The Low and Mid-Rise Housing Policy is about creating more housing choice for people at different stages of life. We need more low and mid-rise housing to fill the gap between freestanding homes and high-rise apartment buildings, so that everyone can have a choice in the type of homes they live in.
Low and mid-rise housing areas are residential zoned land within 800 metres walking distance from a mapped town centre or the entrance of a nominated train, metro or light rail station. Within the low and mid-rise housing areas, this policy mandates permissibility and introduces non-discretionary development standards. Together, these are designed to provide an overall uplift in development potential, encouraging building of the types of housing outlined below.
Various lands are excluded from the policy such as bushfire prone land and certain flood prone lands. Visit Low and Mid-Rise Housing Policy exclusions for the complete list of excluded lands.
Summary of key provisions in State Environmental Planning Policy (Housing) 2021
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Dual occupancies -
Multi-dwelling housing -
Multi-dwelling housing (terraces) -
Residential flat buildings -
Shop-top housing
2 dwellings on one lot
Permissibility changes
Permit in R2 zones
Applies state-wide – not only within low and mid-rise housing areas
New non-discretionary development standards
In R1, R2, R3 and R4 zones:
- Lot size: min 450 m2
- Lot width: min 12 m
- Floor space ratio: max 0.65:1
- Height of building: max 9.5 m
- Car parking: 1 space per dwelling
- Subdivision (R1, R2, R3 only): min 225 m2 per lot / 6 m width per lot
+3 dwellings on 1 lot
Permissibility changes
Permit in R2 zones
Already permitted in R1 and R3 zones per Standard Instrument
New non-discretionary development standards
In R1, R2, R3 and R4 zones:
- Lot size: min 600 m2
- Lot width: min 12 m
- Floor space ratio: max 0.7:1
- Height of building: max 9.5 m
- Car parking: 1 space per dwelling
+3 terraces on 1 lot
Permissibility changes
Permit in R2 zones
Already permitted in R1 and R3 zones per Standard Instrument
New non-discretionary development standards
In R1, R2, R3 and R4 zones:
- Lot size: min 500 m2
- Lot width: min 18 m
- Floor space ratio: max 0.7:1
- Height of building: max 9.5 m
- Car parking: 0.5 space per dwelling
- Subdivision (R1, R2, R3 only): min 165 m2 per lot / 6 m width per lot
+3 apartments in +2 storey building
Permissibility changes
Permit in R2 and R3 zones
Already permitted in R1 and R4 zones per Standard Instrument
New non-discretionary development standards
In R1 and R2 zones:
- Lot size: min 500 m2
- Lot width: min 12 m
- Floor space ratio: max 0.8:1
- Height of building: max 9.5 m
- Car parking: 0.5 space per dwelling
In R3 and R4 zones:
0–400 m from station/centre
- Floor space ratio: max 2.2:1
- Height of building: max 22 m
- Storeys: max 6
- No minimum lot size or width (LEP provisions switched off)
400–800 m from station/centre
- Floor space ratio: max 1.5:1
- Height of building: max 17.5 m
- Storeys: max 4
- No minimum lot size or width (LEP provisions switched off)
+1 apartments above ground floor shops
Permissibility changes
No change
New non-discretionary development standards
In R1 and R2 zones:
- Lot size: min 500 m2
- Lot width: min 12 m
- Floor space ratio: max 0.8:1
- Height of building: max 9.5 m
- Car parking: 0.5 space per dwelling
In R3 and R4 zones:
0–400 m from station/centre
- Floor space ratio: max 2.2:1
- Height of building: max 24 m
- Storeys: max 6
- No minimum lot size or width (LEP provisions switched off)
400–800 m from station/centre
- Floor space ratio: max 1.5:1
- Height of building: max 17.5 m
- Storeys: max 4
- No minimum lot size or width (LEP provisions switched off)
A non-discretionary development standard, also known as a non-refusal standard, provides consistent development assessment guidelines for matters like building heights, floor space ratio or lot size. A non-discretionary standard can overrule a local environmental plan (LEP) or development control plan (DCP) standard. If the proposed development complies with the non-discretionary standard, a consent authority cannot refuse the application because it does not meet the LEP or DCP standard.
