Page 1675 - Week 06 - Wednesday, 8 May 2013
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will increase housing options in the ACT. It will help improve affordability and it will encourage ageing in place. Rejecting this variation will mean the flexibility of secondary residences in respect of who is allowed to occupy them will be lost and the policy will revert back to only permitting occupants that either require care or provide care to the primary residents.
The development of the single dwelling housing code includes a review of the existing rules and criteria. As well as specific policy changes, many provisions were reworded for clarity and consistency. The code brings consistency to upper floor level front boundary setbacks in established areas, reduces upper floor level side and rear setbacks in the rear building zone and introduces a zero side boundary setback for garages on large blocks. These changes provide greater flexibility in building design.
The provisions for courtyard walls, vehicle access, parking and private open space have been clarified as well as being broadened for compact and mid-sized blocks. A specific requirement for principal private open space has been introduced that is determined by the zone and the dwelling size. This means that dwellings have an outdoor living area that is an extension of the indoor living spaces and is of a usable size. It means they do not just have a little corner poked away out the back, not connected to the living areas. It must be part of the main living area and it must have good solar access.
Variation 306 also deletes some provisions from the current single dwelling code, such as the restriction on white, off-white or unpainted metal sheeting, and the requirement for garages and carports close to the front boundary to be the same material as the residence.
Variation 306 also includes a new multi-unit housing development code, which incorporates many of the same changes as the single-dwelling housing development code. In response to strong community concern about multi-unit redevelopment in RZ2 suburban core zones, new rules were formulated and given interim effect from June 2011. The new rules put in place restrictions on block consolidation and limit the site density to not more than one dwelling for each 350 square metres of site area.
In addition, the new rules limit the number of dwellings in any one building to four. This is designed to reduce the bulk of buildings in an effort to ensure consistency with the existing neighbourhood character. This policy has very strong community support.
Variation 306 proposes a new housing replacement policy that requires at least one three-bedroom dwelling to be provided for each block in a proposed multi-unit redevelopment. This provision will ensure that housing choice is maintained in residential redevelopment in areas such as the inner north and allows families with children to remain in the area. This policy was prompted by public submissions.
Variation 306 replaces the current residential subdivision development code with a new estate development code. It differs from the current code in format and some key policies, not least being the new block compliance tables designed to achieve improved solar performance for residential subdivision. Compliance with these tables will ensure that a reasonable dwelling can be constructed on the block that complies
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