The changes will mean more townhouses in the suburbs. Photo: Michelle Kroll.
The ACT Government has updated its draft major plan amendment to support more Missing Middle homes in Canberra’s suburbs. It will refer it to a Legislative Assembly committee for scrutiny today (28 October).
The government proposed the planning changes to support the construction of more townhouses, row houses, duplexes and low-rise apartments in existing suburbs.
It says the recently concluded community consultation garnered significant support for changes to the Territory Plan and resulted in several changes to the draft reforms.
These include refined subdivision policies to support appropriate residential block subdivisions with clearer, more flexible rules and without requiring a dwelling to be constructed first.
This is supported by a minimum block size requirement of 350 sqm when a subdivision is to occur without prior development of a dwelling.
Solar access protections would be strengthened to safeguard sunlight for neighbouring properties, including protecting rooftop solar systems.
Dwelling densities would be clarified, and technical specifications would be updated to support good design and amenity.
Technical specifications for subdivided/consolidated RZ1 blocks with a street or open-space frontage would be removed to provide greater flexibility for blocks to contain separately titled dwellings.
Fences and courtyard walls forward of the building line, closer to the front boundary, would be allowed for multi-unit housing where particular design requirements were satisfied.
There would also be additional heritage controls to clarify that heritage requirements should be considered where applicable.
The consultation report also recommended further consideration of incentives for more single-level townhouses and accessible housing, greater certainty in managing increased on-street and verge parking, and improvements to the efficiency of the approvals system.
Planning Minister Chris Steel said the reforms struck a balance between increasing housing supply and preserving Canberra’s unique character.
“We heard strong support for allowing homeowners to subdivide their blocks before construction, and for practical design guidance that ensures new housing fits well into existing neighbourhoods and manages potential impacts to neighbours,” he said.
“We’ve updated the design guidance and subdivision policies to give homeowners more flexibility within the requirements to provide greater opportunity for subdivision of large residential blocks.”
Planning Minister Chris Steel said the reforms struck a balance between increasing housing supply and preserving Canberra’s unique character. Photo: Ian Bushnell.
Mr Steel said the changes would enable more housing choice for first-home buyers, growing families, or people wanting to downsize and age in place in the same suburb.
“The changes will strengthen our existing vibrant suburbs with a diverse range of housing options which have not been previously allowed,” he said.
The Property Council of Australia said the reforms were a significant step forward in tackling the Territory’s housing challenges and unlocking more diverse housing choices, particularly in Canberra’s established suburbs.
ACT & Capital Region Executive Director Ashlee Berry said the final draft reform package reflected many of the recommendations put forward by the Property Council and its members during consultation.
“We strongly support the government’s decision to press ahead with these reforms, and we’re pleased to see so many of our priorities reflected in the final draft package – from clearer design guidance to more flexible subdivision rules,” she said.
Ms Berry urged all members of the Legislative Assembly to recognise both the urgency of the housing crisis and the depth, breadth and quality of consultation already undertaken on these reforms.
She said there was no time to waste and no need for any further deliberation or inquiry.
“This is the most significant modernisation of Canberra’s residential zoning in decades – it offers the chance finally to unlock the potential of thousands of underutilised blocks,” Ms Berry said.
“Allowing subdivision before construction, clarifying solar protections and recognising diverse block sizes are practical changes that will make it easier for Canberrans to deliver more homes.”
But Ms Berry warned zoning reform alone would not fix the Territory’s housing supply issues.
“This must be the start of a new chapter, not the end. With building approvals at record lows and housing starts down more than 50 per cent in just two years, we need to focus now on delivery,” she said.
The Property Council called for a formal monitoring framework to track how many new homes are approved, started and completed under the reforms, alongside practical changes to planning processes and economic settings.
The revised DPA-04 will be referred to the Legislative Assembly Standing Committee on Transport and Planning, which may conduct an inquiry.
The draft Missing Middle Housing Design Guide will also be updated to reflect consultation comments.
This will include changes to provide clearer guidance on subdivision scenarios, landscaping, heritage, infrastructure and the design of diverse housing types.
The full consultation report and revised draft reforms are available on YourSay Conversations.
