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
Western Sydney
- 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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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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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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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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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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SEE for a dual occupancy: the sections councils read first
Which sections of a dual occupancy Statement of Environmental Effects Sydney council planners read first, and what each must contain to avoid an RFI.
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Why Western Sydney DAs get RFIs or refusals, and how a SEE avoids them
The most common reasons Western Sydney councils issue requests for information or refuse residential DAs, and how a well-prepared SEE heads them off.
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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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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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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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