Two numbers decide what your block can hold: the area and the width at the street. Everything else is design.
The state standards inside an LMR ring
| Housing type | Minimum lot | Minimum frontage | What it looks like |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dual occupancy (duplex) | 450 m² | 12 m | Two homes, side by side or front and back, two titles |
| Manor house | 500 m² | 12 m | Four apartments in a two-storey house form, strata |
| Terraces | 500 m² | 18 m | Three or more homes in a row, each on its own Torrens title |
| Townhouses | 600 m² | 12 m | Multi-dwelling, usually strata, rear or side driveway |
These are the non-refusal standards under Chapter 6 of the Housing SEPP. Outside a ring, council's own LEP controls apply. On the Beaches that usually means a bigger minimum for a dual occupancy and no terraces at all.
What this means on a typical Beaches block
- 600 m², 15 m wide — a duplex. Comfortable. Two four-bedroom homes with a garage each.
- 720 m², 18 m wide — a duplex with room to spare, or three terraces at 6 m each. This is the triplex block.
- 900 m², 20 m+ wide — terraces with generous frontage, or townhouses with a shared driveway. Yield of four starts to be a conversation.
- Corner block — dual frontage changes everything. Two street addresses, two driveways, no shared access. Often the best duplex outcome in the street.
Why frontage beats area
A 1,000 m² battle-axe block with a 4 m handle fails the width test. A 600 m² block with 16 m of street frontage passes. Area gets you excited. Width gets you approved. If your block is wide and shallow, you are in a better position than your neighbour with the long skinny one, even if theirs is bigger.
Subdivision after the build
The policy also sets minimum sizes for the lots you create. A dual occupancy can be split down to 225 m² per lot at 6 m wide. Terraces can go to 165 m² per lot at 6 m. That is what makes three Torrens titles possible on 720 m². Three titles is the difference between a good project and a great one, because buyers pay more for land they own outright than for a strata share.
The things the table can't see
- Slope. A fall across the block adds split levels, retaining walls and cost. Belrose and Beacon Hill owners know this.
- Trees. A significant tree in the wrong place can cost you a dwelling.
- Stormwater. Where does the water go? If there is no fall to the street, you are into on-site detention and pump-out.
- Easements. A sewer main through the back third of the block is a design constraint, not a deal-breaker — but it must be found early.
Our rule
We never quote a yield from a desktop check alone. Four questions get you to maybe. A site walk, a survey and a planner get you to yes or no. If the answer is no, we tell you, and you have lost nothing but an hour.