Do you have a block and not sure of what is possible? Many people find themselves in this situation unaware of what to do. They have been sitting on their block for many years that no longer serves them and actually in some cases could be a hindrance due to all the maintenance they need to do to maintain this extra bit of land. So they may have thought about converting this hindrance into a monetary return.
So I thought I’d explain the basics and first steps, so at least if you are curious you can spend a bit of time working out your options and deciding the best way forward.
In Western Australia we have a Governing body that overseas and adopts all the planning approvals, policies and procedures. This is called the West Australian Planning Commission. www.planning.wa.gov.au
When it comes to finding out what is possible in relation to developing your property the first thing you must work out is what the Residential Code is? (R- Code) This can be found by calling the council and asking a planner or going onto the councils mapping systems and finding out by putting in your address. Once you find out what the R-Code is, the next step is to see if you comply with any potential development based on the criteria that is set out by the Planning Commission. Below I have included a snap shot of some of the most important elements of the R-codes.
The most important element is in column 3. This column shows you the average and minimum land requirement. So if you had a block that was say 700m and after speaking to the council you have been notified that the zoning is R30. In column 3 it states at R30 you require an average of 300m per property. So if you wanted to subdivide your property in 2 you would need an average of 2 – 300m lots in other words a min overall area of at least 600m. If you were looking at doing a triplex or three lot subdivision then you would be required to have 900m min overall land.
If you then were then looking at retaining an existing property on your site you would also need to ensure that you meet the minimum requirements. Again this can be found in the 3rd column. In an R 30 zoning you would need a min block size of 260m. I f you comply with these main criteria the next thing to take into consideration are your setbacks. It is generally at this time you would engage an experience surveyor to carry out a survey put in the boundaries at set out your subdivision.
Below I have included an example of a property that is zoned R30. I have used the shires intra maps to look up the property and also carry out measuring of the lots. Please note these systems are not always 100% accurate.
The overall lot is 820m so meets the average requirements to create two lots. If you require it to be more specific engage a surveyor to set out the boundaries for you. In this case the block that can be created is 345m so it meets the minimum requirement while retaining the home.
If you meet these initial requirements chances are that your property can be subdivided. Please note just because a property can be subdivided doesn’t necessarily mean that a profit can be derived. It’s also important that you check the town planning schemes to see if there are any restricting requirements. You need to factor in all the costs associated and ensure that the end titled lots will generate you a profit. If you would like to see what the costs would be involved to develop your property please contact us at multiplypropertygroup.com.au so we can give you an estimate. We can also assist you with finding out what your end properties will be worth!