Where do the low and mid-rise duplex rules apply in the Illawarra and Shoalhaven?

The dual occupancy guide explains how the policy works in Wollongong: the approval pathways, and why non-discretionary standards matter. This page answers the question I am asked next: does it apply to my suburb? It covers all four council areas in the region.

What changed for dual occupancies under the NSW Low and Mid-Rise Housing Policy?

The policy came in two stages. From 1 July 2024, dual occupancies became permitted with consent in the R2 Low Density Residential zone across all of NSW. From 28 February 2025, new standards for dual occupancies started to apply within 800 metres walking distance of nominated town centres and stations.

• Stage 1 (1 July 2024): dual occupancies and semi-detached homes permitted in R2 zones state-wide.
• Stage 2 (28 February 2025): non-discretionary development standards in "low and mid-rise housing areas".
• Dual occupancies may also be permitted in other zones, depending on the council's Local Environmental Plan.

Which Illawarra and Shoalhaven town centres are included?

Ten town centres across Wollongong, Shellharbour, Kiama and Shoalhaven are nominated. No train station in the four council areas is on the list, so in this region the areas are measured from town centres only.

Wollongong city centre is not on the list. A lot near a centre that is not listed does not get the Stage 2 standards through this policy.

What standards apply to a dual occupancy near those town centres?

Within a low and mid-rise housing area, a dual occupancy in the R1, R2, R3 or R4 zone (where permitted) is subject to six non-discretionary standards. If the proposal meets them, the consent authority cannot refuse it on the grounds that it does not comply with that standard, even where the council's own control is stricter.

These are standards a proposal cannot be refused on. They are not an approval. Everything else in the assessment still applies.

Which land near a town centre is excluded?

The policy does not apply to sites affected by certain hazards and constraints, such as bushfire prone land and some flood prone land. NSW Planning publishes the complete list of excluded land separately, and a lot within 800 metres of a town centre can still be excluded.

Being inside the 800 metres is only the first test. Check the exclusions before relying on the standards.

What applies if your lot is outside a low and mid-rise housing area?

Outside those areas, a dual occupancy in an R2 zone is still permitted with consent state-wide, but the lot size, width and other controls come from your council's Local Environmental Plan and Development Control Plan, not from these standards.

• Wollongong: see the minimum land size page, which works through the Wollongong controls.
• Shellharbour, Kiama and Shoalhaven: check the council's LEP and DCP for dual occupancy lot size and width before you rely on a lot.

How do you check whether your lot is in a low and mid-rise housing area?

Look the lot up on NSW Planning's indicative map, then confirm with the council or a planner. The map is indicative, and the 800 metres is walking distance, not a straight line.

1. Open the indicative map of low and mid-rise housing areas.
2. Check the lot's zone.
3. Check whether any exclusion applies, such as bushfire prone or flood prone land.
4. Confirm the result with the council or your certifier before you buy or design.

This is one of the first things I check on a dual occupancy site, because it decides which set of numbers the design has to meet.

Sources

Checked on 29 September 2026.

• NSW Planning, Low and Mid-Rise Housing Policy: the two stages, the 800 metre areas and the list of nominated town centres.
• NSW Planning, Summary of key provisions: dual occupancy permissibility, the non-discretionary standards, what non-discretionary means, and exclusions.

General information from a builder, not planning advice. Confirm the controls for your lot with your council or a certifier.