Property development guide

What can I develop on my property in Drummoyne?

Explore some of the planning controls, development opportunities and approval considerations that may affect properties in Drummoyne.

Every property is different, so the development potential should always be checked against the controls applying to the individual site.

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What development may be possible in Drummoyne?

Drummoyne is a peninsula suburb in the City of Canada Bay with extensive harbour frontage, older Federation and interwar housing, established apartment areas near Victoria Road, and strong foreshore and view related planning considerations.

Drummoyne contains low density residential streets, established medium and higher density areas near Victoria Road and the foreshore, and mixed use land along the main corridor, all mapped under Canada Bay LEP 2013.

Depending on the property, opportunities can include renovations and extensions, knock-down rebuilds, secondary dwellings, dual occupancy where the lot allows, and apartment or mixed use redevelopment on appropriately zoned land.

Foreshore building lines, harbour views, slope and heritage are the constraints that most often decide the outcome in Drummoyne, sometimes more than the mapped floor space ratio.

Renovations and extensions
Knock-down rebuilds
Granny flats or secondary dwellings
Dual occupancies
Subdivision
Townhouses or multiple dwellings
Redevelopment
Combining adjoining properties

These are not automatically available on every property. Zoning, lot dimensions, heritage, site constraints and other planning controls all matter.

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What could you do with your property?

Improve your home

Make your property work better for you and your family.

Renovations
Extensions
Additional bedrooms
Additional living space
Granny flats
Secondary dwellings
Knock-down rebuilds
Major home upgrades

Unlock more from your land

Understand whether your property could accommodate more homes, lots or development.

Dual occupancies
Townhouses
Subdivision
Battle-axe lots
Additional dwellings
Increased dwelling yield
Redevelopment opportunities

Combine & develop

Sometimes the bigger opportunity comes from bringing properties together.

Adjoining properties
Multiple neighbouring lots
Strata apartment blocks
Collective redevelopment
Site amalgamation
Larger development sites

Your property may have different development potential when considered together with neighbouring land.

What planning controls could affect a property in Drummoyne?

The controls below are a high level starting point only. The requirements that actually apply are set by the zoning and controls mapped to your individual lot, so they should always be confirmed for the specific property.

Applicable council: City of Canada Bay Council, with larger proposals potentially determined by a regional planning panel.
Planning instruments: Canada Bay LEP 2013 and the Canada Bay DCP, together with state policies including the Housing SEPP and harbour and foreshore related planning provisions.
Residential zoning: A mix of R2 low density, R3 medium density and higher density residential near Victoria Road and parts of the foreshore, plus mixed use land along the corridor.
Height and floor space ratio: Mapped lot by lot, with lower controls in the low density streets and higher controls near the corridor and established apartment areas.
Foreshore building line and harbour controls: Land near the harbour can be affected by a foreshore building line and by controls dealing with the harbour setting, landscaping and views from the waterway.
Heritage: Drummoyne includes heritage items and areas of Federation and interwar character, which affect demolition and the design of additions.
Slope, excavation and access: Sloping sites down to the water often involve excavation, retaining and constrained driveway gradients.
Setbacks, landscaping and parking: The DCP sets setbacks, landscaped area, deep soil, private open space and parking requirements, which frequently determine the achievable footprint.

Which council controls development in Drummoyne?

The City of Canada Bay Council assesses most Drummoyne development under Canada Bay LEP 2013 and the Canada Bay DCP.

State planning law sits above those controls, and additional provisions can apply to land near Sydney Harbour, including foreshore and waterway related requirements.

Where several instruments apply to one waterfront or near waterfront property, the site specific position needs to be confirmed.

Visit City of Canada Bay Council

Common development types in Drummoyne

Renovations and extensions

The most common development in Drummoyne's low density streets, with view sharing and privacy driving upper level design.

Knock-down rebuilds

Frequently pursued on older housing stock, subject to heritage status, foreshore controls and slope.

Granny flats and secondary dwellings

Possible where site area, setbacks, private open space and access can be satisfied.

Dual occupancy

Depends on the zone and on lot area and width. Many Drummoyne lots are narrow, so frontage is often the constraint.

Apartments and mixed use

Relevant on higher density and mixed use zoned land near Victoria Road, assessed against the Apartment Design Guide.

Strata redevelopment and amalgamation

Older walk-up blocks near the corridor are sometimes candidates for collective sale and redevelopment where the mapped controls support a materially larger building.

Including a development type here does not mean it is permitted on your property. Permissibility depends on the zone and the standards applying to the individual site.

Would I need a DA or CDC in Drummoyne?

Complying Development

Some development can be approved as Complying Development where every applicable requirement in the relevant code is met. It is a faster, standards based pathway, but a single non-compliance or an excluded site removes it.

Development Application

Other development requires a Development Application assessed by the council on its merits. This is the usual pathway where the design departs from a standard or the site is constrained.

The correct pathway depends on the property, the proposed development, the planning controls and the site constraints.

Check my approval pathway See how the process works

Does heritage affect development in Drummoyne?

Drummoyne has a significant number of heritage items and areas of consistent Federation and interwar streetscape character.

Where heritage applies, demolition is more difficult and additions are usually expected to be recessive, retaining the original street presentation. Subdivision within a conservation area is assessed against the historic pattern.

Heritage status should be confirmed for the specific property against the Canada Bay LEP heritage maps.

Could I develop my property with my neighbour?

Combining adjoining properties can sometimes create a larger development site and opportunities that may not be achievable on either property individually.

In Drummoyne, amalgamation is most relevant along the Victoria Road corridor and in the established apartment areas, where combining adjoining lots or an older strata block with a neighbouring site can create a viable redevelopment site.

Two neighbouring houses
Multiple adjoining lots
Strata apartment buildings
Larger coordinated redevelopment sites

Planning controls, ownership structure, site dimensions and commercial considerations all need to be assessed before a combined opportunity can be relied on.

Explore a combined development opportunity

Professional review

Get the opportunity checked by a Registered Planner.

Online information is a useful starting point, but development potential ultimately depends on the individual property.

A Registered Planner can review the relevant controls, identify the major constraints and help you understand what may realistically be achievable.

Get my property checked See pricing

Common property development questions in Drummoyne

What can I build on my property in Drummoyne?

On a low density lot, usually a new house, an extension or a secondary dwelling. Apartments or mixed use are limited to appropriately zoned land, mainly near Victoria Road.

Can I build a duplex in Drummoyne?

Where dual occupancy is permitted in the zone and the lot meets the applicable minimum area and width standards. Narrow lots are the usual obstacle.

Does the foreshore building line affect my Drummoyne property?

It can. Land near the harbour may be subject to a foreshore building line that limits how close to the water structures may be built.

Can I build a granny flat in Drummoyne?

Often, subject to land area, setbacks, private open space and access. Slope and existing site coverage can make it harder on some sites.

Does heritage affect what I can build in Drummoyne?

Frequently. Drummoyne has substantial heritage and character controls that shape demolition and the form of additions.

Can my apartment block be redeveloped in Drummoyne?

Older strata blocks can sometimes be redeveloped where the mapped height and floor space allow a materially larger building. It requires owner agreement as well as planning feasibility.

What zoning applies to my property in Drummoyne?

A mix of low, medium and higher density residential plus mixed use land along the corridor, mapped lot by lot in Canada Bay LEP 2013.

Do I need a DA or CDC in Drummoyne?

Complying Development can suit simple, fully compliant work, but heritage, foreshore and sloping sites commonly require a Development Application.

How does view sharing work in Drummoyne?

Harbour views are a recognised consideration, and upper level bulk and roof form are often adjusted to reduce view loss to neighbouring properties.

How do I check my Drummoyne property's development potential?

Start with your address. Develpr checks the zoning, foreshore, heritage and slope related controls applying to the individual site.

Planning sources

The controls referenced on this page come from the following authoritative sources. Always confirm the current requirements for the individual property.

Planning content reviewed by a Registered Planner. This guide is general information only and is not planning advice for a specific property.

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Browse all property development guides Read how a Develpr property check works See what a planning check costs Learn about the Develpr team

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