Reference Data · New South Wales
Shoalhaven DCP: the dwelling controls, as published.
7 controls for low-density residential — dwelling houses, taken from Shoalhaven Development Control Plan 2014, Chapter G12 — Dwelling Houses and Other Low Density Residential Development. 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 Shoalhaven 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.
Shoalhaven, City of — published dwelling controls
| Control | Published value | Qualifier |
|---|---|---|
| Front setback | 6 m | Table 2 (R2 <2000m²), to dwelling, lot-size tiered: lots <600m² = 5m; 600–900m² = 6m; >900m² = 7.5m (recorded value is the 600–900m² tier). Verandahs/patios/awnings: 4m / 5m / 6.5m respectively. Override A18.3: where the predominant street setback exceeds the Table value, the required setback must be compatible with existing street setbacks in the vicinity. |
| Secondary street setback | 3.5 m | — |
| Side setback | 0.9 m | — |
| Minimum boundary setback | 0.9 m | — |
| Rear setback | 3 m | — |
| Landscaped area | 10% ≤300 m² → 15% ≤450 m² → 20% ≤600 m² → 30% ≤900 m² → 40% ≤1500 m² → 45% | — |
| Private open space | 50 m² | — |
Source: Shoalhaven Development Control Plan 2014, Chapter G12 — Dwelling Houses and Other Low Density Residential Development. Clauses: Section 6.1.2 (A18.1–A18.3, Table 1 & Table 2); Section 6.2.1 (A19.1–A19.5, Table 3); Section 6.2.2 (A20.1). Open the source DCP.
Scope: R2 dwelling houses. These are the controls for R2, Shoalhaven’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 Shoalhaven controls?
- Site coverage: no numeric site-coverage control exists in Chapter G12 (searched full text; 'coverage' appears only in the table of contents). Fields left null.
- R2 Low Density Residential is split by lot area: sites >=2000m2 use Table 1 (rural/large-lot style: 12.5m front, 5m side, 7.5m rear for lots up to 4,000m2); sites <2000m2 use Table 2. This record captures the standard <2000m2 case (A18.2).
- Front setback is lot-size tiered (to dwelling): <600m2=5m, 600-900m2=6m, >900m2=7.5m. Recorded front_setback_m=6 (600-900m2 tier). Verandahs/patios/awnings are 1m less at each tier (4/5/6.5m).
- Secondary-street (secondary road frontage) side setback is lot-size tiered: <600m2=3m, >=600m2=3.5m. Recorded value 3.5 is the >=600m2 tier.
- Side setback 900mm applies to dwellings and detached non-habitable outbuildings (450mm from eaves/gutters). Where rear parking is proposed, one side must have a 2.4m setback for vehicular access.
- Rear setback is '3m (average)'. Rear/side setback to a foreshore reserve is 7.5m.
- Reduced setbacks may be considered where the prevailing street character permits and desired future character is not prejudiced (merit note, no numeric frontage threshold given).
- Landscaped area (Table 3) is a percentage of lot area, monotonically increasing; band floor is 200m2 (below 200m2 not specified). It is described as 'landscaped area' (not deep-soil), excludes buildings/hardstand/storage/drying/water-tank areas; POS may count toward it except hardstand components. Minimum landscaped-area dimension 1.5m.
- Additional front-setback landscaping requirement: at least 35% of the front setback must be landscaped (A19.3).
- Private open space: minimum 50m2, behind the front building line, min dimension 2m, gradient no steeper than 1:20, adjacent to and directly accessed from a living area. No small-site reduced minimum is stated.
Wondering how this compares with asking an AI to read the scheme? We wrote that up here.
How reliable is this Shoalhaven 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 Shoalhaven, City of before making decisions.
Shoalhaven planning controls — common questions
Do these Shoalhaven controls apply to a duplex or dual occupancy?
No. The figures on this page are Shoalhaven’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 Shoalhaven controls apply to?
R2 Low Density Residential — Shoalhaven’s low-density residential zone. Confirmed against the zones the Shoalhaven 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 Shoalhaven, City of publish for dwellings?
Shoalhaven, City of publishes 7 dwelling controls in Shoalhaven Development Control Plan 2014, Chapter G12 — Dwelling Houses and Other Low Density Residential Development: front setback, secondary street setback, side setback, minimum boundary 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 Shoalhaven figures?
They are machine-extracted from Shoalhaven Development Control Plan 2014, Chapter G12 — Dwelling Houses and Other Low Density Residential Development 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 Shoalhaven?
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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