---
tags: CDC,NSW,Code
---

# Low Rise Housing Diversity Design Guide - Section 1
for complying development July 2020

## Contents

**Section 1 Introduction**
1.1 About this Guide 2
1.2 How to use this Guide 4
1.3 Obtaining Approval 6
1.4 Design Principles 7
1.5 Examples of Low Rise Housing DIversity 10

**Section 2 Design Criteria**
2.1 Dual Occupancy (side by side) 33
2.2 Manor house and dual occupancy 53
(one above the other)
2.3 Terraces 73

**Section 3 Explanatory Guidance**
3.1 Design Principles and Design Criteria Relationship 93
3.2 Using this Section 94
      A Building Envelopes - Heights and Setbacks 96
      B Gross Floor Area 101
      C Landscaped Area 102
      D Local Character and Context 106
      E Public Domain Interface 110
      F Pedestrian and Vehicle Access 112
      G Orientation, Siting and Subdivision 114
      H Solar and Daylight Access 117
      I Natural Ventilation 119
      J Ceiling Height 121
      K Dwelling Size and Layout 123
      L Principle Private Open Spaces 125
      M Storage 127
      N Car and Bicycle Parking 129
      O Visual Privacy 131
      P Acoustic Privacy 135
      Q Noise and Pollution 137
      R Architectural Form and Roof Design 139
      S Visual Appearance and Articulation 141
      U Energy Efficiency 147
      V Water Management and Conservation 149
      W Waste Management 151
      X Universal Design 153
      Y Communal Areas and Open Space 155

**Section 4 Delivery**
4.1 Site Considerations 159
4.2 Pre-application Meetings 162
4.3 Complying Development 163

**Appendices**
Development Standards Checklist 171
Design Verification Statement 172
Design Criteria Consistency Template 175
Glossary 196
Image Reference List 199

## 1. Introduction

This Section provides an introduction to the guide, and how and when to use it.

It also contains the nine Design Principles that all development should respond to.

### 1.1 About this Guide
**What is low rise housing diversity housing?**

For the purposes of the Low Rise Housing Diversity Code (Housing Diversity Code) and this Low Rise Housing Diversity Design Guide (Housing Divsersity Design Guide), low rise housing diversity residential development means:

* Dual occupancies
* Manor houses and 'one above the other' dual occupancies - buildings of between 2-4 dwellings
* Multi dwelling housing (terraces)

It is development that contains two or more dwellings and is no more than two storeys in height.
The Code also allows the conversion of an existing house into a dual occupancy. The conversion will be required to comply with all the development standards a new development needs to meet.

| Type| Definition
| -- | -- |
| Dual occupancy | **dual occupancy (attached)** means 2 dwellings on one lot of land that are attached to each other, but does not include a secondary dwelling. **dual occupancy (detached)** means 2 detached dwellings on one lot of land, but does not include a secondary dwelling. |
| Manor House | A building containing 3 or 4 dwellings, where: <br>• Each dwelling is attached to another dwelling by a common wall or floor, and <br>• At least 1 dwelling is partially or wholly located above another dwelling, and <br>• The building contains no more than 2 storeys (excluding any basement).|
| Multi dwelling housing (terraces) | 3 or more dwellings on one lot of land where: <br>• Each dwelling as access at ground level <br>• No part of a dwelling is above any part of any other dwelling, and, <br>• dwellings face and generally follow the alignment of one or more public roads.

The subdivision of low rise housing diversity may also be carried out as complying development, if certain development standards in the Housing Diversity Code and Housing Diversity Design Guide are met.

Development under the Housing Diversity Code and the Housing Divsersity Design Guide does not include development on battle-axe lots or the creation of new battle-axe lots. Each new dual occupancy or terrace house must have a frontage to a public road.

Examples of this form of housing are provided at the end of this Section.

**What is the Housing Diversity Design Guide?**
The Housing Diversity Design Guide provides consistent planning and design standards for a diverse range of low rise residential dwellings across NSW.

**When does the Housing Diversity Design Guide apply?**
The Housing Diversity Design Guide is referenced in State Environmental Planning Policy (Exempt and Complying Development Codes) 2008 (Codes SEPP). The Housing Diversity Design Guide contains the Design Criteria that must be met in order to obtain a complying development certificate (CDC) under Part 3B Low Rise Housing Diversity Code.

**Aims of the Guide**
The Housing Diversity Design Guide is intended to help achieve better design and planning for low rise housing diversity, by providing the requirements for designing and assessing these developments as complying developments.

The Housing Diversity Design Guide aims to:

- Deliver better quality design for buildings that respond appropriately to the character of the area, landscape setting and surrounding built form;
- Improve the quality of neighbourhoods and precincts;
- Improve livability through optimal internal and external multi dwelling amenity, including better layout, dwelling depth and ceiling heights, solar access, natural ventilation and visual privacy;
- Deliver quality landscaping including tree planting for new developments;
- Deliver improved sustainability through better transport solutions, greater building adaptability and robustness, improved energy efficiency and water sensitive urban design;
- Improve the relationship of dwellings to the public domain including streets, lanes and parks;
- Deliver design guidance and assist in providing a diverse housing mix and choice; and
- Provide guidance to prepare an application for a CDC.

**Relationship to State Environmental Planning Policy (Exempt and Complying Development Codes) 2008**

The Codes SEPP contains the majority of exempt and complying development types and their development standards. The Low Rise Housing Diversity Code in Part 3B of the Codes SEPP contains the development standards for manor houses, multi dwelling housing (terraces) and dual occupancies.

Part 1 of the Codes SEPP contains the general requirements and specifies land on which complying development cannot be carried out.

Part 6 of the Codes SEPP contains development standards for subdivision.

Web content that explains complying development, land based exclusions and notification can be found on the Department's website.

**Relationship to other legislation**
Under the Low Rise Housing Diversity Code, the type of development must be permissible under the Council’s Local Environmental Plan (LEP) or the relevant Environmental Planning Instrument (EPI) that applies to the land.

It may be necessary to consider other legislation and regulations that apply to the development or the land including:
- Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 (EP&A Act)
- Environmental Planning and Assessment Regulation 2000 (EP&A Regulation)
- State Environmental Planning Policies
- Local Environmental Plan
- Roads Act 1993
- Swimming Pools Act 1992
- Conveyancing Act 1919
- Local Government Act 1993

**Strategic Context**
The future character of an area is determined by the local council and community through the regional or district plans, and LEPs. Low rise housing diversity is often an important component, providing housing diversity and affordability in areas that are in close proximity to existing and future centres and services.

**Relationship to development control plans and council policies**
The Design Criteria refers to the development control plan (DCP) or council policies for certain matters that apply to the land, such as stormwater and waste collection.

A DCP can also contain local strategic planning statements
that describe local character and will inform the content
of the Design Verification Statement and site analysis
required by the Design Criteria.


Figure 1-1 Diverse housing development in the spectrum of residential accommodation

### 1.2 How to use this Guide

**Who is the Housing Diversity Design Guide
intended for?**

The Low Rise Housing Diversity Design Guide has been
prepared to:
- assist developers, planners, urban designers,architects, building designers, landscape architects, builders and other professionals when designing diverse low rise dwellings and preparing a complying development proposal;
- assist planning professionals in local and state government with strategic planning and preparing local controls; and
- inform the community of what is required to achieve good design and planning practice for diverse low rise residential dwellings, as complying development.

**Structure of the Guide**

The Housing Diversity Design Guide has four Sections:

**Section 1 – Introduction**
An introduction to how and when to apply the Low Rise Housing Diversity Design Guide. It also sets out overarching design principles that enable good design for diverse low rise housing.

**Section 2 - Design Criteria**
This Section provides objectives and Design Criteria for each development type of low rise housing diversity.

- Section 2.1 - Dual occupancies (side by side)
- Section 2.2 - Manor houses and dual occupancies (one over the other)
- Section 2.3 - Multi dwelling housing (terraces)

The Design Criteria provide a straightforward means for development to comply with the objectives and overarching design principles.

To obtain a CDC, a proposed development must satisfy each of the Design Criteria for the relevant development type.

The format of Section 2 is explained in Figure 1-3.


Figure 1-2 Explanation of terms used in Section 2 of this guide

**Section 3 - Explanatory Guidance**

The explanatory guidance is provided to assist interpretation and assessment of proposals against the Design Criteria.

The explanatory guidance sets out the intent behind the Design Criteria and provides advice on achieving good design outcomes in diverse low rise housing development.

Designers will use this Section to provide clarification of the meaning of terms used in Section 2, provide approaches which might be used to achieve the Design Criteria and seek general advice on good design outcomes.

Councils can use this Section to help them establish precinct plans and principal controls for a locality.

The community can use this Section to better understand how the design of their development can achieve good design outcomes

The format of Section 3 is explained in Figure 1-4.

**Section 4 - Delivery**

This Section includes information to assist in the preparation and assessment of an application for a CDC.

**Appendices**
The appendices provide a template for the Design Verification Statement that must submitted with an application for a CDC and a glossary of commonly used
terms.

**Terms used in the Low Rise Housing Diversity Design Guide**
Only architectural terms used in the Housing Diversity Design Guide are defined in the appendix. Any other definitions have the same meaning as those within the EP&A Act, EP&A Regulation, Standard Instrument - Principal Local Environmental Plan and the Codes SEPP.


Figure 1-3 Explanation of terms used in Section 3 of this guide

### 1.3 Obtaining Approval

**Complying development assessment process**

Complying development is a fast track approval process for straightforward residential, commercial and industrial development. It combines the planning and building approval into one application. Providing the application meets specific criteria, it can be determined by an accredited council or private certifier without the need for a development application (DA).

Approval for development types covered by Part 3B of the Codes SEPP and the Low Rise Housing Diversity Design Guide can be obtained by applying for a CDC.

Guidance on preparing and assessing an application for a CDC can be found in Section 4.

The following diverse low rise housing development can be assessed as comlying development under the Low Rise Housing Diversity Code contained within Part 3B of the Codes SEPP:

- Dual occupancies (side by side),
- Manor houses and dual occupancies (one above the other), and
- Multi dwelling housing (terraces).

Development standards

The proposed development must comply with the development standards contained within Part 3B of the Codes SEPP.

Design Criteria
The Codes SEPP requires that the proposed development satisfies the relevant Design Criteria contained in Section 2 of the Housing Diversity Design Guide.

Submission requirements for complying developments are set within Schedule 1 of the EP&A Regulation.

The EP&A Regulation requires that an architect or an
accredited building designer has designed or immediately
directed the design of the development. A prepared
Design Verification Statement is required to illustrate how
the Design Criteria in Section 2 of the Housing Diversity
Design Guide has been achieved.


Figure 1-4 Streetscape of Low Rise Housing Diversity Code Development

### 1.4 Design Principles

New development has the potential to transform quality of life for people, stimulate the economy and enhance the environment. The design of the built environment shapes the places we live, work and meet. The quality of design affects how spaces and places function, how they integrate, what they contribute to the broader environment, and the users, inhabitants and audiences they support or attract.

Good design is integral to creating sustainable and liveable communities. As a core planning principle, planners, designers and decision makers should always seek to achieve high quality design outcomes. Achieving good design is about creating places and buildings that respond in a creative and practical way to enhance the function and identity of a place.

The following Design Principles underpin the objectives in Section 2 of the Low Rise Housing Diversity Design Guide. These Design Principles are a recognised means of assessing design quality and ensure the development carried out under this guide can be healthy, responsive,integrated, equitable and resilient.

#### Principle 1 - Context and neighbourhood character

Good design responds and contributes to its context. Context includes the key natural and built features of an area, their relationship and the character they create when combined. It also includes social, economic, health and environmental conditions.

Responding to context involves identifying the desirable elements of an area’s existing or future character. Well-designed buildings respond to and enhance the qualities and identity of the area including the adjacent sites, streetscape and neighbourhood.

Consideration of local context is important for all sites, including established areas and those undergoing or identified for change.

#### Principle 2 - Built form and scale

Good design achieves a scale, bulk and height appropriate to the existing or desired future character of the street and surrounding buildings.

Good design also achieves appropriate built form for a site and the building purpose in regard to building alignments, proportions, building type, articulation and the manipulation of building elements. The space between buildings should be of a scale and character that is defined and appropriate for the purpose.

Appropriate built form defines the public domain, contributes to the character of streetscapes and parks, including their views and vistas, and provides internal amenity and outlook.

#### Principle 3 - Density

Good design achieves a high level of amenity for residents and each dwelling, resulting in a density appropriate to the site and context.

Appropriate densities are consistent with the area’s existing or projected population. Appropriate densities can be sustained by existing or proposed infrastructure, public transport, access to jobs, community facilities and the environment.

#### Principle 5 - Landscape
Good design recognises that landscape and buildings operate as an integrated and sustainable system, resulting in attractive developments with good amenity. A positive image and contextual fit of well-designed developments is achieved by contributing to the landscape character of the streetscape and neighbourhood.

Good landscape design enhances a development’s environmental performance by retaining positive natural features which contribute to the local context, coordinating water and soil management, solar access, micro-climate, tree canopy, habitat values and preserving green networks.

It optimises usability, privacy and opportunities for social interaction, equitable access, respect for neighbours’ amenity and provides for practical establishment and long term management.

#### Principle 6 - Amenity
Good design positively influences internal and external amenity for residents and neighbours. Achieving good amenity contributes to positive living environments and resident wellbeing.

Good amenity combines appropriate room dimensions access to sunlight, natural ventilation, outlook, visual and acoustic privacy, storage, indoor and outdoor space, efficient layouts and service areas and ease of access for all age groups and degrees of mobility.

#### Principle 7 - Safety
Good design optimises safety and security within the development and the public domain. It provides for quality public and private spaces that are clearly defined and fit for the intended purpose. Opportunities to maximise passive surveillance of public and communal areas promotes safety.

A positive relationship between public and private spaces is achieved through clearly defined secure access points, well-lit and visible areas that are easily maintained and appropriate to the location and purpose.

#### Principle 8 - Housing diversity and social interaction
Good design achieves a mix of dwelling sizes, providing housing choice for different demographics, lifestyles and household budgets.

Well-designed developments respond to social context by providing housing and facilities to suit the existing and future social mix.

Good design involves practical and flexible features, including different types of communal open space for a broad demographic range and provide opportunities for social interaction.

It allows for dwellings to be adaptable to facilitate people living in a dwelling through different stages of life by accommodating various household types.

#### Principle 9 - Aesthetics

Good design achieves a built form which exhibits good proportions and a balanced composition of elements, reflecting the internal layout and structure. It uses a variety of materials, colours and textures.

The visual appearance of a well-designed development responds to the existing or future local context, particularly desirable elements and repetitions of the streetscape.

### 1.5 Examples of Low Rise Housing Diversity

#### Dual Occupancy - Side by Side (detached)

Detached dual occupancies consist of two dwellings on one lot. They are usually characterised by two dwellings located on a corner lot arranged in a linear order, with one dwelling facing the primary road and the second dwelling facing the secondary road.

Appropriate care needs to be taken to reduce tree canopy loss in the garden, and manage privacy and overshadowing impacts.

**Context and subdivision**

This building type is best used when:

This building type is best suited to narrow and long lots with a minimum width of 18 metres or corner lots, where one dwelling faces the secondary road, with a minimum width of 15 metres.

This type of development is most commonly carried out as Torrens title subdivision. However, this development type can be carried out as strata title subdivision when individual lots do not meet the minimum lot size requirement under the relevant LEP.


Figure 1-5 Example of a dual occupancy with two detached dwellings


Figure 1-6 Example plan of a dual occupancy with two detached dwellings

#### Dual Occupancy - Two Dwellings Side by Side (attached)

Side by side attached dual occupancies consist of two dwellings on one lot. They are characterised by two dwellings sharing a common wall in a semi-detached configuration. Both dwellings are arranged to face the primary street frontage. Dwellings can be single or double storey.

Side by side attached dual occupancies tend to have limited impact on the streetscape and surrounds as the scale of the development is consistent with that of a large dwelling house.

This typology of housing maintains a suburban pattern of a front setback and large rear yard which is popular in suburban settings where the lot sizes are wider and deeper.

Dwellings tend to be symmetrical in both layout and architectural form, however, occasionally architectural expression can vary between dwellings to add individuality.

Basement parking can be provided but is rare except on steep terrain.

**Context and subdivision**
- The building type is best suited to lots with a minimum width of at least 15 metres.
- This building type is most commonly carried out as Torrens title subdivision due to the small scale nature of this development. However, it can be carried out as strata title subdivision when individual lots do not meet the minimum lot size requirement under the relevant LEP.
- This form of low rise housing diversity is ideal for infill development.
- The minimum lot width is highly dependent on vehicle access. Where garages can be located on a rear lane, lot widths can be minimum of 12 metres.
- Where garages can only be located at the front of a lot, the lot width must be a minimum of 15 metres. For double car garages, the minimum lot width increases to 25 metres.

Figure 1-7 Example of a dual occupancy - two dwellings side by side (attached)


Figure 1-8 Sample plan of a dual occupancy - two dwellings side by side (attached)^015


Figure 1-9 Sample plan adapting an existing dwelling into a dual occupancy side by side (attached)

#### Terrace Houses - Car Parking to Primary Road

Terrace houses with front access to a primary road typically consist of two storey houses in a traditional terrace style, formed in a row.

Car parking for this building type is from the primary road frontage. A pattern of driveways, gardens and entry paths form the streetscape.

In order to achieve an effective internal layout including garaging, the widths of each dwelling normally needs to be 7.5 metres. If each individual lot meets the minimum lot size, the development can be subdivided into Torrens title lots.

Typically, each dwelling is orientated front to back, with private open space arranged at the rear of the property. This achieves good visual privacy outcomes between dwellings and minimises privacy issues to adjoining
neighbouring properties.

The use of courtyards can provide solar access and natural daylight into the middle of the dwelling.

**Context and subdivision**
- This building type can be accommodated in areas where there is a higher level of housing density to blend with the existing streetscape or in urban infill areas.
- This building type is best suited to wide shallow lots and amalgamated sites which on deep lots will result in larger rear gardens and more generous courtyards.
- This building type is most commonly carried out as Torrens title subdivision and can be carried out as Strata subdivision when individual lots do not meet the minimum lot size requirements.


Figure 1-10 Example of terrace house with car parking fronting a primary road


Figure 1-11 Sample plan of terraces with car parking at rear but accessed from the primary road frontage


Figure 1-12 Sample plan of terraces with car parking fronting a primary road

#### Terrace Houses - Rear Lane Access

Terrace houses with rear lane access typically consist of two storey dwellings in a traditional terrace style, formed in a row.

Car parking for this building type is provided from the rear lane with access to rear garages. By removing car parking from the front streetscape a more aesthetically pleasing repetitive pattern of terrace houses with front gardens and entry paths form the streetscape.

Each dwelling is orientated front to back, with private open space typically arranged at the rear of the property.This achieves good visual privacy outcomes between dwellings and minimises privacy issues to adjoining
neighbouring properties.

The use of courtyards can also provide solar access and natural daylight into the middle of the dwelling.

**Context and subdivision**
- This building type can be accommodated in areas where there is a higher level of housing density to blend with the existing streetscape, in urban infill areas or in new subdivisions where laneway access can be designed.
- This building type is best suited to wide shallow lots or amalgamated sites.
- This building type is most commonly carried out as Torrents title subdivision and can be carried out as Strata title subdivision when individual lots do not meet minimum lot size requirements.


Figure 1-13 Example of terraces with parking at rear


Figure 1-14 Sample plan of terraces with car parking accessed from rear lane


Figure 1-15 Sample detail plan of terraces car parking accessed from rear lane

#### Terrace Houses - Basement Car Parking

Terrace houses with basement parking typically consist of a row of two storey dwellings in a traditional terrace style, formed in a row.

This building type provides car parking in a basement under the development, accessed off the street. Direct access from the garage is provided to the dwelling. By removing car parking from the front streetscape to the basement, a more aesthetically pleasing repetitive pattern of terrace houses with front gardens and entry paths form the streetscape.

This is ideal where there is no rear lane access and areas with sloping terrain where the car park entrance can be located at the lowest point on the lot.

Each dwelling is orientated front to back, with private open space typically arranged at the rear of the property. This achieves good visual privacy outcomes between dwellings and minimises privacy issues to adjoining neighbouring properties.

**Context and subdivision**
- This building type is best suited to wide shallow lots or amalgamated sites.
- This building type can be accommodated in areas where there is a higher level of housing density to blend with the existing streetscape or in urban infill areas.
- This building type may typically be more expensive to construct but achieves some of the best streetscape and landscaping outcomes.
- This building type is popular in high property value areas, where the costs of basement construction can be offset by higher dwelling prices.
- This building type is most commonly carried out as strata title subdivision due to the use of common access and circulation through basement car parking. However, if basement car parking aligns with the above dwellings, Torrens title subdivision is possible with the use of easements in smaller developments.


Figure 1-16 Terraces with basement parking reduces the impact of multiple driveways on the streetscape


Figure 1-17 Sample plan of terraces with basement car parking

#### Manor House

This form of development contains three or four dwellings in a two storey building. Historically, this building type contains two dwellings on the ground floor and two located directly above.

Manor houses often have a common entry, however, the entry to the ground floor and upper level apartments may also be separate.

This form of dwelling is useful to provide a more affordable housing type within a low and medium density context. The level floor plates also provide good accessibility for seniors or persons with a disability.

To reduce the impact on the streetscape and surrounds, the scale of a manor house is designed to be similar to an oversized double storey dwelling house.

Private open space can be obtained by the use of balconies and communal private open space in the rear of the development.

**Context and subdivision**
- This building type is best suited to corner lots or lots with rear lane access to accommodate garages and car parking.
- This building type is carried out as strata title subdivision, with a common entry and internal hallway.
- Typically a lot width of 15 metres is required to achieve setback requirements and sufficient space for car parking.


Figure 1-18 Example of manor house on a corner lot


Figure 1-19 Sample plan of manor house with three dwellings on a corner lot


Figure 1-20 Sample plan of manor house with four dwellings and parking accessed from the rear laneway or street


Figure 1-21 Sample plan of manor house with four dwellings on corner site


Figure 1-22 Sample plan of manor house with three dwellings and basement parking