Reference Data · New South Wales
Camden DCP: the dwelling controls, as published.
7 controls for low-density residential — dwelling houses, taken from Camden Development Control Plan 2019 — Part 4: Residential Dwelling Controls (Section 4.2 Dwelling Houses). As at 2026-08-29.
NSW has no statewide dwelling setback or site-coverage standard. The LEP sets zone, height and FSR; the numbers that shape a build sit in each council's DCP — here, the 7 that Camden publishes numerically. Anything its DCP assesses on merit rather than a fixed number is absent from this table: not a zero, and not a permission.
Camden Council — published dwelling controls
| Control | Published value | Qualifier |
|---|---|---|
| Front setback | 4.5 m | Primary control is the prevailing/average setback of the two nearest dwellings on the same side of the street. Lot-size minimums from primary road: ≤900m² = 4.5m; >900m²–1,500m² = 6.5m; >1,500m² = 10m. A reduced 3.5m front setback applies where the lot fronts an access-denied street or open space (incl. battle-axe lots). Value recorded (4.5m) is the ≤900m² minimum. |
| Secondary street setback | 2 m | — |
| Side setback | 0.9 m | — |
| Rear setback | 4 m | — |
| Site coverage | 60% ≤450 m² → 50% | — |
| Landscaped area | 30% | — |
| Private open space | 24 m² | — |
Source: Camden Development Control Plan 2019 — Part 4: Residential Dwelling Controls (Section 4.2 Dwelling Houses). Clauses: 4.2.4 Setbacks (Table 4-2); 4.2.5 Height, Site Coverage and Siting (Table 4-3); 4.2.6 Landscaped Area; 4.2.7 Principal Private Open Space (Table 4-4). Open the source DCP.
Scope: R2 dwelling houses. These are the controls for R2, Camden’s low-density residential zone. Do not apply these figures to a dual occupancy, duplex, secondary dwelling or multi-dwelling housing development — those are assessed under different standards, which Feasibly has not codified.
What qualifies these Camden controls?
- Applies to dwelling houses in R1/R2/R3/R5/C4 zones (Part 4 §4.2 Dwelling Houses).
- Site coverage is per-storey: <450m² single storey ≤60%, two storey ≤50% ground / ≤35% upper; ≥450m² single storey ≤50%, two storey ≤50% ground / ≤30% upper. Recorded tiers use the single-storey maximum.
- Rear setback: single storey 4m; two-storey component 6m. Rear lane setback (min) 1m, reducible to 0.5m in stated cases.
- Front setback minimum varies by lot area (≤900m² 4.5m / >900–1,500m² 6.5m / >1,500m² 10m); 3.5m where lot fronts access-denied street or open space.
- PPOS varies by lot width, not lot area: lot width ≤10m ≥16m²; lot width >10m ≥24m² (recorded pos_min_sqm=24 is the standard >10m case). Direct sunlight must reach at least 50% of PPOS.
- Landscaped area: also min 40% of the front setback (measured from building line) must be landscaped; areas less than 1.5m wide excluded; synthetic/artificial grass excluded. Control is 'landscaped area' (deep-soil planting noted as an objective, not a separate numeric minimum).
- Height: max two storeys, consistent with Camden LEP 2010 (9.5m).
Wondering how this compares with asking an AI to read the scheme? We wrote that up here.
How reliable is this Camden DCP data?
These values were extracted from the source DCP and then independently checked against it — one of 29 of 93 councils on this site verified that way. This is a different and lower tier of confidence than our Victorian zone schedules, which are read and verified from the source planning scheme by a person. We do not present the two as equivalent.
A council's DCP can be amended at any time and this page reflects the document as at 2026-08-29. Where a control is absent above, the DCP either sets no number or assesses that parameter on merit.
This information is provided for research and preliminary screening only. It does not constitute professional planning, legal or architectural advice. Always verify with Camden Council before making decisions.
Camden planning controls — common questions
Do these Camden controls apply to a duplex or dual occupancy?
No. The figures on this page are Camden’s dwelling-house controls. A dual occupancy, duplex, secondary dwelling or multi-dwelling housing development is assessed under different standards — Feasibly has not codified those, so do not apply the numbers above to one.
Which zone do these Camden controls apply to?
R2 Low Density Residential — Camden’s low-density residential zone. Confirmed against the zones the Camden LEP actually contains. This page presents the low-density residential case; some DCP sections also cover other residential zones, and the source above names the zones it applies to.
What planning controls does Camden Council publish for dwellings?
Camden Council publishes 7 dwelling controls in Camden Development Control Plan 2019 — Part 4: Residential Dwelling Controls (Section 4.2 Dwelling Houses): front setback, secondary street setback, side setback, rear setback, site coverage, landscaped area, private open space. Each value and its clause reference is listed on this page, as at 2026-08-29.
Does NSW have a statewide dwelling setback standard?
No. The Local Environmental Plan sets zone, building height and floor space ratio, but the numbers that shape a dwelling — setbacks, site coverage, landscaped area and private open space — sit in each council’s Development Control Plan. That is why these figures are published per council rather than per state.
How reliable are these Camden figures?
These values were extracted from Camden Development Control Plan 2019 — Part 4: Residential Dwelling Controls (Section 4.2 Dwelling Houses) and then independently re-checked against it, one of 29 of 93 councils on this site verified that way. They remain screening grade: read the clause before relying on it.
Do these controls apply to every property in Camden?
No. These are the council-wide published figures for low-density residential — dwelling houses. The zone, any overlays and the consent triggers that actually apply depend on the individual parcel, and a control absent from this page means the DCP either sets no number or assesses that parameter on merit — not that the requirement is zero.
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