Low and Mid Rise Housing Policy

Stage 2 of the NSW Government’s Low and Mid-Rise Housing Policy commenced on 28 February 2025 as an amendment to the State Environmental Planning Policy (Housing) 2021 (Housing SEPP).

The policy introduces new planning controls to allow dual occupancies, terraces, town houses and low- and mid-rise apartments in the low and mid rise housing areas:

Within the Strathfield Local Government Area, the low and mid-rise housing areas are:

  • Flemington – land within 800m walking distance of Flemington Station
  • Homebush – land within 800m walking distance of Homebush Station, outside of the Homebush TOD Precinct (southern side of the railway line)
  • Western side of The Boulevarde, between Margaret Street and Albyn Road (as a result on being within 800m walking distance from the Burwood Town Centre)

View the low and mid rise housing areas for the Strathfield LGA here: LMR Viewer

Note: This is an indicative map and is a guide only. You should contact Council for confirmation as to whether your property is within the low and mid rise housing area.

Excluded Land

Although your property may be within a low and mid-rise housing area, the policy excludes types of land, including

  • Land within 200m of a high pressure pipeline;
  • Land on which a heritage item is located
  • Land within the Homebush Transport Oriented Development (TOD) Area

A full list of exclusions is available here: Low and Mid-Rise Housing Policy exclusions | Planning

Properties within a Heritage Conservation Area (HCA) are not excluded from the planning controls for the low and mid rise housing areas, however in most cases development would need to preserve the dwelling and respond to the character of the HCA.

To confirm whether your property is affected by an exclusion or is within a Heritage Conservation Area (HCA), you are advised to purchase a planning certificate (Section 10.7 certificate: Section 10.7 Certificates Strathfield Council)  

Planning Controls for Low and Mid Rise Housing Areas

Chapter 6 - Low and Mid Rise Housing of the  State Environmental Planning Policy (Housing) 2021 - NSW Legislation mandates permissibility and introduces non-refusal standards for the following development.

Low-and-Mid-Rise-housing-types.png

Where the Housing SEPP is silent, the provisions of Council’s Development Control Plan (DCP) apply. For example, the Housing SEPP does not include standards for setbacks so a proposal will need to comply with the requirements of Council’s DCP.

In designing a development, consideration must also be given to the Tree Canopy Guide for Low and Mid Rise Housing, published by the Department in February 2025: Tree-Canopy-Guide-for-Low-and-Mid-Rise-Housing-February-2025.pdf(PDF, 3MB)

Measuring walking distance

When development applications are made, they need to demonstrate that the site is within 800 metres walking distance from the nearest edge of a town centre or the entrance to one of the stations.

For development applications for residential flat building development and shop top housing, they will also need to demonstrate if they are within the inner (within 400m) or outer (400m – 800m) area.

Walking distance will be checked and measured using google maps from the nearest station entrance or the nearest edge of the town centre along a publicly accessible walking route. 

I want to lodge a Development Application?

Prior to lodging a Development Application (DA) for development identified within the low and mid-rise housing area, including dual occupancy developments, applicants are urged to discuss their proposal with Council’s assessment team.

Council offers a pre-lodgement meeting service – this is a way to get early feedback on your development application before you formally lodge it. This helps to identify and resolve issues before you lodge an application. This can reduce delays when your application is assessed and may save you money. You are strongly urged to book a pre-lodgement meeting for any dual occupancy development proposal.

More information on the pre-lodgement process is available here: Development Applications Strathfield Council

Frequently asked questions – Low and Mid-Rise Housing Policy

Where can I find more information?

More information, including FAQs can be found here: Frequently asked questions – Low and Mid-Rise Housing Policy | Planning

 

Are residential flat (apartment) buildings permitted in the R2 Low Density Residential zone?

Yes – a residential flat building is permitted in the R2 zone in low and mid-rise housing area, subject to complying with the following standards:

  • 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

 

Are residential flat (apartment) buildings permitted in the R3 Medium Density Residential zone?

Yes - a residential flat building is permitted in the R3 zone in low and mid-rise housing area, subject to complying with the following standards:

Low and mid rise housing inner area (within 400m)

Low and mid rise housing outer area
  • Floor space ratio: max 2.2:1
  • Height of building: max 22m
  • Storeys: max 6
  • No minimum lot size or width (LEP provisions switched off)

 
  • Floor space ratio: max 1.5:1
  • Height of building: max 17.5m
  • Storeys: max 4
  • No minimum lot size or width (LEP provisions switched off)

 

 

How is the low and mid rise housing inner and outer area defined?

  • The low and mid rise housing inner area means land within 400m walking distance from the nearest edge of an identified town centre or the entrance to one of the stations.
  • The low and mid rise housing outer area means land between 400m and 800m walking distance from the nearest edge of an identified town centre or the entrance to one of the stations.

 

For general enquiries related to the low and mid rise housing reforms you can visit Council’s Customer Service Centre during business hours and speak to the Duty Planner.

 

 

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