According to the laws of the state government, a dual occupancy can be defined as two dwellings on one title, either attached or detached. They have also classed differently to that of a granny flat or secondary dwelling.
Here are some benefits of dual occupancies:
When should you consider a dual occupancy?
There’s a lot to think of when it comes to considering whether a dual occupancy design is right for you. There are some pros and cons and lots of research behind understanding dual occupancy laws and whether or not your property is eligible.
For properties located in E3 and E4 zoned areas, the permissibility of dual occupancies can be limited depending on the property in conjunction with local council rules and regulations.
Dual occupancy home designs are becoming increasingly popular among homeowners who want to maximize their income, downsize their current dwelling or increase the value of their property. Dual occupancy designs can unlock the potential of property owners who may not realize how much their property is really worth.
It’s also important to factor in the council approval process. It can take between 3-6 months or longer to get dual occupancy designs through council approvals.
Approval for dual occupancy: Other factors coming into play
Bushfire prone land: If your section is located within a Bushfire prone area, you will need to go through a more rigorous assessment process, this will include other agencies such as the NSW Rural Fire Service.
Neighbors: Those living adjacent to you may oppose your proposal if they feel your dual occupancy home will undermine their privacy or have a detrimental impact on their property.
Limitations to floor area: to approval for a dual occupancy home, your build must not exceed the amount of floor area permitted under the council rules.
Approval for Dual Occupancy in Sydney – The process:
1 Arranging Finance
The first step to kick-start your dual occupancy project is to pre-arrange finance.
Lenders offer various financial packages for dual occupancy developments. It is recommended that you shop around before choosing the best option to suit your circumstances.
Generally speaking, most lenders cap the loans for duplexes at about 80% of the value of the property.
Talking to a mortgage broker with experience in land development is a good place to start. Many offers free initial consultations which will help you get your head around the numbers.
2 Assessing the feasibility of your site
Like any investment, embarking on a dual occupancy or duplex development comes with associated risks. Before committing to a project of this magnitude, you will need to go through a thorough feasibility assessment to identify the opportunities and constraints of a potential site.
Get the Council Requirements for Dual Occupancies in your local Area
The first step to a successful feasibility assessment is to familiarize yourself with the local environmental plans as well as development control plans of your local council. Every local area has its own planning requirements that you will need to comply with.
Site feasibility assessments should take into account:
Ensure Proper Zoning
Your building site must be properly zoned for a dual occupancy development. Check council zoning and planning regulations to confirm that there are no covenants on the land that may impact your dual occupancy project.
Navigating council requirements and zoning regulations is a complex process. Talking to an experienced dual occupancy developer in Sydney before you start the journey is usually a wise move which will save you time and money in the long run.
3 Contour Survey
To prepare house design plans for a Development Application (DA) with your local Council, a Land Surveyor will need to prepare a Detail Survey (also known as a Contour or Topographic Survey) of your property.
4 Development application
If you are planning to subdivide the land following the construction of your dual occupancy home, a surveying company will need to prepare a Proposed Subdivision Plan. This plan will show the council the proposed location of buildings, boundaries, access ways, easements and so on.
It is also possible to get Council approval for the construction and subdivision of your dual occupancy at the same time, in one development application.
5 Dual Occupancy Approval
Once the construction is finalized, the Council will normally require a Final Identification Survey Report before issuing the Occupation Certificate.
Council contributions (known as Section 94 contributions) will apply for each additional dwelling (up to $20,000).
If your dual occupancy development involves the subdivision of land, a Registered Surveyor will be required to prepare a Plan of Subdivision to be lodged and registered at the NSW Land Registry Services (LRS). Upon registration of this plan, the new lots will be created and Titles will be issued.
References: –
Website: – https://www.koalainvest.com.au/