Owners of properties with narrow plots never thought their plots would be suitable for development, but would benefit from new state planning laws to process approval of medium-density housing in a fast-track process.
Under the new guidelines for mid-density housing announced last week, dual villas, townhouses and manor villas can be approved in as little as 20 days without the need to develop application procedures.
The new law also stipulates that the existing land needs only 12 meters wide to build double-pitched villas, replacing the existing city council's requirement of at least 15 to 20 metres on the street.
Much of Sydney's urban homes will be affected by new regulations designed to address housing affordability.
With these reforms, tens of thousands of shanty huts could be flattened and converted into double-pitched villas. Sydney owners will make a huge profit by selling their property to developers.
In one area of Sydney, the new state has the strictest rules on the construction of double-pitched villas, which is the Ryde City Council district. There, there are at least 20 meters across the street to build double-pitched villas, but the rule will be lifted.
Roy Maggio, an independent member of the Ryde, said an increase in population density in neighbouring areas would "undermine the comfort of normal urban housing."
"Planning regulation is crazy," he said. Australia's backyard is becoming a medium-density slum. "
"this will allow more people to live in the area, more cars and more traffic jams."
The new rules will allow thousands of homes to be converted into double-pitched villas. Graph: Mark Merton
Noel Plumb, a spokesman for the Ryde Community Alliance, said the changes would turn every owner into a developer. This is attractive to those who want to make a profit, but completely destroys the planning guidelines that have been developed for decades.
"in fact, any development and development control plans and any local environmental plans aimed at preserving the cultural heritage and style of a particular region have been overthrown."
However, Max Fragar, Fragar's chief planning and development adviser, said the new rules would allow thousands of additional homes to be converted into dual-purpose villas, a sensible change to outdated regulations and an increase in the supply of affordable housing.
He pointed out that some city council officials had to keep the smallest land area standards in the past, and that the new legislation would help them understand some common sense.
While the changes apply only to eligible developments, Fragar said the new rules could allow developers to push ahead with planning restrictions by presenting claims that local standards are out of line with national standards.
Dennis Vertzayias, McGrath Projects's deputy director, said a property suitable for a duplex house, also known as a double-style villa, would be worth about 20 percent more than a property that could not build a double-pitched villa. Other experts said the price of land suitable for the construction of Shuangpin villa is 10% to 30% higher than the average plot.
That means prices in Sydney, once considered too narrow to develop, could rise by nearly $2400m.
While the changes are expected to make development sites suitable for compound homes more expensive, Vertzayias said changing planning guidelines would be very beneficial to Sydney's housing shortage.
"obviously developers have some advantages, but at the same time, average owners now have the flexibility to make use of their plots and possibly build a new house for themselves and rent the property next to them in return."
In the new state, the development approval process takes an average of 71 days, but Vertzayias says it can take more than a year for a project to be approved.
"there is no doubt that if the process is more efficient and, of course, more time-saving, it will certainly attract more people," he said.
The plot still needs to comply with the city council's minimum area for double-pitched villas, usually 500 or 600 square meters. However, if there is no minimum area requirement for local environmental plans in the city council, only 400 square meters will be required.
New state planning and housing secretary Anthony Roberts said medium-density housing "allows older people to move to small houses in large houses, while also providing more affordable options for young people."
What kind of property can be re-developed into Shuangpin villa?
The new guidelines apply to the planning areas of R1, R2, R3 and RU5 in the new state, and most of Sydney's land falls within these planning areas. The design of the house must also conform to the relevant design standards in the medium density Design Guide.
If meet certain standards, now can be approved and developed Shuangpin villa.
The plot must be at least 400 square meters, or meet the minimum size requirements of the City Council, whichever is greater.
The plot must be at least 12 metres wide. When a house is above another, the plot must be at least 15 metres wide.
The building must have at least 0.9 m lateral backshift distance. Larger backshift distances apply to parcels more than 24 meters wide.
Each house must be at least 5 meters wide and not more than 8.5 meters tall.
Each house must face a public road and must not be behind another, unless it is on a corner plot.
Each house must have at least one street parking space.
The compound residence must conform to the land use of the local environmental plan of the city council.
What kind of property can be redeveloped into a townhouse?
Under the new code, townhouses are defined as three or more separate homes built side by side on a plot, each facing the streets.
The plot must be at least 600 square meters, or meet the minimum area requirements of the City Council, whichever is greater.
The plot must be at least 18 metres wide.
The building must have at least 1.5 meters of lateral backshift distance.
Each house must face a public road, not behind another.
Each house must be at least 6 meters wide and not more than 9 meters tall.
Each house must have at least one street parking space.
Ancillary dwellings must be in line with the land use of the council's local environmental plan.
What kind of property can be redeveloped into a manor villa?
The manor villa is a two-story building with three to four homes under one eave, designed as a large double-decker house. According to the medium-density design guide, manor villas are best suited for corner areas or plots that can be accessed from the rear.
Each house can be subdivided and subdivided to allow independent property to effectively create a small apartment building.
The plot must be at least 600 square meters.
The plot must be at least 15 metres wide.
The side and back of the building must be at least 1.5 meters away.
Each house must have at least one street parking space and a security bicycle storage space.
Each house must have a minimum internal floor area:
- Single apartment-35 square meters;
- One room-50 square meters;
- Two rooms-70 square meters;
- Room three or above-90 square meters.
The manor house must conform to the land use of the city council's local environmental plan.
Source: new State Department of Planning and Environment
