What is LMR? The NSW Low and Mid-Rise Housing Policy
What is LMR? It's the NSW Low and Mid-Rise Housing Policy, in Chapter 6 of the Housing SEPP (State Environmental Planning Policy (Housing) 2021).
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What is LMR? It's the NSW Low and Mid-Rise Housing Policy, in Chapter 6 of the Housing SEPP.
The NSW Government expects it to deliver up to 112,000 homes over five years. From July 2024, dual occupancies and semi-detached homes became permitted in the R2 Low Density Residential zone across the state, except on excluded land. From February 2025, new controls switched on in Low and Mid-Rise housing areas across four regions.
Where are these areas? Residential land within 800 metres walking distance of a nominated station entrance, or the edge of a nominated town centre. The first 400 metres is the inner area, where taller apartment buildings are allowed. It's measured along footpaths and crossings, not as a circle.
In these areas, terraces and townhouses are now permitted with consent in R2, and residential flat buildings, including two-storey manor houses, in R2 and R3.
Meet a non-refusal standard, and council can't refuse on that ground, even if the local plan is stricter. For example, terraces on 500 m² and 18 metres wide. But it's not an automatic approval: everything else is still assessed on merit.
Some land is excluded, including bushfire-prone and certain flood-affected land, and heritage items. Four council areas are out entirely, and there's a new LMR Exclusion Map. Heritage conservation areas aren't excluded, but heritage impact is still assessed. A section 10.7 planning certificate is the place to start.
Check your site with SN Architects, at snarchitects.com.au.
Key points
It arrived in two stages.
From 1 July 2024, dual occupancies and semi-detached homes became permitted in the R2 zone across NSW, except on land excluded under s 164.
From 28 February 2025, new controls switched on in Low and Mid-Rise housing areas: residential land within 800 m walking distance of a nominated station entrance or the edge of a nominated town centre, in Greater Sydney, the Central Coast, the Lower Hunter and Newcastle, and Illawarra-Shoalhaven.
In these areas, terraces and townhouses are permitted with consent in R2, and residential flat buildings, including two-storey manor houses, in R2 and R3, except on excluded land (s 164).
Non-refusal standards mean council can't refuse a development application on that ground, but they are not an automatic approval.
Some land is excluded, and heritage conservation areas still have heritage impact assessed.
A section 10.7 planning certificate is the place to start.
Check your site
Check your site with SN Architects
www.snarchitects.com.au | info@snarchitects.com.au
As at and sources
General information only, not planning advice. Current as at October 2026 (Housing SEPP 2021 and Codes SEPP 2008 as in force from 11 September 2026).
Sources: NSW Legislation, https://www.legislation.nsw.gov.au
Based on content from the New South Wales Legislation website at 8 October 2026. For the latest information on New South Wales Government legislation please go to https://www.legislation.nsw.gov.au.
Narration: AI-generated voice
Disclaimer
This is general information only, not planning, legal or financial advice, and it is not an assessment of any particular property. Planning rules change and every site is different. Before relying on it, obtain a section 10.7 planning certificate for your property and advice from a qualified town planner or registered certifier. To the extent permitted by law, SN Architects accepts no liability for any loss arising from reliance on this information. Information current as at October 2026. © SN Architects 2026.
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