Fire Protection 2019, BAL rating, APZ; RFS Bush Fire Safety Authority for subdivision |
| Coastal hazard | Wamberal, North Entrance, Norah Head, Avoca, parts of Terrigal and Umina | Coastal hazard assessment under SEPP (Resilience and Hazards) 2021 and the coastal management program |
| Acid sulfate soils and biodiversity | Low-lying land around the lakes; bushland edges across the LGA | ASS management plan where excavation reaches the mapped depth; ecological assessment under SEPP (Biodiversity and Conservation) 2021 for clearing |
The NSW Planning Portal spatial viewer shows most of these layers, and all of them appear on the s10.7(2) certificate. We check both before recommending a site.
Small subdivisions: what changes when you create a new lot
A two or three lot Torrens subdivision of an existing house lot in suburbs like Kincumber, Wyoming, Berkeley Vale or Gorokan follows the same LEP lot size test, and then adds engineering. In our experience the items that decide these DAs are:
- Minimum lot size and shape. Each lot must meet the mapped minimum, and the DCP sets a minimum width and a usable building envelope. Battle-axe handles are generally excluded from the area calculation.
- Water and sewer. Central Coast Council is the water authority. Each new lot needs its own connection, and a sewer main in the wrong place can require a costly extension or an easement over a neighbour.
- Stormwater. A legal point of discharge for each lot, on-site detention where council’s DCP requires it, and interallotment drainage easements for rear lots.
- Bushfire. Subdivision on bushfire prone land is integrated development and goes to the RFS. Perimeter APZs and access standards have to be shown on the plan.
- Contributions. Section 7.11 or 7.12 local contributions apply to the new lot, and the State Housing and Productivity Contribution applies to residential subdivision on the Central Coast as part of the Six Cities Region.
Our subdivision planning service coordinates the surveyor, civil engineer and bushfire consultant so that the DA lodges as a complete package, which avoids the request for information cycle that stretches Central Coast determination times.
What is coming: the low and mid-rise housing changes
The Central Coast is part of the Six Cities Region, so the State Government’s Low and Mid-Rise Housing policy Stage 2 changes, scheduled to commence on 28 February 2025, will apply within 800 metres walking distance of nominated town centres and stations. The Government has indicated that terraces, townhouses and manor houses in R2 zones, and residential flat buildings in R3 zones, will become permissible in those areas with non-refusal standards. Until commencement the current LEP applies, and once the changes are in force we will publish a Central Coast-specific note on which centres are included. If you own a larger lot near Gosford, Woy Woy, Wyong, Tuggerah or Erina, it is worth holding your design until the final maps are released.
Frequently asked questions
What is the minimum lot size for a dual occupancy on the Central Coast?
Central Coast LEP 2022 sets the figure on its lot size map and in the dual occupancy clause, and it varies by locality and zone. Check the map for your lot rather than relying on a general number, and remember that Torrens subdivision of the duplex usually needs a larger lot again.
Can I subdivide a duplex in Gosford or Wyong into two titles?
Only where each resulting lot meets the minimum size the LEP sets for subdividing a dual occupancy. Where it does not, strata subdivision is usually available and still creates two separately saleable lots.
Do I need a flood report for a duplex near Tuggerah Lakes?
If the lot is within the flood planning area you will. The report sets the minimum floor level, addresses flood-compatible construction and shows the development does not worsen flooding for neighbours. Chittaway Bay, Berkeley Vale, Long Jetty and parts of Woy Woy are commonly affected.
URBA prepares Statements of Environmental Effects, due diligence reports and subdivision planning for dual occupancies and small lot subdivisions across the Central Coast, and we coordinate the flood, bushfire and civil reports the LEP and DCP call for. Our Central Coast town planning page explains how we work with council, or you can request a fee proposal for your site.