NSW Planning Minister Rob Stokes has released a statement clarifying the minimum apartment sizes for the state.
The statement follows in the wake of wide-spread confusion after a judgement made by the NSW Land and Environment Court, wherein the court ruled the widely used “rules of thumb” in the SEPP65 Residential Flat Design Code was not the guideline to be followed in relation to apartment size minimums. Instead, it pointed to an adjoining table, which set out sizes dramatically larger than the rules of thumb, as the correct guideline.
In his statement, the minister declared the minimum apartment sizes to be:
- 35m2 for studio apartments
- 50m2 for 1 bedroom apartments
- 70m2 for 2 bedroom apartments
- 90m2 for 3 bedroom apartments
Additional bathrooms will increase minimum apartment sizes by five square metres each and additional bedrooms will increase the size by 12 square metres each.
The minister said this decision will help support good design, housing affordability and supply in NSW.
These sizes are largely consistent with the minimum apartment sizes suggested for affordable housing set out under the rules of thumb in the Residential Flat Design Code. The code states:
As a guide, the Affordable Housing Service suggest the following minimum apartment sizes, which can contribute to housing affordability: (apartment size is only one factor influencing affordability)
- 1 bedroom apartment 50m2
- 2 bedroom apartment 70m2
- 3 bedroom apartment 95m2
Notably, the Government has reduced the minimum size requirements for 3-bedroom apartments from 95 square metres to 90 square metres.
Further to this, the NSW Government is currently reviewing the planning policy governing the design of quality residential development. A new Apartment Design Guide will be released which will reiterate minimum size requirements.
