The NSW Government is committed to supporting a choice of well-designed and sustainable homes in well-located areas within walking distance of shops, services and frequent public transport.
Find out more information about the policy in the frequently asked questions.
Low rise housing refers to dual occupancies, multi-dwelling housing (townhouses and terraces) and low rise apartment buildings (including manor houses). Low rise housing is generally no more than 1–2 storeys. It does not include freestanding single houses.
Mid-rise housing refers to apartment buildings (residential flat buildings) and shop-top housing that are generally between 3 and 6 storeys. Shop-top housing is a building that has shops or businesses on the ground floor and apartments on the floors above.
We need more low and mid-rise housing to fill the gap between freestanding homes and high-rise apartment buildings, so that everyone can have a choice in the type of homes they live in. The Low and Mid-Rise Housing Policy will create more capacity and allow a greater variety of homes to be built in well-located and well-serviced areas across Sydney, Central Coast, Illawarra and Hunter regions.
The policy has been implemented over 2 stages:
- Stage 1: dual occupancies and semi-detached homes permitted in all R2 low density residential zones across NSW.
- Stage 2: dual occupancies, multi dwelling housing and residential flat buildings permitted and new development standards introduced within low and mid-rise housing areas across Sydney, Central Coast, Illawarra and Hunter regions.
The policy does not apply to land affected by certain hazards or constraints (see ‘What land is excluded from the policy?’ and our policy exclusions page).
A list of different zones and their objectives is available at NSW legislation.
Semi-detached homes (or ‘semi-detached dwellings’), are side-by-side dual occupancies that have been subdivided down the middle, so each house sits on its own lot. They are often known as semis.
The NSW Government launched the Good design for housing map to show good examples of low and mid rise housing already in our neighbourhoods.
Fraternal Twins is a good example of well-designed semi-detached homes.
These homes are important to help deliver the housing our communities need. They provide the opportunity for families who live on larger lots to split their property in half to provide a new home for their children, older family members or someone else looking for a house.
Dual occupancies and semi-detached homes are popular types of homes for young families and downsizers.
Terraces and townhouses are forms of ‘multi-dwelling housing’. Multi-dwelling housing is a planning term used to described developments that have 3 or more dwellings on a single lot with each dwelling having access at ground level. They include rows of terraces and townhouses, but do not include apartment buildings. They are typically 1 or 2-storeys with each dwelling having a small front and back yard with setbacks to the neighbours.
The Low and Mid-Rise Housing Policy allows apartment buildings (known technically as ‘residential flat buildings’) up to 6 storeys in R3 and R4 residential zones in low and mid-rise housing areas. A residential flat building contains 3 or more apartments and is 2 or more storeys. At least one of the apartments must not have direct access at the ground level for it to be considered a residential flat building. It does not include other residential buildings such as co-living housing or multi-dwelling housing. Residential flat buildings are commonly referred to as apartment buildings or flats.
The policy also introduces non-discretionary standards for shop top housing, allowing them up to 6 storeys in R3 and R4 zones in low and mid-rise housing areas (however, they must already be permitted by the local council in the zone). Shop-top housing is one or more apartments located on the levels above ground floor commercial premises or health services facilities. They provide residential neighbourhoods with easy access to supermarkets, cafes, and other important services.
Stage 1 of the policy started on 1 July 2024 and Stage 2 started on 28 February 2025. The policy is included in Chapter 6 of the State Environmental Planning Planning Policy (Housing) 2021.
Low and mid-rise housing areas are the areas where most of the Low and Mid-Rise Policy applies. They are residential zones that are within 800 metres walking distance from town centres and train and light rail stations.
These areas are walkable to frequent public transport, supermarkets, shops, services and amenities. Research shows that the average ‘walkable distance’ is around 10 minutes’ or 800 metres.
View indicative maps of the low and mid-rise housing areas or learn more about our site selection process.
All town centres and stations across Sydney, Central Coast, Illawarra and Hunter regions were assessed. A set of criteria was developed based on evidence and public feedback to identify suitable areas.
The assessment considered:
- Goods and services in the area.
- Public transport service frequencies.
- Travel times to public transport.
- Infrastructure capacity.
- Hazards and constraints.
- Housing targets for the Local Government Area.
- Development feasibility.
- Amount of residential land in the area.
Stations included heavy rail (train), metro and light rail stations/stops.
The low and mid-rise housing areas are located around town centres and stations across Sydney, Central Coast, Illawarra and Hunter regions. They are 800 metres walking catchments around a town centre or a station public entrance.
View the list of sites chosen or an indicative map of the local low and mid-rise housing areas.
The Department has created an interactive map to help people understand what areas the policy applies to. The map is indicative only and we recommend for people to do further checks to understand if their property is within the policy area.
We need more low and mid-rise housing to fill the gap between freestanding homes and high-rise apartment buildings. The Low and Mid-Rise Housing Policy is designed to encourage a variety of homes that match the character of our neighbourhoods.
For homeowners in low and mid-rise housing areas, you now have the option to look at developing your land to create a home for yourself and separate homes for loved ones or others looking to buy a home. Development applications can be lodged on the NSW Planning Portal for areas where the Low and Mid-Rise Housing Policy applies.
For people renting, the owner of the property may choose to develop the land for low or mid-rise housing.
While this will lead to some short-term disruption for residents, housing created under this policy will lead to more housing choice, affordability and the option for people to live where they love.
Most developments where the Low and Mid-Rise Housing Policy applies will continue be local development applications assessed by the relevant council.
For more information on lodging a development application, visit the NSW Planning Portal.
The interactive map provides indicative walking distance catchments.
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.
Walking distance will be measured from the nearest station entrance or the nearest edge of the town centre along a publicly accessible walking route. This is similar to the walking distance requirements of the Housing SEPP.
The Low and Mid-Rise Housing Policy does not apply to the mapped Transport Oriented Development areas. This will help avoid similar policy settings applying to the same land. You can use the NSW Planning Portal Spatial Viewer to determine the excluded Transport Oriented Development areas.
The new policy will not apply to certain sensitive areas. These include:
- high-risk land, including bushfire- and flood-prone land and land identified as coastal wetlands, littoral rainforest or a coastal vulnerability area
- land located close to dangerous goods pipelines and aircraft noise
- land in a Transport Oriented Development area, as defined under chapter 5 of the State Environmental Planning Policy (Housing) 2021
- land that constitutes or contains a heritage item
- the Hawkesbury, Blue Mountains and Wollondilly local government areas – there are high-risk hazards that impact these local government areas, including bushfire, flooding and limited evacuation routes
- the Bathurst local government area – there is no suitable R2 land
- land in proximity of Botany Industrial Park (commencing from stage 2 only).
Visit Low and Mid-Rise Housing Policy exclusions for further details why these areas have been excluded and explains how you can find out if a property is affected.
In developing the policy, we engaged with a wide range of stakeholders including:
- councils
- government agencies such as Sydney Water and Transport for NSW
- developer peak bodies
- community groups
- industry groups.
An Explanation of Intended Effect was on public exhibition from 15 December 2023 to 23 February 2024. We received close to 8,000 submissions.
The submissions and work with stakeholders helped the department refine the policy.
Read more about how stakeholder feedback informed the policy’s development and the Submissions report.
The Low Rise Housing Diversity Code (LRHDC) provides a fast-track planning pathway (known as complying development) for dual occupancies, terraces and low rise apartments. This can be used instead of a development application to council. To use this pathway, the proposed development must be permitted in the zone and must comply with all the development standards in the LRHDC.
The Low and Mid-Rise Housing Policy allows dual occupancies, terraces (that is, multi dwelling housing) and low rise apartments in more places. This means the complying development pathway becomes available for these developments in these newly permitted areas. To use the complying development pathway, proposed developments will still need to comply with the current development standards in the LRHDC.
In council areas where dual occupancies have been newly permitted under the Low and Mid-Rise Housing Policy, the complying development pathway will become available in mid-2025.
This applies in the R2 zones in 13 local government areas:
- Albury
- Ballina
- Cowra
- Hornsby
- Inner West
- Ku-ring-gai
- Lismore
- Liverpool
- Mosman
- Murray River
- Northern Beaches (Warringah Local Environmental Plan)
- Strathfield
- Tamworth.
These councils are looking to set appropriate development standards for dual occupancies before mid-2025.
Stage 1 has also been amended to allow semi-detached dwellings in the R2 zone in 31 local government areas across NSW.
The new Tree Canopy Guide applies to low and mid-rise housing in areas where the planning controls apply. The guide covers tree canopy, deep soil, and tree planting rates to deliver greener outcomes. Read the Tree Canopy Guide for Low and Mid-Rise Housing.
The Housing SEPP outlines bonus provisions allowing additional floor space and building heights for in-fill residential development that provides dedicated affordable housing. Built form bonuses of up to 30% are available for developments that provides at least 10% affordable housing, based on a proportion of affordable dwellings being provided.
The existing in-fill affordable housing bonus provisions will continue to apply to land where the Low and Mid-Rise Housing Policy applies. This means the bonus provisions will apply on top of the non-discretionary standards. This is to encourage affordable housing to be delivered in the local low and mid-rise housing areas.
The Low and Mid-Rise Housing Policy sets out non-discretionary development standards, also known as non-refusal standards, to provide clear standards for assessing development applications such as building heights, floor space ratio or lot size (see the Summary of key provisions). The non-discretionary standards can overrule local environmental plan (LEP) or development control plan (DCP) standards.
The non-discretionary standards in the Low and Mid-Rise Housing Policy apply when they are more generous than those in the LEP or DCP. For instance, where the Housing Supply SEPP permits a taller building than the LEP, the Housing Supply SEPP building height would apply. However, if an LEP permits a taller building than the Housing Supply SEPP, the LEP height would apply.
If the proposed development complies with the non-discretionary standard, a consent authority cannot refuse the application because it does not meet the equivalent LEP or DCP standard.
All other applicable planning controls, such as in state environmental planning policies (SEPPs), Local Environment Plans (LEPs) and Development Control Plans (DCPs) continue to apply and operate as normal.
One of the main benefits of more housing near stations and town centres, is that more people can live within walking distance of the places they need to go. This means there will be less need to drive and less sitting in congestion.
In setting car parking standards, we have struck a balance between providing enough parking and delivering new, well-designed housing supply.
Councils will continue to assess traffic and parking matters. Different minimum car parking rates and standards will apply to ensure sufficient onsite car parking is provided.
The following documents may be useful:
- Low-Rise Housing Diversity Design Guide for development applications 2020 (PDF, 16.4 MB)
- Low-Rise Housing Diversity Design Guide for complying development applications 2020 (PDF, 14.3 MB)
- Apartment Design Guide (PDF, 20.8 MB)
- Greener Neighbourhoods Guide 2021 (PDF, 11.3 MB)
- Planning for Bush Fire Protection 2019
- Transport Oriented Development Program (PDF, 2.3 MB)
