Town Planners

Zoning family

Single residential zoning

Zones intended mainly for one main dwelling per property, often with limited additional uses.

In plain English

Most suburban houses sit in a zone intended for a single main dwelling. Schemes differ widely in what else they allow: some permit a second dwelling outright, others only with consent, and some not at all.

Home-based work, guest accommodation and childcare are commonly controlled through consent or specific conditions rather than allowed freely.

Local schemes may use several designations for this family, or none at all. Numbers such as density, height or coverage are set locally and are only shown on local pages where they have been verified.

Questions owners often ask

  • Can I build a second dwelling?
  • Can I subdivide my stand?
  • Can I run a guest house or home office?

Each of these depends on your specific property. The checks below are what a planner looks at before giving an answer.

What to check

  • The property's zoning as recorded by the municipality (zoning certificate or official map)
  • The exact wording of the applicable land-use scheme for that zone
  • Title deed conditions, which can be stricter than the zoning
  • Overlay zones, heritage or environmental controls and servitudes
  • Any previous approvals and conditions attached to the property

Scheme provisions vs property-specific restrictions

The scheme sets the general rules for the zone. Your property may also carry conditions from earlier approvals, overlay controls, servitudes and title-deed restrictions. All of them apply together.

Possible application routes

Local guides

Next step

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