PLANNING TROY LOVEDAY HIA NSW Assistant Director Residential Development & Planning NEW COMPLYING DEVELOPMENT CODES Two recent amendments made to complying development rules will make it easier and cheaper to build new houses in New South Wales later this year. Anew low-rise medium-density the medium-density design guide. containing four apartments. Manor homes housing code, intended for dual As with all types of complying have been allowed in the Sydney Region occupancies, terraces and manor development, any medium density Growth Centres for many years and have homes, and a new greenfield housing development must be permissible the appearance of a large home on a corner housing code will both commence on 6 July with consent under an environmental block. Under the code it will be possible to 2018. These codes will be incorporated intoplanning instrument (for example a local undertake the erection of or the alteration State Environmental Planning Policy (Exemptenvironmental plan (LEP)) on the land where a manor home. A minimum land size of and Complying Development Codes) 2008 the development is to be carried out. For an600sqm is required for a manor home (Codes SEPP). attached dual occupancy, the zoning must development and the building cannot exceed Both codes will have fundamental impact allow that type of development and the land8.5 metres in height. At least one car space in terms of changing the norm for housing must satisfy the minimum lot area for dual is required for each dwelling. Part 2.2 of approvals. Fully compliant development occupancies in the local environmental planthe design guide provides further guidance proposals can be approved within weeks applying to the development site. regarding the design of a manor house. rather than months, reducing costs to The code also permits manor homes A contemporary version of the terrace applicants associated with delays and which are two-storey residential flat buildingshouses is also permitted under the code. changes to their designs. HIA will be hosting workshops run by the Department of Planning and Environment to assist members in navigating their way towards using both codes before they commence. Low-Rise Medium-Density Design Guide The low-rise medium-density housing code will permit the construction of both attached and detached dual occupancies, manor houses, terraces and ancillary attached development. The code will also allow for subdivision of developments approved under the code provided the subdivision meets the prescribed standards set out in the code. In addition to satisfying the numerical standards of the code, applications for complying development certificates must also fully comply with all relevant parts of the medium-density design guide. The building designer must provide a statement verifying they designed (or directed the design of) the building and detailing how the design is consistent with P16 BUILDING NEWS ISSUE 3/2018