Reference Data · New South Wales
The Hills Shire DCP: the dwelling controls, as published.
6 controls for low-density residential — dwelling houses, taken from The Hills Development Control Plan (2012) — Part B Section 2: Residential. 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 The Hills Shire 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.
The Hills Shire — published dwelling controls
| Control | Published value | Qualifier |
|---|---|---|
| Secondary street setback | 4 m | — |
| Side setback | 0.9 m | — |
| Rear setback | 4 m | — |
| Site coverage | 60% | — |
| Landscaped area | 40% | — |
| Private open space | 80 m² | — |
Source: The Hills Development Control Plan (2012) — Part B Section 2: Residential. Clauses: 2.14 Dwellings — 2.14.1 Building Setbacks; 2.14.2 Site Coverage; 2.14.4 Private Open Space; 2.14.5 Landscaping and Open Space. Open the source DCP.
Scope: R2 dwelling houses. These are the controls for R2, The Hills Shire’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 The Hills Shire controls?
- Site coverage 60% is the standard residential-zone (incl. R2) maximum; E4 Environmental Living and land pink-shaded on Map Sheets 1-42 = 30% (map-dependent) (2.14.2(a)).
- Within the 60% coverage cap, the dwelling building footprint must be no more than 45% of the site (except pink-shaded land) (2.14.2(b)).
- Landscaped/naturally-vegetated area minimum = 40% of total site area; E4 Environmental Living = 70% (2.14.5(b)). Excludes paved/built-upon area (driveways, tennis courts, patios/decks, outbuildings, pools) — not explicitly labelled deep-soil.
- Private open space = 20% of lot area OR 80 m2, whichever is greater, located behind the front building line and able to contain a 6 m x 4 m rectangle (2.14.4(a),(b)); pos_min_sqm=80 is the fixed floor of that formula.
- Side boundary setback: wall 0.9 m / eave 0.675 m for 1-2 storey; wall 1.5 m / eave 1.175 m for 3 storey (2.14.1(g)).
- Rear boundary setback: 4 m for single-storey element, 6 m for 2-3 storey elements (2.14.1(h)); varies by number of storeys, not frontage. Battleaxe lots: setback to 3 sides only, 4 m (single storey) / 6 m (2-3 storey) (2.14.1(i)).
- Garage setback = per front/side setbacks or 5.5 m, whichever is greater (2.14.1(e)).
- Max dwelling width at building line: 80% of lot width if lot <=18 m, 75% if >18 m (2.14.1(f)).
- Document version: 'In Force 7 December 2018' (The Hills DCP 2012, Part B Section 2).
Wondering how this compares with asking an AI to read the scheme? We wrote that up here.
How reliable is this The Hills Shire 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 The Hills Shire before making decisions.
The Hills Shire planning controls — common questions
Do these The Hills Shire controls apply to a duplex or dual occupancy?
No. The figures on this page are The Hills Shire’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 The Hills Shire controls apply to?
R2 Low Density Residential — The Hills Shire’s low-density residential zone. Confirmed against the zones the The Hills Shire 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 The Hills Shire publish for dwellings?
The Hills Shire publishes 6 dwelling controls in The Hills Development Control Plan (2012) — Part B Section 2: Residential: 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 The Hills Shire figures?
They are machine-extracted from The Hills Development Control Plan (2012) — Part B Section 2: Residential 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 The Hills Shire?
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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