Turn one block into a multi-dwelling development

HAO Design helps Sydney property owners and investors turn a single block into a multi-dwelling development — duplexes, terraces, townhouses and low- and mid-rise apartments — under the NSW Low and Mid-Rise (LMR) Housing Policy. We check whether your site qualifies, model the likely yield, and manage the whole journey from feasibility through council approval to a completed build.

What is the NSW Low and Mid-Rise Housing Policy?

It’s a NSW planning reform that allows more “missing middle” housing — dual occupancies, terraces, townhouses and residential flat buildings — in established residential areas where it was previously restricted. The controls apply to residential land within 800 metres’ walking distance of 171 nominated town centres and train or light-rail stations across metropolitan Sydney, the Central Coast, the Illawarra-Shoalhaven and the Hunter.

Does my site qualify for an LMR development?

It depends on three things, and we check all of them for you:

• Location — is your block within 800 metres’ walking distance of a nominated centre or station?
• Zoning and lot size — the controls apply to residential zones and set minimum lot dimensions for each housing type.
• Site constraints — some land is excluded, including heritage items and many bushfire- or flood-prone sites.

Send us your address and we’ll tell you quickly whether your site is in scope.

What could I build — a duplex, townhouses, or apartments?

That comes down to your lot and its distance from the centre or station. Options range from a dual occupancy or a row of terraces and townhouses, through to a low- or mid-rise apartment building on larger, well-located sites. We model the realistic options for your specific block, rather than a one-size-fits-all answer.

How do I know if the numbers stack up?

This is where we’re different. Before you commit, we prepare a feasibility and yield assessment — what the site can hold, likely construction cost, and end value — from both an architect’s and a developer’s point of view. You get a clear, honest picture of whether the project is worth pursuing.

Why use an architect who is also a developer?

Because a development that looks good on paper can still lose money. David Lin is an active property developer and Hai Sun Tan is a registered architect (NSW Registration 7532). Together they make sure your project is well-designed and financially sound — and they manage it through to completion.

Wondering what your block is worth as a development?

Get a free site assessment — we’ll tell you whether it qualifies for LMR and what it could yield.

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admin@hao.com.au · 0403 263 365