Amendments to the Residential Design Codes in relation to Multiple Dwellings

Amendment to State Planning Policy 3.1 – Residential Design Codes: Multiple dwellings, parking and other incidental changes.

As of the 23 October 2015, land zoned R30/35 and being developed for multiple dwellings (apartments) will require a minimum lot size.  The average site areas include 300m2 for R30 and 260m2 for R35.

Previously a development only needed to consider plot ratio. For instance, R30 meant the half or 0.5 of the site can be developed for the units and for R35, 0.6 or 60% of the site can be developed for the units.  So in some cases, a property zoned R30 with a land area of 1012m2 can potentially could be developed into 9 units.  

It is proposed that R30/35 zoned land required a minimum site area irrespective of the development type (multiple, grouped or single houses).  So for a 1012m2 would only allow for 3 units (multiple, grouped or single houses)

Therefore Part 6 and Table 4 of the Codes which looks at Multiple dwellings (apartments) relates to R40 and above. Whilst Part 5 and Table 1 of the Codes relates to multiple dwellings in areas coded less than R40.

The changes become operational on Friday 23 October 2015, providing local government and developers with a three-month transition period.  

More changes can be viewed at http://www.planning.wa.gov.au/Residential-design-codes.asp

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