DUAL
OCCUPANCY+
SUBDIVISION
MELBOURNE
& REGIONAL VICTORIAN
PLANNER
250+Permits across Victoria! Architecture,Town Planning + Building Permit.
Free Site Assessment.Maximise your development!
250+Permits across Victoria! Design,Town Planning + Building Permit.
Free Site Assessment.Maximise your development!
Dual Occupancy Founder belongs to the peak institutions of the architecture and town planning profession. He managed hundreds of planning permits from most Councils across Melbourne. Invest in experience. Request yoiur Free site assessment.
Have you developed before? Let's get started on your project!
A luxury dual occupancy designed for well being. The discerning owners live in their dream 4 bedrooms duplex home and generate income from the smaller 3 bedroom unit next door!
A Hamptons style dual occupancy.The layout caters to downsizers as well as young families living in Covid times with Zoom room, home school and library. Plenty of storage for dry goods!
A luxury dual occupancy designed for two owners with no party walls. One will live there and the other will sell to an investor. Grand library and entertainers courtyards makes this a special duplex.
Dual occupancy success relies on good design, sound town planning knowledge and strategies and most important is proven experience in dual occ subdivisions.
One has to consider council's planning policies, the site zoning and overlays and neighbourhood character, amenities and vegetation to name some of the criteria council will consider when it comes to a planning permit or a planning refusal.
We work with all councils including
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I turned my first home into a very profitable dual occupancy. It even had a "listed" tree on the land! Council was 100% against the development.
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I later invested the profits into the second home which got rezoned for apartments!
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I then bought a 3000sqm waterfront land for peanuts. No one wanted it for decades, as it was zoned NOT TO BE DEVELOPED. After two years of negotiation with the local council from GM down and armed with engineering design and data, I had it rezoned to Residential. The value of the vacant land soared! I owner-built using 6m deep screw pile foundations. The cliff edge building is rock solid and can be loosened or tightened with soil movement!
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I thrive on good design, solid engineering and strategic town planning to yield more for developers!
*While consulting to architects and property subdivision deveIopers, I managed over 250 planning permits for dual occupancy subdivisions + townhouses across Melbourne.
Benefit from that experience.
Request a Free Site Assessment!
I have a strong background in architecture and was trained by a Master Architect. I also developed my own projects including a highly profitable dual occupancy subdivision. Coupled that with being a Registered Planner gives me the competitive advantage over just town planners or architects or designers or drafts persons.
My practice-AuArchitecture- is supported by a great team of Registered Building Practitioners, a Registered Architect, BIM technicians who use the latest software to document your dual occupancy or unit development project.
We partner all the other consultants required to take your dual occupancy project from design brief to building. Invest in our decades of experience.
We work across Melbourne and regional Victoria and I have interacted with every council across Greater Melbourne- from Dandenong to Macedon Ranges- from Stonnington to Casey, Brimbank, Moonee Valley and the list goes on!
Call me on 0448 170 132 or email your questions, development goals and a high level Free Site Assessments.
We work with all councils across Greater Melbourne and Regional Victoria
What is a dual occupancy property subdivision in Victoria?
A dual occupancy occurs when a planning permit is granted by your Victorian Council to build two dwellings on a block of land which can also be subdivided to create two individual lots of land.
A triple occupancy would allow three units- like three townhouses- and a three lot property subdivision.
What are the dual occupancy types in Victoria?
The most common type is the tandem where a new home is built in a backyard. Corner sites offer great opportunities for a dual occupancy subdivision. In the right area and council jurisdiction, a duplex could yield the largest homes.
One behind the other
A second home in the backyard is possible subject to a 3m wide driveway to the rear yard
Corner blocks with own address
Corner block dual occupancy are stand alone homes in the backyard.
Side by side offer big homes
In the right council, with the minimum frontage allowed a duplex delivers a punch!
Which type will work on your land?
Dual occupancy developments could retain the existing (original) house and build one new house at the backyard or in the front yard depending on size, depth, vehicle access width and how one meets the local council's planning requirements.
Other forms of dual occupancy developments occur when the existing house is demolished to make way for two brand new houses which could be one behind the other called a tandem design or be side by side which is called a duplex style development. In more unusual designs, a duplex could be one dwelling above another!
In both instances access, site frontage, depth and orientation play a key part in the design. North facing backyards make the perfect duplex sites.
A corner site has distinctive advantages when creating a sense of address as both the units have a valuable street frontage.
Contact us today to find which form of dual occupancy will suit your land.
What should you look for in a dual occupancy block of land? Read about the key site criteria.
Steps to obtain a Town Planning Permit
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Prepare a Land Survey showing levels and features and boundaries ( FL and RE Estab survey)
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Prepare a preliminary design for your dual occupancy project
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Finalise the plans and prepare a full set of drawings for the Planning Application ( see drawings in video below)
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The drawings include all the plans, elevations, shadow diagrams, site description and neighbourhood character study at the least
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Write the Town Planning report
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Obtain other reports if applicable- traffic engineering, arborist, heritage, Sustainability Assessment and so on
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Lodge the set of documents with your local council and pay the applicable fees
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Council responds in 28 days seeking more information if required
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Submit the further information
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The Application is advertised and anyone can lodge an objection
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Council makes a decision to approve or refuse
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You have the right to appeal a decision at the VCAT
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Council issues conditions to a Town Planning Permit
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Submit the amended drawings addressing those conditions
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Council issues stamped (endorsed) drawings
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Start the next stage called the Building Permit
Summary:
If keeping the existing house- make sure you can build a 3 metre wide driveway to the backyard where the second house will sit.
Have enough land in the backyard to provide mandatory open spaces ( think courtyard) in the backyard for both houses. These can range from 25sqm. to 80sqm. per dwelling.
Building Permit
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At Building Permit stage more detailed plans, elevations, sections, schedules are prepared
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Structural engineers design the building components
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Civil ( drainage) engineer designs the method of disposing all the rainwater collected from the roof and driveways
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Energy report specifies the methods to make the building comfortable and energy efficient to live in
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The Building Surveyor certifies the documents and issues a Building Permit
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A builder can quote and formally start the construction
Subdivide the land into 2 lots
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Apply to Council or a subdivision permit. You can do so at the time you applied for the Town Planning Permit
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Council issues the Subdivision Permit with conditions
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Conditions are usually the connection of services to each lot- eg sewer, power, water, NBN, gas, stormwater discharge etc
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Once these services are connected Council issues a Certificate of Compliance
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The land surveyor draws up the subdivision plan in the required format
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These plans with the Certificate o Compliance is lodged at the Titles Office with the applicable fees.
Town Planning drawings
Building Permit drawings
Council communication: Planning Application form, Request for Further Information, Planning Permit, Endorsed plans
Benefits of a Dual Occupancy
The typical dual occupancy development is the tandem style arrangement. When the existing house is retained in the dual occupancy development, one's capital is preserved because the asset purchased, that is the house on the land, is retained.
The house has value so think twice before you consider demolition!
The only time one should consider demolishing the house in a dual occupancy development is if the house is in very poor order or there has been significant growth in the value of the land.
The worst house on the best street is often a good candidate for a dual occupancy.
A dual occupancy equates to the land value being shared by two dwellings thereby reducing the land cost to half. If one was to succeed in retaining the original home and get planning permission to build two new homes in the backyard the cost of the land component is one third!
A dual occupancy allows one to:
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Utilise an unused backyard and become maintenance free
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Sell the newly created lot through the property subdivision and use that cash to pay down the mortgage or use it for any worthwhile purpose or investment
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If you decided to build the new dual occ home you could move into your brand new home and enjoy the new kitchen and bathrooms
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You could then sell the original home free of capital gains tax (check with your accountant first) or rent it out for some additional income
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Or you could sell both the homes or rent them out as investment properties which generate attractive depreciation benefits
In Australia- and in particular Melbourne and Sydney, there are suburbs where the value of the land outstrips the value of the actual house!
In most middle and outer suburbs the houses have great value as it generates rental income and is easier to finance by typical lenders.
For example, if the house is retained in the dual occupancy development, banks could lend 80-95% of the value of the property.
On the other hand, if the house was demolished, banks tend to lend only 65-70% of the value of the land as the house has been removed leaving the lender with land value only.
This preservation of capital- retaining the original home- in the eyes of the lender reduces the risk because if, for any reason, the development does not go ahead, the asset retains its value.
Even after the redevelopment, the value of the existing dwelling is by and large retained.
The existing dwelling also generates rental cash flow during the planning process and in some cases even when the development is underway. This cash flow cannot usually be generated from a vacant allotment.
Dual Occupancy Profitability
Dual occupancy developments are profitable because it maximises the land value.
One generates twice the value from the original house and land as two houses generate two rental incomes.
Even if you sold the existing house, chances are it will be free of capital gains tax which might pay off your mortgage, any debts or release cash to be used for other worthwhile ventures. Check this out with your accountant.
Very often, after the dual occupancy subdivision is completed, the original home is sold for almost the price one paid for the whole block of land with the house. The second house then becomes the cream.
Dual Occupancy Property
Dual Occupancy Site Selection
There is a myriad of things to consider when finding a suitable dual occupancy development site.
Some of these are listed below.
The cost of the site should result in acceptable development margins
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The site width should allow for two crossovers in the ideal scenario but many Councils in Melbourne are clamping down on this type of duplex developments
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The vehicle accessway to the backyard should be a minimum 3m in width and compliant to meet the now mandatory safety standards
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The site length and area should allow adequate north facing open space for recreation and landscaping
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The site should be close to infrastructure, schools, shops and transport
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The title should be clear of development restrictions and preferably without any easements
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All the essential services should be available onsite or in close proximity and run in the most advantageous position
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The site orientation should be perfect so that the amenities of neighbouring properties are not adversely affected
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The zoning of your land and it's associated Schedule should not be too restrictive
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The planning overlays on your land should not be too restrictive
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The site should be fairly level as sloping blocks may cost more to build. However sites with great views benefit from sloping land
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There should be little or no significant vegetation on the site and on abutting sites within say 5 m of the common boundaries
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A soil test should demonstrate the foundations will not require additional strengthening
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There should be no encroachments on your title boundary or by your property on adjoining allotments
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There should preferably be precedents for similar development in your neighbourhood
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There should be no planning overlays burden development
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Your local Council should encourage development to meet their housing stock forecast
Dual Occupancy Services
We deliver end to end property development solutions including:
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intelligent design and inhouse architecture
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effective town planning strategy
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inhouse town planning reports
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project feasibility
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land subdivisions
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manage town planning applications at all councils across Victoria
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building permit
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construction documentation
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co ordinate other consultants services, including engineering, energy report, soil report, traffic, arborist and others to get your project started. Read about our Specialist Services.
With over 250 planning permits personally managed by our Founder, why trust your project to inexperience?
Benefit from our knowledge.
How can you maximise the value from your land?
Can you subdivide, build a dual occupancy in your backyard or develop townhouses, a medical or childcare centre?
Contact Swarup direct for an obligation free, high level opinion.
Are you planning to develop your land or purchase one to develop into a dual occupancy or multi unit development and subdivision?
I can help you with your first project or if you developed before.
The services we offer are:
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Design Brief to Concept Design
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Site Assessment and feasibility
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Town Planning drawings and documentation
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Planning Scheme Report- Rescode included
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Manage the Application at your local council- respond to correspondence, attend meetings and amend designs as required
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Building Permit documentation
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Co ordination of consultants
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Marketing collateral
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Construction Cost Plan
Read our Capability Statement.
Can you dual occ your land or your backyard. Will Council allow you to subdivide? Are you thinking of a dual occupancy subdivision to build equity?
Contact me today on 0448 170 132 to discuss your development goals or complete the simple form below for your dual occupancy assessment. We treat all your information in absolute confidence like we have done for hundreds of others.
Dual Occupancy Course. Learn from our experience in development!
Dual Occupancy Subdivision
The most common form of subdivision is retaining the existing home and building a new dual occupancy home in the backyard ( or front yard in some instances) or on the side, in corner sites.
A Town Planning Application is often required for a second home on the block in typical suburban blocks across Victoria. The Application documents include a suite of plans, elevations and a planning report.
After Council's approval, you will need to satisfy the Planning Permit conditions, like connecting all the essential services to the backyard ( the new works), before you can register the new lot (s) with the Land Titles Office.
In some instances, some Council's will enter into a Section 173 agreement which defers doing those works.
Most developers build the new dual occupancy house connected to power, water, NBN, sewer and other services, then subdivide, register the new lots and then sell the new lot with the new home to maximise profit.
Others just connect the services and sell the new lot(s) or if acceptable to your local council, enter into a Section 173 Agreement which is drafted by Council's lawyers for a fee.
In many instances, they move into the new home and sell the front home to enjoy tax benefits.
These lots are usually strata titled with common property like the shared driveway.
Subdivision process
In a nutshell, the subdivision process to obtain new titles is as follows:
Obtain subdivision approval from Council who will issue a Permit with Permit Conditions.
Satisfy those permit condition works- eg connect services like sewer, power and so on.
On completion of the works specified in the Permit Conditions Council issues a Certificate of Compliance.
A Registered Land surveyor prepares the Plan of Subdivision in the approved format for certification by council.
You or your representative can then lodge the Certificate of Compliance and Plan of Subdivision with the Titles Office and pay the appropriate fee.
The Titles Office then issues the legally registered titles and lot plan of subdivision.
Thinking Dual Occupancy? We can give you an honest opinion of the development potential for your land. Please complete the details below and I will respond within 48 hours or sooner.
Or call me on 0448 170 132
The Dual Occ process for first home owners and investors
THE DUAL OCCUPANCY PROCESS
Site Audit
We analyse your property against the planning regulations, site dimensions, aspect and more...
Design
We custom design a dual occupancy home to meet your requirements. See our dual occupancy designs.
Town Planning
We write the town planning report and implement town planning strategy for your dual occ.
Manage
We manage the application at Council.
Duplex style dual occupancy.
Demolish the old house and build 2 side by side homes
Tandem- one behind the existing home style dual occupancy
AuArchitecture is or parent site
DUAL OCCUPANCY SUBDIVISION.
A dual occupancy is successful when your local Victorian Council consents to you building two dwellings on a block and most importantly allows you to subdivide that block into two. That allows you to sell one or both blocks.
Some Councils across Melbourne have minimum lot sizes so even though that council might give you approval for a dual occupancy you are stuck with both dwellings on the one lot!
Contact us to find if your land is burdened by minimum lot sizes.
The second critical item to check is the title. Does it contain a restrictive covenant of Section 173 attached to the title? These could be problematic. Get a free Title Check today.
DUAL OCCUPANCY PROPERTY
Is your property suitable for a dual occ subdivision? You may be thinking of building a new home in your backyard.
Is it deep and wide enough to provide the private open spaces for each dwelling? Will it allow for the appropriate number of car spaces? Is the site wide enough to provide turning circles for the cars to exit the site?
Is the site wide enough for a side by side duplex? Is it a corner site capable of supporting more than a dual occ- three units? How many bedrooms will the dual occupancy house accommodate?
These are the most commonly asked questions by would be developers. Contact us for a frank and fearless opinion.
ZONING AND COUNCIL POLICIES
The most challenging issue you will face are the councils zoning, schedule and overlays.
The Zoning will give you an idea of what you will be allowed to build. Most sites in Greater Melbourne will support a dual occ in the zoning.
However the Schedule will specify site coverage and other requirements including the amount and size of the open space you need to provide each dwelling.
The overlays , if one burdens your land, could affect vegetation control, excavation, heritage, bush fire and more.
DUAL OCCUPANCY + PROPERTY SUBDIVISION COURSE
Learn how to develop property , subdivide your home and build equity from residential property in Melbourne.
Residential Property Development in Melbourne,Victoria Au
Why develop in Melbourne Australia?
Residential property development is generally encouraged across Melbourne where the population is expected to outgrow that of Sydney by 2060. The Bureau of Statistics predicted Melbourne’s population will overtake Sydney’s by 2053. Australia’s largest cities of Sydney (now @4.9 million people) and Melbourne(@4.5 million) will both have populations of 7 million by 2041 which will create and underpin ongoing opportunities for investment and development of new projects across a range of property markets.
“Remember no Town Planning Permit means no Property Development- so don’t even think of the finishes and colours now – think of the big picture first- your planning permission to build. A Planning Permit allows you to build.”
Introduction
Property development is enjoyable and profitable. Once the first project is completed and sold or leased, the development bug will get into you as long as you do it with good advice. There are different types of residential property developments. Read on