Reference Data · New South Wales
Lithgow DCP: the dwelling controls, as published.
6 controls for low-density residential — dwelling houses, taken from Lithgow Development Control Plan 2021 — Chapter 6 Residential Development, Section 6.4 Dwellings/Secondary Dwellings (Urban Areas). 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 6 that Lithgow 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.
Lithgow, City of — published dwelling controls
| Control | Published value | Qualifier |
|---|---|---|
| Front setback | 4.5 m | R1/R2 front setback is lot-area dependent (SETBACK TABLE). Lots ≤800m²: 4.5m OR average setback of adjacent dwellings, whichever is GREATER (5.5m to garage/carport). Lots >800m²: 6.0m OR average of adjacent dwellings, whichever is LESS. "Average of adjacent dwellings" uses dwellings within 40m of the site boundaries (disregarding battle-axe lots) and may override the table. Classified-road frontage minimums: Great Western Highway 10m; other State/Regional roads 8m. |
| Secondary street setback | 2 m | — |
| Side setback | 0.9 m | — |
| Rear setback | 3 m | — |
| Landscaped area | 35% | — |
| Private open space | 100 m² | — |
Source: Lithgow Development Control Plan 2021 — Chapter 6 Residential Development, Section 6.4 Dwellings/Secondary Dwellings (Urban Areas). Clauses: 6.4 Siting & Setbacks (SETBACK TABLE, p.17); 6.4 Private Open Space & Landscaping (Controls 1 Area & 3 Landscaped Area, p.21); 6.4 Height, Scale & Solar Access (p.19). Open the source DCP.
Scope: R2 dwelling houses. These are the controls for R2, Lithgow’s low-density residential zone. Do not apply these figures to a dual occupancy, duplex, secondary dwelling or multi-dwelling housing development — Lithgow Development Control Plan 2021 — Chapter 6 Residential Development, Section 6.4 Dwellings/Secondary Dwellings (Urban Areas) sets those out separately, and Feasibly has not codified them.
What qualifies these Lithgow controls?
- Values recorded are for the Zone R2 Low Density Residential lots ≤800m² column of the SETBACK TABLE (base minimums, listed first). For R1/R2 lots >800m²: front = 6.0m (whichever LESS of 6.0m/average), secondary-street (corner) = 3m, rear = 4m.
- Rear boundary setback tiers by LOT AREA (not frontage): ≤800m² = 3m, >800m² = 4m — both 'subject to private open space/landscape provision'. (R5 Large Lot Residential = 6m; not R2.)
- Side boundary setback: 1st storey = 900mm (0.9m) or NCC, whichever governs; above 1st storey = 1.5m. (R5 = 5m.)
- Secondary street setback applies to CORNER LOTS only: ≤800m² = 2m, >800m² = 3m.
- Rear-lane setback is merit-based: 'In accordance with desired character of rear lane determined by lane width, average of adjacent dwelling setbacks, vehicle turning paths, and servicing requirements' — no fixed number.
- NO numeric site coverage / FSR control exists for detached dwelling houses in Section 6.4; site coverage appears only in qualitative objectives ('minimise the amount of site covered by buildings or impermeable/hardstand areas'). Numeric FSR/GFA controls exist only in Section 6.5 Medium to Higher Density Housing (dual occupancy, terraces, multi-dwelling, apartments), not single dwellings.
- Private open space: R2 minimum = 100m² total per dwelling (R1 = 50m²), which must include a PRINCIPAL private open space of minimum 4m x 6m (24m²) at ground level; principal POS must not be in the front setback, on parking/access areas, or include waste storage.
- Landscaped area 35% (R2) is 'landscaped area' generally, not a separate deep-soil percentage; deep-soil landscaped area is referenced only qualitatively in the objectives. (R1 = 20%.)
- Max building height R1/R2: wall 6.5m, building 8.5m, within a 45° building height plane projected from 3.5m above ground level at side boundaries (context only — not a setback/coverage field).
Wondering how this compares with asking an AI to read the scheme? We wrote that up here.
How reliable is this Lithgow 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 Lithgow, City of before making decisions.
Lithgow planning controls — common questions
Do these Lithgow controls apply to a duplex or dual occupancy?
No. The figures on this page are Lithgow’s dwelling-house controls. A dual occupancy, duplex, secondary dwelling or multi-dwelling housing development is assessed under different standards, and Lithgow Development Control Plan 2021 — Chapter 6 Residential Development, Section 6.4 Dwellings/Secondary Dwellings (Urban Areas) states them separately — Feasibly has not codified those, so do not apply the numbers above to one.
Which zone do these Lithgow controls apply to?
R2 Low Density Residential — Lithgow’s low-density residential zone. Confirmed against the zones the Lithgow 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 Lithgow, City of publish for dwellings?
Lithgow, City of publishes 6 dwelling controls in Lithgow Development Control Plan 2021 — Chapter 6 Residential Development, Section 6.4 Dwellings/Secondary Dwellings (Urban Areas): front setback, secondary street setback, side setback, rear setback, 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 Lithgow figures?
They are machine-extracted from Lithgow Development Control Plan 2021 — Chapter 6 Residential Development, Section 6.4 Dwellings/Secondary Dwellings (Urban Areas) 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 Lithgow?
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 Lithgow
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