Here at SN Architects, we believe that the spaces between our buildings are just as important as the buildings themselves. The newly released NSW Housing Pattern Book Landscape Design Guide (July 2025) strongly reinforces this philosophy. Developed as a companion to the NSW Housing Pattern Book, the guide provides practical, performance-based advice for creating beautiful, sustainable, and low-maintenance gardens for low- and mid-rise homes. Operating under the guiding prin

At SN Architects, we believe that delivering exceptional results for our clients requires more than just innovative design; it requires a masterful understanding of the ever-evolving planning landscape. To ensure our strategies remain sharp, our team regularly analyzes publicly available planning determinations and case studies from external architectural and planning firms across New South Wales. Recently, we reviewed a fascinating third-party development application that wa

Welcome to the SN Architects blog! The landscape of residential development in New South Wales is undergoing a massive shift. With the introduction of the State Environmental Planning Policy (Housing) 2021—specifically the Low and Mid-Rise (LMR) Housing reforms—opportunities for medium-density development in traditionally low-density zones have expanded significantly. However, unlocking this potential isn't as simple as drawing up plans and submitting them. There is a delic

By the Team at SN Architects As urban populations grow and housing demands evolve, NSW's State Environmental Planning Policy (Housing) 2021 (SEPP Housing) provides a critical framework to address affordability, diversity, and sustainability in residential development. At SN Architects, we are specialists in NSW Low and Mid-Rise Housing Design, and we are committed to helping clients harness these policies to create vibrant, compliant communities. New planning rules now suppor

1. Background: Why the LMR Map Matters in Ku-ring-gai Under the Ku-ring-gai Local Environmental Plan (KLEP), dual occupancy development is prohibited in the R2 Low Density Residential Zone. However, Section 166 of the SEPP (Housing) 2021 overrides this prohibition if and only if the site is located within a “low and mid-rise housing area.” Definition of “low and mid-rise housing area” According to Section 163 of the SEPP: Land is considered LMR land if it is within 800m walki

Delivering high-quality housing outcomes in Sydney’s most tightly regulated suburbs often requires more than good design—it demands a deep understanding of planning policy, interpretation of new legislation, and the confidence to challenge unclear mapping boundaries. A recent SN Architects pre-DA project in St Ives showcases exactly that. When our client approached us to explore a dual occupancy redevelopment in an established low-density area of Ku-ring-gai, the immediate ob

As urban populations grow and housing demands evolve, NSW’s State Environmental Planning Policy (Housing) 2021 (SEPP Housing) provides a critical framework for addressing affordability, diversity, and sustainability in residential development. At SN Architects, we are committed to helping clients harness these policies to create vibrant, compliant communities. In this post, we will break down Chapter 6: Low and Mid-Rise Housing—a game-changer for architects, developers, and c