Sutherland Shire Council · Lot Size Map
Can I subdivide in Sutherland Shire? The minimum lot sizes
The Sutherland Shire Local Environmental Plan 2006 and Sutherland Shire Local Environmental Plan 2015 each set a minimum lot size for each area on their Lot Size Maps. By area alone, a block must be at least twice that size to split into two lots. This page shows the minimums mapped in Sutherland Shire's residential zones and how much of each zone they cover. It is indicative, not advice.
Indicative only, not a planning certificate. These figures come from public planning maps. They are not a planning certificate (section 10.7 certificate), a survey or advice, and they do not say whether the council would approve a subdivision.
Minimum lot sizes mapped in residential zones
| Zone | Mapped minimum | Share of the zone's mapped part | Block area for 2 lots, by area alone | For 3 lots, by area alone |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| R2 Low Density Residential 2,404 ha zoned, about 24% of it blank on the Lot Size Map | 550 m² | nearly all | 1,100 m² | 1,650 m² |
| Other mapped values (4) | under 1% | – | – | |
| R3 Medium Density Residential 247 ha zoned, about 20% of it blank on the Lot Size Map | 550 m² | nearly all | 1,100 m² | 1,650 m² |
| Other mapped values (1) | under 1% | – | – | |
| R4 High Density Residential 260 ha zoned, about 94% of it blank on the Lot Size Map | The Lot Size Map sets a minimum on only about 6% of this zone (550 m²). Most of it has no mapped minimum, so SplitCheck cannot assess a split there by area. | |||
Shares are of the part of each zone that the Lot Size Map covers. They are estimates from sampling the Land Zoning and Lot Size maps on a grid about 10 m apart, so treat them as approximate. Where the map sets different minimums inside one zone, the exact lot decides which number applies.
A zone can include land the Lot Size Map leaves blank. A lot there has no mapped minimum, and SplitCheck will say it cannot assess a split by area. We checked 8 evenly spread points in Sutherland Shire's blank residential land against the NSW cadastre: 3 fell on a land lot and 5 did not. So some real lots here have no mapped minimum. Where parts of the council area are planned under a State policy instead of the local plan, those parts are not in these figures.
Worked example. A 1,250 m² block in R2, where the map says 550 m².
1,250 ÷ 550 = 2.2. By area, that is two lots, not three lots.
The block must still pass the council's other rules, below. Area is only the first test.
What this page does not check
- Frontage and lot width. The council's development control plan (DCP) sets these, not the Lot Size Map.
- Heritage items and heritage conservation areas.
- Flooding, bush fire and other hazards on the lot.
- Easements, sewer, water and stormwater.
- Access to a rear lot, for example a battle-axe handle.
- Existing buildings, setbacks and trees.
- Units and townhouses on a strata plan. This page does not apply to them.
- Whether the council would approve it. Only a development application or a complying development certificate decides that.
Adding dwellings instead of lots
Dual occupancy, a granny flat, manor houses, terraces, multi-dwelling housing and the NSW low and mid-rise housing rules each have their own tests. Most of them add dwellings on one lot. They do not always create a new lot, so the lot counts above are not dwelling counts.
Check one address
SplitCheck reads the zone, the lot area and the mapped minimum for that exact lot, checks the NSW pathways and shows the working. A confident no counts as an answer. Three checks a month are free.
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Sources
NSW Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure, EPI Primary Planning Layers: Minimum Lot Size and Land Zoning. © State Government of NSW. Lot Size Maps: Sutherland Shire Local Environmental Plan 2006 and Sutherland Shire Local Environmental Plan 2015, current to 29 May 2026. Land Zoning Maps: Sutherland Shire Local Environmental Plan 2006 and Sutherland Shire Local Environmental Plan 2015, current to 29 May 2026. Blank-land check: © Department of Customer Service (NSW Spatial Services). NSW Digital Cadastral Database. For current information go to spatial.nsw.gov.au. Map data retrieved 27 September 2026. Page built 27 September 2026.
Indicative only, not a planning certificate. This page is built from public planning maps, not a site visit, a survey or advice. Always confirm with a registered town planner and the council before you rely on it or spend money on it.