Be Shaw Drafting handles design and documentation for new residential builds across Newcastle, the Hunter Region. Central Coast and Port Stephens.
From a single custom home through to a dual occupancy development, we work through the design with you, confirm the right approval pathway, and produce plans your builder can work from.
Building from scratch gives you the opportunity to get everything right from the start. Orientation, layout, room connections, storage, and outdoor living are all considered together rather than worked around an existing structure.
Every new home project starts with a site analysis and compliance check to confirm what’s possible on the block before design work begins. From there we develop the concept with you, refine it through the design brief, and progress through to a full set of permit and construction documentation.
These two terms are often used interchangeably, but they refer to different types of development with different planning requirements. Understanding the distinction early matters because it affects the approval pathway, the planning controls that apply, and ultimately what’s achievable on your site.
Dual living refers to a principal dwelling with an attached or detached secondary dwelling on the same lot. This is commonly known as a granny flat arrangement and is assessed under the NSW Housing SEPP. One principal dwelling, one secondary dwelling, one lot.
Dual occupancy refers to two separate primary dwellings on the same lot. This is a different type of development that triggers a different set of planning controls and typically requires more detailed assessment.
The distinction matters because dual occupancy proposals are subject to more site-specific planning requirements than a secondary dwelling. What’s permissible on one block may not be permissible on the next, depending on zone, lot size, frontage, and council controls.
For dual occupancy proposals, one of the first things we assess is whether the project can be lodged under the Low-Rise Housing Diversity Code. This pathway allows certain dual occupancy developments to be approved as Complying Development through a private certifier, avoiding council altogether and significantly reducing approval timeframes.
To qualify, the proposal must meet all the prescriptive standards under the Code. These requirements are highly site-specific, which is why a compliance check is the right starting point before any design work begins.
If the proposal does not meet the CDC requirements under the Low-Rise Housing Diversity Code, a DA through council is required. The DA pathway provides more flexibility for sites with constraints but comes with longer timeframes.
Dual occupancy planning requirements vary significantly from site to site. Zone, lot size, frontage width, existing structures, and site constraints all affect what’s permissible and which pathway applies. Getting this wrong early is an expensive mistake.
Before any design work starts on a dual occupancy or dual living project, we run a compliance check to confirm whether the proposal is viable, and which approval pathway suits the site. It takes the guesswork out of the early stages and gives you a clear picture of what you’re working with before any fees are committed to design.
Good dual occupancy design goes beyond fitting two dwellings on a block. A few things we focus on:
Window placement, outdoor areas, and building separation are considered so both occupants have genuine privacy.
Each dwelling should have a clear, separate entry that feels like its own front door rather than a shared arrangement.
Both dwellings are designed to make the most of northerly sunlight where the site allows, with window placement and shading considered for each
Dual occupancy developments are subject to greater scrutiny from councils and certifiers on their appearance from the street. We design with that in mind from the concept stage.
Not sure whether your site suits a dual occupancy or which pathway applies? Get in touch for a free initial consultation. We’ll run a compliance check, walk you through the options, and give you a straight answer on what’s achievable before any fees are involved.
Call Patrick on 0434 496 431. We service Newcastle, Lake Macquarie, Maitland, Port Stephens, Cessnock, the Hunter Region, and the Central Coast.