Residential Design
Session Outline
1. Introduction
2. Residential use definitions
3. Dwelling house code
4. Dwelling house (small lot) code
5. What has happened to single unit dwellings?
6. Dual occupancy code
7. Multiple dwelling code
8. Changes to Multiple dwelling code criteria
9. Building envelope requirements for multiple dwellings
10.
Level of assessment for multiple dwellings
11.
Development variations for multiple dwellings
12.
Rooming accommodation code with respect to dwelling houses and multiple dwellings
Schedule 1.1: Use definitions
Dwelling house
A residential use of premises for one household
that contains a single dwelling
The use includes outbuildings and works normally
associated with a dwelling and may include a
secondary dwelling.
Dual occupancy
Premises containing two dwellings on one lot
(whether or not attached) for separate households,
e.g. duplex
Schedule 1.2.2: Queensland Planning
Provisions Administrative Definitions
Dwelling
A building or part of a building used or capable of
being used as a self-contained residence that must
include the following:
(a) food preparation facilities
(b) a bath or shower
(c) a toilet and wash basin
(d) clothes washing facilities
This term includes outbuildings, structures and
works normally associated with a dwelling
Secondary
dwelling
A dwelling used in conjunction with, and
subordinate to, a dwelling house on the same lot.
A secondary dwelling may be constructed under a
dwelling house, be attached to a dwelling house or
be free standing
Schedule 1.1: Use Definitions
Multiple dwelling
Premises that contain three or more
dwellings e.g. Apartments, flats, units,
townhouses, row housing
Dwelling unit
A single dwelling within a premises
containing non-residential use(s)
Schedule 1.1: Use Definitions
Rooming
accommodation
Premises used for the accommodation of more than
one household where each resident:
• has a right to occupy one or more rooms
• does not have a right to occupy the whole of
the premises in which the rooms are
situated
• does not occupy a self-contained unit
• shares communal rooms, or communal
facilities outside of the resident's room, with
one or more of the other residents
It may include:
• rooms not in the same building on site, or
• provision of a food or other service, or
• on-site management or staff and associated
accommodation
Dwelling House Code – Level of
Assessment
1. Table 5.10.9 Level of assessment for the Dwelling house character overlay
is the starting point
2. No longer notifiable code applications
3. Dwelling house (including a secondary dwelling), where complying with all
acceptable outcomes of the Dwelling house code, is self-assessable in
LDR, LMR, MR and CR zones
4. Another overlay or neighbourhood plan may increase the level of
assessment
5. Dwelling house not supported in the High density residential and tourist
accommodation zones
Dwelling House Code – Changes to
Code Criteria
Brisbane City Plan 2000
Brisbane City Plan 2014
House code
• Maximum building height
for a house is 8.5 m in all
zones
• Secondary dwellings:
• Maximum floor
area of 70 sqm
9.3.7 Dwelling house code
• Dwelling house character overlay
is the trigger
• Side setbacks removed and defer
to QDC
• Maximum height changed to 9.5 m
and 2 storeys
• Secondary dwellings:
• Self assessable outcome
• Floor area changed from
70 sqm to 80 sqm
Dwelling House (Small Lot) Code – Level
of Assessment
1. Small lot houses are self assessable if they fully comply
with code requirements
2. Dwelling house (small lot) not supported in the High
density residential and tourist accommodation zones and
subject to impact assessment
Dwelling House (Small Lot) Code –
Building Envelope
Dwelling House (Small Lot) Code –
Changes to Code Criteria
Brisbane City Plan 2000
Brisbane City Plan 2014
Residential design - small lot code
• Maximum heights:
• 7.5 m for side and rear
walls
• 8.5 m for total building
height
• Minimum side boundary
setbacks:
• 1.5 m to wall, with
minimum 0.9 m setback
for eaves and window
hoods
9.3.8 Dwelling house (small lot) code
• Dwelling house character overlay
is the trigger for this code
• Maximum heights
• 7.5 m for side and rear
walls
• 9.5 m for total building
height (in LDR, CR and
some LMR zones)
• Front setback is 3 - 6 m (no
20%)
• Side setback 1 m up to 7.5 m
Dwelling House (Small Lot) Code –
Changes to Code Criteria
Brisbane City Plan 2000
Brisbane City Plan 2014
Residential design (small lot code)
• Built to boundary walls:
• Limited to one side boundary
• Limited to non-habitable
rooms with no windows or
openings to the side
boundary
• A max total length of 9 m
• A max average height of 3.5
m
• A max height of 4.5 m
• No closer than 1.5 m to a
window in a habitable room
of an adjoining dwelling
9.3.8 Dwelling house (small lot code)
• Built to boundary walls:
• A variety of built to boundary
outcomes for dwelling houses
adjoining lots <400 sqm in area
• Allow matched built to
boundary walls – or establish
the wall where none existing
• Potential to create row houses
(as dwelling houses on freehold
lots)
What has happened to single unit
dwellings?
 Single unit dwellings (SUD) are not a ‘use’ or development
type in the plan, i.e. not a use defined by QPP
 SUD outcome can now be achieved by:
 creating a house/s on a small lot/s
 creating a multiple dwelling
 A dwelling house on a small lot is self assessable if complying
with all code requirements, otherwise it is code assessable
 New small lots have no built to lockup requirements for plan
sealing
Dual Occupancy – Building Envelope
Dual Occupancy Code – New Code
Brisbane City Plan 2000
Development of this type would
have been considered:
• Multi-unit dwelling
• Single-unit dwelling
Brisbane City Plan 2014
9.3.6 Dual occupancy code
• New code
• Form based code rather than
plot ratio focused
• Code is stand alone
• Contains similar provisions
that are within the multiple
dwelling and dwelling house
small lot codes
• Supported in the LDR, LMR
and CR (Infill) zones
Multiple Dwelling Code – Changes to
Code Criteria
Brisbane City Plan 2000
Chapter 5 – Codes and related
provisions
Multiple dwellings regulated by:
• Residential design – Low
density, Character and
Low-medium density code
• Residential design –
Medium density code
• Residential design – High
density code
• Residential design – Single
unit dwelling code
Brisbane City Plan 2014
9.3.14 Multiple dwelling code:
• Form based code – focus on
building envelope rather than
GFA
• Contains elements from 4
Brisbane City Plan 2000
residential design codes
• Building height transition and
deep planting requirements
• Townhouses in low density
residential still require a
minimum lot area of 3,000 sqm
Multiple Dwelling Code – Building
Envelope Requirements
 Development is contained within the building envelope for the site created
by applying:
• The maximum building height (usually only in storeys, but metres as
well where up to 3 storeys)
• Front, rear and side boundary setbacks
• Car parking boundary setback
• Building separation requirements
• Site cover
• Acceptable outcomes for building height transitions where required
• Features such as landscaping
Multiple Dwelling Code – Building
Envelope Requirements
Multiple Dwelling Code – Building
Envelope Requirements
Multiple Dwelling Code – Building
Envelope Requirements
Multiple Dwelling – Building Envelope
Requirements
Car parking boundary
setback requirements
‘Table 9.3.14.3.E’
Basement car parking below ground level
Minimum boundary setback to parking or
parking structure
(m)
Front/
Street
Rear
Side
0
6
0
6
6
0
4
6
1
Note: Car parking below ground level must be designed to also allow the
achievement of deep planting requirements
Above ground level <1.0 m and enclosed
Note: Car parking partially below ground level must be designed to also
allow the achievement of deep planting requirements
At ground level and open
Above ground level >1.0 m and enclosed
As per the boundary setbacks for proposed
wall heights in Table 9.3.14.3.C
Multiple Dwelling – Level of Assessment
 Multiple dwellings are impact assessment in Low density
residential zones
 Multiple dwellings adjoining a dwelling house in the Lowmedium density residential zone are code assessment
 3 storey multiple dwellings in the LMR 2 or 3 storey precinct
are only code assessable where they are within 400 m
walking distance of railway or bus station and front a road with
a reserve width of 15.5 m or more
Multiple Dwelling Code – Development
Variations
 Developments that use the Multiple dwelling code for the
building envelope requirements but also have code variations
for specific uses:
• Caretaker’s accommodation
• Rooming accommodation
• Non residential workforce accommodation
• Residential care facility
• Retirement facility
• Short term accommodation
Rooming Accommodation Code – New
Code
Brisbane City Plan 2000
Brisbane City Plan 2014
Chapter 5 – Codes and related
provisions
• Student/rooming
accommodation not
regulated separately by
Brisbane City Plan 2000
• Multi-unit dwelling definition
included ‘hostel’
9.3.19 Rooming accommodation
code
• New code
• Rooming accommodation
code covers 2 different
types:
• 5 or less occupants
(i.e. house)
• 6 or more occupants
(i.e. multiple dwelling)
Rooming Accommodation Code
 Rooming accommodation code Section A is self assessable criteria for 5 or less people
 Section A is most likely to apply where in existing houses
With respect to dwelling houses:
 Designed to have self-assessable criteria for houses being used for rooming accommodation
 Accommodates not more than 5 persons in the dwelling
 Involving a Class 1a building e.g. dwelling house
 Minimum of 2 on-site car parking spaces
 Upgrades to class 1b are likely (fire safety)
 Treats the use as a specific use – not as a household in a dwelling house
With respect to multiple dwellings:
 Section B is for 6 or more people
 New premises also use the multiple dwelling code
 Located within 800 m walking distance of an educational establishment
 Development ensures noise does not exceed particular criteria
Summary
• Reduced levels of assessment – more code and self
assessable options
• Brisbane City Plan 2014 moves to form-based assessment
criteria focused on building envelopes
• House height is increased to 9.5 m and 2 storeys with side
boundary setbacks deferring to QDC
• SUD type outcomes achieved by dwelling houses on small
lots and multiple dwellings