Starting a boarding house building plan is not a simple process and can involve multiple services within the Council. This article, we will show you a piece of updated information from planning.nsw.gov.au about the boarding house building plan.
Changes that have been made to the boarding house provisions in the State Environmental Planning Policy (Affordable Rental Housing) 2009 (ARHSEPP) to better respond to the needs of councils, industry, and local communities.
Car parking rates for boarding house developments
In June 2018, the ARHSEPP was amended so car parking standards were increased for boarding houses.
Car parking standards for boarding houses, except where provided by a Social Housing Provider, are now 0.5 spaces per room in all locations. This standard is contained at Clause 29(2)(e) of the ARHSEPP, and remains a ‘standard which cannot be used to refuse consent’. This means councils cannot refuse a boarding house proposal if it meets this standard, but that they may consider a lower car parking rate if appropriate.
The former car parking rates of 0.2 spaces per room inaccessible areas and 0.4 spaces in non-accessible areas will continue to apply where boarding houses are developed by or on behalf of a Social Housing Provider, as defined in the ARHSEPP. This is based on feedback received during the exhibition that Social Housing Providers should be supported in providing boarding houses for lower-income earners and other groups.
The exhibition documents and submissions are available on the exhibition webpage.
A new development standard for low-density residential areas
In February 2019 the ARHSEPP was amended so boarding houses are limited to 12 boarding rooms per site within the R2 Low-Density Residential Zone to better reflect the scale and built form of the surrounding area.
The changes will help manage impacts on neighboring properties such as overlooking, overshadowing and car parking.
These changes reflect consultation and feedback from communities, councils and industry.
An Explanation of Intended Effect for the amendment was exhibited for public comment between 28 November 2018 to 19 December 2018.
The exhibition documents and submissions are available on the exhibition webpage.