The Canberra Liberals will call today on the ACT Labor-Greens government to remove the proposed 120m² size restriction on second dwellings and allow for separately titled dual occupancies on RZ1 blocks over 800m².
Under the new Territory Plan, Residential Zone 1 (RZ1) blocks greater than 800 square metres will be able to have a secondary dwelling up to 120 square metres in size – larger than most two-bedroom and many three-bedroom apartments in high density areas, thus increasing both housing and renting stock, the ACT Government announced in September.
However, Canberra Liberals MLA Peter Cain, Shadow Minister for Planning and Land Management, Peter Cain, said the RZ1 plan was “a very unambitious copy” of the Liberals’ plan at the last election to allow separately titled dwellings on blocks 800 square metres or larger.
“The government’s policy on dual occupancies as it currently stands is not fit for purpose,” Mr Cain said today.
“There are approximately 40,000 eligible RZ1 blocks, many of which are over 1,000m². This means that a 120m² second dwelling will not appropriately maximise utilisation of these larger blocks.
“Why restrict a property owner on a quarter-acre block to building a 120m² second dwelling under only a unit title? It prevents a wider range of housing sizes being made available to the market.
“Local building and construction industry stakeholders are concerned that this size limit will act as a deterrent to construct a second dwelling.
“Canberrans seeking to develop dual occupancies should not be restricted by such arbitrary and unproductive measures.”

