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 2026-08-29.
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 Kiama 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.
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.
Scope: R2 dwelling houses. These are the controls for R2, Kiama’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 Kiama controls?
- 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.
Wondering how this compares with asking an AI to read the scheme? We wrote that up here.
How reliable is this Kiama DCP data?
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 2026-08-29. 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 Kiama, Municipality of before making decisions.
Kiama planning controls — common questions
Do these Kiama controls apply to a duplex or dual occupancy?
No. The figures on this page are Kiama’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 Kiama controls apply to?
R2 Low Density Residential — Kiama’s low-density residential zone. Confirmed against the zones the Kiama 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 Kiama, Municipality of publish for dwellings?
Kiama, Municipality of publishes 7 dwelling controls in Kiama Development Control Plan 2020 — Chapter 6 Residential Accommodation (Section 6.1 Dwelling Houses): front setback, secondary street setback, side setback, minimum boundary setback, rear setback, site coverage, 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 Kiama figures?
They are machine-extracted from Kiama Development Control Plan 2020 — Chapter 6 Residential Accommodation (Section 6.1 Dwelling Houses) and have not been independently re-checked, so treat them as screening grade — good enough to compare councils and to know which questions to ask, not a substitute for reading the clause. This is a lower confidence tier than our Victorian schedules, which a person reads and verifies from the source scheme.
Do these controls apply to every property in Kiama?
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.
Check a specific address in Kiama
These are the council-wide numbers. Zone, overlays and the consent triggers that actually apply depend on the parcel.
Free, no signup · zone, schedule, overlays and permit triggers for the parcel. Or create a free account for 20 lookups a month.
Compare across the state: every codified NSW council DCP in one table · all reference data