Reference Data · New South Wales
Woollahra DCP: the dwelling controls, as published.
4 controls for low-density residential — dwelling houses, taken from Woollahra Development Control Plan 2015 — Chapter B3 General Development Controls (Part B General 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 4 that Woollahra 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.
Woollahra, Municipality of — published dwelling controls
| Control | Published value | Qualifier |
|---|---|---|
| Front setback | Streetscape averaging, not a metre value: the average of the three most typical setbacks of the four closest residential buildings that face the same side of the street. Does not apply to battle-axe lots; on corner lots the shortest street frontage is typically where the front setback applies. (B3.2 3.2.2 C1) | Contextual control — the DCP states no fixed metre value |
| Rear setback | A formula, not a metre value: minimum rear setback = 25% of the average of the two side boundary dimensions — C = (A + B) / 2 × 25%. (B3.2 3.2.4 C1, Figure 6) | Contextual control — the DCP states no fixed metre value |
| Landscaped area | 35% | deep-soil requirement applies |
| Private open space | 35 m² | — |
Source: Woollahra Development Control Plan 2015 — Chapter B3 General Development Controls (Part B General Residential). Clauses: B3.2 Building envelope — 3.2.2 Front setback (C1); 3.2.3 Side setbacks (C1, Figure 5A table); 3.2.4 Rear setback (C1, Figure 6); B3.7 External areas — 3.7.1 Landscaped area and private open space (C2, C3 deep soil; C4 primary open space). Open the source DCP.
Scope: R2 dwelling houses. These are the controls for R2, Woollahra’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 Woollahra controls?
- Front setback is a streetscape-averaging (prevailing-line) control, not a metre value: average of the three most typical setbacks of the four closest residential buildings facing the same side of the street (B3.2 3.2.2 C1). front_setback_m left null.
- Side setback is a STEPPED TABLE by lot width (site width measured along the front setback line), NOT a single value — Figure 5A: <9.0m=0.9; 9-<11=1.1; 11-<13=1.3; 13-<15=1.5; 15-<17=1.9; 17-<19=2.3; 19-<21=2.7; 21-<23=3.1; 23-<25=3.4; 25-<30=3.75; 30m+=4.5. side_setback_m left null to avoid picking one step. Semi-detached/attached dwellings: zero setback at the common boundary.
- Rear setback is a FORMULA, not a flat metre and not a percent-of-depth-or-minimum: minimum rear setback = 25% of the average of the two side boundary dimensions, C=(A+B)/2 x 25% (B3.2 3.2.4 C1, Figure 6). rear_setback_m and rear_by_frontage left null.
- Landscaped value recorded is DEEP SOIL landscaped area = 35% of site area (flat), per B3.7 3.7.1 C2. MAP/PRECINCT EXCEPTION: 30% in the Wolseley Road area (Figure 22). Additionally C3 requires at least 40% of the front setback to be deep soil landscaped area.
- A separate tree-canopy control (C1) also requires 35% tree canopy area for dwelling houses (30% elsewhere / 25% Wolseley Road) with at least half contributed by canopy trees — distinct from the deep-soil % recorded.
- Private open space: dwelling house requires a 'primary open space area' of at least 35m² (C4), max gradient 1 in 10 (C6), part directly accessible from a habitable room (C8). No small-site reduced minimum for dwelling houses (the 8m² min applies only to RFB/manor house/multi dwelling housing, C9).
- NO site-coverage control exists in this DCP (the word 'coverage' does not appear in Chapter B3). Development intensity for dwelling houses is instead controlled via FSR, building envelope (wall height/inclined plane) and deep-soil landscaped area.
- No separate secondary-street (corner-lot) setback value stated; on corner lots the shortest frontage is treated as the primary front setback.
- Controls in B3.7 3.7.1 apply to development in the R2 and R3 residential zones that alters the existing building footprint/envelope. Source document version dated 2 December 2024 (current published Chapter B3).
Wondering how this compares with asking an AI to read the scheme? We wrote that up here.
How reliable is this Woollahra 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 Woollahra, Municipality of before making decisions.
Woollahra planning controls — common questions
Do these Woollahra controls apply to a duplex or dual occupancy?
No. The figures on this page are Woollahra’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 Woollahra controls apply to?
R2 Low Density Residential — Woollahra’s low-density residential zone. Confirmed against the zones the Woollahra 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 Woollahra, Municipality of publish for dwellings?
Woollahra, Municipality of publishes 4 dwelling controls in Woollahra Development Control Plan 2015 — Chapter B3 General Development Controls (Part B General Residential): front setback, rear setback, landscaped area, private open space. Some of these are stated as a rule rather than a fixed measurement — the DCP sets no metre value for front setback or rear setback. 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 Woollahra figures?
They are machine-extracted from Woollahra Development Control Plan 2015 — Chapter B3 General Development Controls (Part B General 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 Woollahra?
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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