Reference Data · New South Wales
Kiama DCP: the dwelling controls, as published.
7 controls for low-density residential — dwelling houses, taken from Kiama Development Control Plan 2020 — Chapter 6 Residential Accommodation (Section 6.1 Dwelling Houses). As at 2026-08-05.
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. Below are the 7 controls Kiama publishes numerically. Anything its DCP assesses on merit rather than a fixed number is simply absent from this table — it is not a zero, and it is not a permission.
Kiama, Municipality of — published dwelling controls
| Control | Published value | Qualifier |
|---|---|---|
| Front setback | 4.5 m | Front building line is primarily map-dependent (per Building Line Maps, Ch.2 Sec.7). Where a site is not mapped or covered by another chapter, the front building line is 4.5m OR the average setback from the primary road of the 2 nearest dwelling houses on the same side of the street (cl.6.1.16–6.1.17). |
| Secondary street setback | 3.5 m | — |
| Side setback | 0.9 m | — |
| Minimum boundary setback | 0.9 m | — |
| Rear setback | 6 m | — |
| Site coverage | 60% | — |
| Private open space | 24 m² | — |
Source: Kiama Development Control Plan 2020 — Chapter 6 Residential Accommodation (Section 6.1 Dwelling Houses). Clauses: 6.1.9, 6.1.16, 6.1.17, 6.1.18, 6.1.19, 6.1.20, 6.1.23, 6.1.26, 6.1.27, 6.1.60, 6.1.70. Open the source DCP.
Qualifications that change how these read
- Site coverage: cl.6.1.60 table — 'For a single dwelling house in urban zones' = 60%. Location-specific estates also 60% (Elambra Estate, West Kiama Urban Release Area, Cedar Grove); Gerringong Headland uses site-specific controls per the Gerringong Headland Masterplan. Certain items (e.g. eaves/projections) are excluded from the building footprint/site-coverage calculation.
- Front building line is fundamentally MAP-DEPENDENT (Building Line Maps, Ch.2 Sec.7); the recorded 4.5m is the fallback where the site is not mapped, else the average setback of the 2 nearest dwelling houses on the same side of the street (cl.6.1.16–6.1.17).
- Rear building line 6m 'unless otherwise identified on the Building Line Maps' (cl.6.1.20) — also map-dependent.
- Secondary building line: minimum 3.5m on corner allotments (cl.6.1.18); minimum 3m on parallel-road allotments (cl.6.1.19).
- Side boundary setback 900mm (0.9m) to a vertical member; smaller setback allowed from the edge of gutter/eaves (cl.6.1.23).
- Rural-area dwellings: setback at least 15.0m from the boundary (cl.6.1.26); side boundary setback 900mm (cl.6.1.27).
- Density: max 1 dwelling per 1,000m² (cl.6.1.9). Private open space min 24m² with minimum dimensions 6m x 4m; max finished gradient 1:4 (cl.6.1.70–6.1.72). No numeric landscaped-area or deep-soil percentage is prescribed for dwelling houses.
How this was compiled, and how far to trust it
These values were machine-extracted from the source DCP and have not been independently re-checked. Treat them as screening grade: good enough to compare councils and to know which questions to ask, not a substitute for reading the clause before you rely on it. 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 2026-08-05. 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 Kiama, Municipality of before making decisions.
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