Overview

Woollahra Council strives to ensure new buildings in our local area are designed and built with consideration of the surrounding environment, such as streetscape, heritage elements, and nearby residences.

Earlier this year the NSW Government introduced the low and mid-rise housing reforms (LMR Reforms) intended to help facilitate more housing density around a number of identified town centres, including Double Bay, Edgecliff and Rose Bay.

Council has prepared a Draft Woollahra Development Control Plan 2015 (Amendment No. 37) (Draft DCP) to help guide new development that will have increased height and floor space as permitted by the LMR Reforms.

Council is exhibiting the Draft Woollahra Development Control Plan (amendment 37).

At its meeting of 27 October 2025, Council resolved to exhibit the Draft DCP to strengthen provisions for housing in accessible areas (land subject to the low and mid-rise housing reforms).

Details of the Council meeting are linked below:

Note: Council resolved to exhibit the Draft DCP subject to amending the maximum parking rates for land around Rose Bay Town Centre to be consistent with the proposed parking rates for Edgecliff and Double Bay Town Centres.

Review the Draft DCP: Housing in accessible areas open in new window

Proposed Amendments

The Draft DCP provides guidance on streetscape presentation, building design, heritage conservation, amenity, dwelling mix, and car parking.

The LMR Reforms mandate permissibility of increased building height controls, floor space ratios, lot size requirements (where applicable), and landscaping provisions. These new development standards take precedence over those set out in the Woollahra Local Environmental Plan 2014 (Woollahra LEP 2014). The Draft DCP therefore seeks to strengthen existing built form controls in the Woollahra Development Control Plan 2015 (Woollahra DCP 2015) that address building envelope, built form and amenity considerations for new development.

In broad terms, the Draft DCP seeks to mitigate the impacts of the LMR Reforms by:

  • Seeking a scale, bulk and design that respects the character of the streetscape and nearby development.
  • Seeking to minimise impacts from development so that it does not unreasonably compromise the amenity of nearby residential uses and public open space.
  • Providing guidance for development to sensitively respond to the significant values of heritage items and nearby areas of heritage significance.
  • Seeking to facilitate a diversity of dwelling sizes.
  • Seeking to minimise traffic and parking impact.

The changes apply to dual occupancies, multi-dwelling housing, multi-dwelling housing (terraces) and residential flat buildings located in accessible areas. ‘Accessible areas’ refers to land within 800m walking distance of the following town centres zoned E1 Local Centre, E2 Commercial Centre or MU1 Mixed Use:

  • Edgecliff Station and Town Centre;
  • Double Bay Town Centre;
  • Darlinghurst and Paddington Town Centre (Oxford Street Town Centre);
  • Bondi Junction Station and Town Centre;
  • Rose Bay Town Centre (New South Head Road); and
  • Kings Cross Station and Town Centre.

Note: The policy does not apply to land that is a heritage item or on which a heritage item is located.

Public exhibition

Have your say

You're invited to share your feedback on the proposed amendment. To have your say, please make a submission using the online submission form below. Alternatively, you can email or write to us and quote SC8360.

A hard copy of the exhibition material is available at the Woollahra Council Customer Service area, 536 New South Head Road, Double Bay – 8.00am to 4.30pm, Monday to Friday.

All submissions received during the exhibition period will be considered by Council.

Public exhibition starts at Thursday 30 October 2025 and closes at 11.59pm, Wednesday 26 November 2025.

See privacy note under FAQs on this page.