FAQs

C3 Environmental Management - Protects areas with important environmental value (like bushland or scenic landforms). Land here is expected to remain largely natural. Development is very limited. You can only build or change things with council permission, and only if it doesn’t harm the environment. The aim is to manage and preserve, not to expand housing.

C4 Environmental Living – is also in sensitive areas (often near water or foreshore) but allows low-impact homes where they won’t damage the environment or views. You can build homes (subject to approval). In some marked areas, you can build a “dual occupancy” – two homes on one block – if certain rules (minimum land size, building height, setbacks) are met.

The rezoning itself does not directly cause tree loss; however, changes in land use can potentially lead to future development that may affect existing canopy trees. Sutherland Shire Council has strict environmental and development controls in place to protect significant trees and biodiversity. Any future development applications will need to comply with these regulations, including tree preservation requirements and environmental assessments, to minimise canopy loss and maintain the natural character of the area.

Rezoning to R2 Low Density Residential may lead to increased housing density, which could result in more vehicles and higher demand for on-street parking. However, development controls typically require new housing to provide adequate off-street parking to reduce impacts on street parking. Council will assess parking and traffic implications as part of the development assessment process and may implement measures to manage parking demand in affected areas.

Rezoning from C4 Environmental Living to R2 Low Density Residential allows for a modest increase in residential development, shifting from environmentally focused lots to smaller, low-density housing types. This includes opportunities for diverse housing such as dual occupancies, semi-detached and multi-dwelling homes, seniors housing, as well as community-oriented uses like childcare and community facilities, respite day care centres and group homes. All new development will be carefully managed at the development assessment stage to ensure it fits with the local neighbourhood character and scale.

Allowing Torrens title subdivision for dual occupancies gives homeowners the option to create two separate lots, each with individual titles. This can provide greater flexibility for property ownership and future sales, making it easier for buyers to own and manage their own lot independently. It can also simplify financing, improve property marketability, and give owners more control over their property compared to strata subdivision.

Permitting Torrens title subdivision does not change the scale or type of development allowed—it simply offers a different way to legally divide the property after building dual occupancies. Development standards, including building size, setbacks, and environmental protections, remain the same. Therefore, the overall appearance and character of the neighbourhood will be maintained, with no increase in housing density beyond what is currently allowed.

Since the affected dwellings are on internal lots with no direct street frontage, changes to their height are unlikely to be visible from the street. This means the overall streetscape and neighbourhood appearance will remain largely unchanged.

Any new development, including taller secondary dwellings or dual occupancies, must comply with planning controls designed to protect privacy and minimise overlooking. While the allowable building height may increase, these controls help ensure that views and privacy for neighbouring properties are respected.

Removing the 5.4m height limit allows all dwellings to be built to the same Height of Building (HOB) standard as mapped for the area, offering greater flexibility in design and usable space. This can enable better internal layouts and more functional living areas, making dual occupancies and secondary dwellings a more attractive and practical option for homeowners.