Property development guide

What can I develop on my property in Randwick?

Explore some of the planning controls, development opportunities and approval considerations that may affect properties in Randwick.

Every property is different, so the development potential should always be checked against the controls applying to the individual site.

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What development may be possible in Randwick?

Randwick is a mature eastern suburbs area with a mix of freestanding houses, semis, terraces and older walk-up apartment blocks, shaped by the hospitals and university precinct, the light rail corridor and a number of heritage conservation areas.

Most residential land in Randwick sits in a low density or medium density residential zone under the Randwick Local Environmental Plan 2012. That mix means the realistic options differ noticeably from street to street.

Depending on the individual property, the opportunities people commonly explore include renovations and extensions, knock-down rebuilds, granny flats or secondary dwellings, dual occupancy, subdivision, townhouses or multiple dwellings, and larger redevelopment where several sites can be brought together.

None of these are automatically available. Zoning, minimum lot size, lot width and shape, floor space ratio, height, heritage listing or conservation area status, and site constraints all determine what can realistically be pursued on a particular site.

Renovations and extensions
Knock-down rebuilds
Granny flats or secondary dwellings
Dual occupancies
Subdivision
Townhouses or multiple dwellings
Redevelopment
Combining adjoining properties

These are not automatically available on every property. Zoning, lot dimensions, heritage, site constraints and other planning controls all matter.

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What could you do with your property?

Improve your home

Make your property work better for you and your family.

Renovations
Extensions
Additional bedrooms
Additional living space
Granny flats
Secondary dwellings
Knock-down rebuilds
Major home upgrades

Unlock more from your land

Understand whether your property could accommodate more homes, lots or development.

Dual occupancies
Townhouses
Subdivision
Battle-axe lots
Additional dwellings
Increased dwelling yield
Redevelopment opportunities

Combine & develop

Sometimes the bigger opportunity comes from bringing properties together.

Adjoining properties
Multiple neighbouring lots
Strata apartment blocks
Collective redevelopment
Site amalgamation
Larger development sites

Your property may have different development potential when considered together with neighbouring land.

What planning controls could affect a property in Randwick?

The controls below are a high level starting point only. The requirements that actually apply are set by the zoning and controls mapped to your individual lot, so they should always be confirmed for the specific property.

Applicable council: Randwick City Council is the consent authority for most local development in Randwick.
Planning instruments: Randwick Local Environmental Plan 2012 sets zoning, height, floor space ratio and minimum lot size. Randwick Development Control Plan 2013 adds detailed built form controls. State policies, including the Housing SEPP and low and mid-rise housing reforms, can also apply.
Residential zoning: Randwick contains a mix of low density residential (R2) and medium density residential (R3) land, with higher density and mixed use zones around centres, the light rail corridor and the hospital and university precinct.
Floor space ratio and height: FSR and maximum building height are mapped lot by lot in the LEP. Low density streets are typically well below the controls applying near centres and the health precinct.
Minimum lot size and frontage: Minimum lot size controls the ability to subdivide or, in some zones, to build dual occupancy or multi dwelling housing. Randwick's DCP also sets frontage and site width expectations, which frequently decide whether a duplex or subdivision is feasible.
Setbacks, landscaping and parking: Front, side and rear setbacks, deep soil and landscaped area, private open space and off street parking requirements are set in the DCP and often shape the achievable footprint more than FSR does.
Heritage: Randwick has numerous heritage items and heritage conservation areas, including parts of central Randwick. Heritage status affects demolition, extensions, new building form and subdivision.
Other site constraints: Overland flow and local stormwater flooding, steep sites, significant trees, acid sulfate soils near lower lying land, and the airport related airspace controls affecting parts of the eastern suburbs can all apply.

Which council controls development in Randwick?

Randwick City Council controls most development in Randwick through the Randwick Local Environmental Plan 2012 and the Randwick Development Control Plan 2013.

Those local controls sit underneath the NSW planning system. The Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 sets the framework, and State Environmental Planning Policies, such as the Housing SEPP and the codes that allow Complying Development, can permit development or set standards that operate alongside or above the council's controls.

Because several instruments can apply to one site at the same time, the practical position for a specific property needs to be checked rather than assumed.

Visit Randwick City Council

Common development types in Randwick

Renovations and extensions

Common across Randwick's semis, terraces and interwar houses. Heritage conservation area status, side setbacks on narrow lots and overshadowing of neighbours are the usual issues.

Granny flats and secondary dwellings

A secondary dwelling may be possible where the site meets the relevant area, access and open space requirements under the Housing SEPP or the council's controls.

Dual occupancy and duplex development

Usually driven by lot size and frontage. Wider corner and mid block lots are the ones most often worth testing.

Subdivision

Typically limited by the minimum lot size mapped to the property, existing lot dimensions and vehicle access. Battle-axe arrangements are sometimes possible on deeper lots.

Townhouses and multiple dwellings

Generally relevant only in medium density zoned land, where site width and depth are sufficient to achieve a compliant layout, parking and landscaping.

Combining neighbouring properties

Amalgamation is a real strategy near centres and the light rail corridor, where a combined site can support a form of development neither lot could achieve on its own.

Including a development type here does not mean it is permitted on your property. Permissibility depends on the zone and the standards applying to the individual site.

Would I need a DA or CDC in Randwick?

Complying Development

Some development can be approved as Complying Development where every applicable requirement in the relevant code is met. It is a faster, standards based pathway, but a single non-compliance or an excluded site removes it.

Development Application

Other development requires a Development Application assessed by the council on its merits. This is the usual pathway where the design departs from a standard or the site is constrained.

The correct pathway depends on the property, the proposed development, the planning controls and the site constraints.

Check my approval pathway See how the process works

Does heritage affect development in Randwick?

Heritage matters more in Randwick than in many surrounding suburbs. There are individually listed heritage items and several heritage conservation areas, particularly around the older parts of the suburb.

Heritage status does not automatically prevent development. It generally means demolition is more difficult, additions are expected to sit behind or below the original form, and new buildings must respond to the established streetscape character. Subdivision within a conservation area is also assessed against the historic subdivision pattern.

Whether heritage applies to a particular property, and how strongly, needs to be confirmed against the LEP heritage maps and schedules.

Could I develop my property with my neighbour?

Combining adjoining properties can sometimes create a larger development site and opportunities that may not be achievable on either property individually.

In Randwick, amalgamation is most commonly explored near Randwick Junction, along the light rail corridor and around the health and education precinct, where two or more adjoining lots can form a site with better width, access and yield than either lot alone.

Two neighbouring houses
Multiple adjoining lots
Strata apartment buildings
Larger coordinated redevelopment sites

Planning controls, ownership structure, site dimensions and commercial considerations all need to be assessed before a combined opportunity can be relied on.

Explore a combined development opportunity

Professional review

Get the opportunity checked by a Registered Planner.

Online information is a useful starting point, but development potential ultimately depends on the individual property.

A Registered Planner can review the relevant controls, identify the major constraints and help you understand what may realistically be achievable.

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Common property development questions in Randwick

What can I build on my property in Randwick?

It depends on the zone, lot size and controls mapped to your property. Options can range from renovations and a secondary dwelling on a typical low density lot, through to dual occupancy, multi dwelling housing or apartments where the zoning and site dimensions support it.

Can I build a duplex in Randwick?

Only where dual occupancy is permitted in your zone and the lot meets the applicable minimum area and width requirements. Frontage is often the deciding factor on Randwick's narrower lots.

Can I subdivide my property in Randwick?

Subdivision requires the resulting lots to satisfy the minimum lot size mapped under Randwick LEP 2012, along with access, servicing and, where relevant, heritage considerations. Larger and deeper lots are the ones most worth testing.

Can I build a granny flat in Randwick?

A secondary dwelling may be possible where the site meets the relevant land area, setback, private open space and access requirements. Whether it can be done as Complying Development or needs a DA depends on the site.

Can I build townhouses in Randwick?

Multi dwelling housing is generally confined to medium density zoned land with adequate site width and depth. On a standard R2 lot it is usually not available.

Does heritage affect what I can build in Randwick?

It can. Randwick contains heritage items and heritage conservation areas, which influence demolition, the form of additions and the design of new buildings. It rarely prevents all development, but it does shape it.

Do I need a DA or a CDC in Randwick?

Some development can proceed as Complying Development if every applicable standard is met. Heritage items, conservation areas and some constrained land are excluded, which pushes many Randwick projects towards a Development Application.

What zoning applies to my property in Randwick?

Randwick includes R2 low density and R3 medium density residential land, plus higher density and mixed use zones around centres and the hospital precinct. The zone is mapped lot by lot in the LEP.

What does FSR mean for my Randwick property?

Floor space ratio is the amount of gross floor area allowed relative to the site area. It sets an upper limit on total building size, though setbacks, height and landscaping often bind before FSR does.

Is flooding an issue in Randwick?

Overland flow and local stormwater flooding affect some low lying parts of the area. Where flood related development controls apply, they can influence floor levels, building footprint and the approval pathway.

Can I develop my Randwick property with my neighbour?

Sometimes. A combined site can achieve width, depth and yield that neither lot could reach alone, particularly near centres. Planning controls, ownership structure and commercial terms all need to be assessed.

How do I find out the development potential of my Randwick property?

Start with the address. Develpr checks the controls that apply to the individual site and can have the opportunity reviewed by a Registered Planner.

Planning sources

The controls referenced on this page come from the following authoritative sources. Always confirm the current requirements for the individual property.

Planning content reviewed by a Registered Planner. This guide is general information only and is not planning advice for a specific property.

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