Looking at the property market in Western Australia, there is a clear trend: the average lot size is gradually decreasing. Increasingly, building a new home in Perth is about making the most of a small block. And it's not just Australia - cities around the world are seeing an increase in high-density living, designed to accommodate more people in urban and suburban areas.
Of course, many factors fueled this shift. The effects of an ever-growing population and a shift in homebuyer preferences have collided to fuel this demand for well-located small blocks. These days, living in a great location is far more important than maximizing your home's square footage. In fact, if you are looking to buy a new home or buy land, you may be interested in a smaller lot. But what exactly is a 'small lot' in Perth?
According to Perth's Liveable Neighborhoods Plan, there is no official definition of what counts as a "small lot". Different suburbs of Perth may have individual municipal planning codes and therefore typical, minimum and average lot sizes vary. The average plot size in Perth is 372m2, so anything under that is on the smaller side and narrow blocks are generally considered those under 15m.
While some cities have a specific "small lot" code that regulates what can be built on narrow blocks, Perth has no formal guidelines in this area, other than general requirements regarding setbacks and boundaries. Let's take a look at what is generally considered a small block in Australia and what information Perth authorities provide about lot sizes.
Index
What is considered a 'small lot' in Australia?
Just as a "small lot" in one part of Perth may not be considered small in another suburb, different parts of Australia also have different standards for what is considered small.However, if we need to generalize across the country, any plot less than 450m2 wide or narrower than 15m is generally considered small.10m wide blocks can usually be found in densely populated areas andsmall batch manufacturersdeveloped efficient planning techniques for creating homes on narrow blocks of land.
What is considered a small or narrow plot in Perth?
With the average plot size in Perth well below the benchmark of 450m2, many blocks being developed in Perth will require specific skills and strategies for small plot developers. But in practice, whether a plot is small or not depends on where you are in Perth.
Under Western Australia's zoning policies, different areas of the state will have designated housing design codes, or R-codes for short. A suburb's R-code will determine many things about potential residential development in that area, including allowable lot sizes for houses.
Apparently the outer suburbs of Perth tend to have larger lots than the inner suburbs. So what is considered a small lot can be considered a medium or even a large lot close to the CBD. These places are inevitably more densely populated, so the R codes allow for smaller lot sizes to provide adequate housing for all.
Let's take a look at the three most common residential zone codes or R codes in Perth: R20, R30 and R40. Suburbs closer to Perth's central business districts tend to be split into R30 and R40. Meanwhile, the most common zone for Perth suburbs is R20. Each of these R codes will have a minimum batch size and an average batch size that must be met for an entire block or development.
| R20 Zone | |
| Minimum land area per dwelling (detached/group dwelling) | 350 m2 |
| Minimum average land area per dwelling (detached/group dwelling) | 450 m2 |
| Minimum land area per dwelling (multi-dwelling) | 450 m2 |
| Minimum Rear Lot Area / Battle Ax (Detached House) | 450 m2 |
| Minimal front | 10m |
| R30 Zone | |
| Minimum land area per dwelling (individual dwelling/group dwelling) | 260 m2 |
| Minimum average land area per dwelling (detached/group dwelling) | 300 m2 |
| Minimum land area per dwelling (multi-dwelling) | 300 m2 |
| Minimum Rear Lot Area / Battle Ax (Detached House) | 410 m2 |
| Minimal front | n / D |
| Zone R40 | |
| Minimum land area per dwelling (individual dwelling/group dwelling) | 180 m2 |
| Minimum average land area per dwelling (detached/group dwelling) | 220 m2 |
| Minimum land area per dwelling (multi-dwelling) | n / D |
| Minimum Rear Lot Area / Battle Ax (Detached House) | 380 m2 |
| Minimal front | n / D |
Source:R Codes 2018
This data comes directly from the Western Australian Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage and the Western Australian Planning Commission. At the time of writing, neither has an official definition of what metrics would be considered a "small batch." We only have the minimum plot sizes to work with and generally available data on average plot sizes in Perth – the median is 372m2.
After all, lot sizes and land areas vary greatly from suburb to suburb. In fact, you could even settle somewhere in Perth that isn't zoned R2, R30 or R40 - there are a whole host of less common R codes that may apply to the area, so it's always important to check the R code and specific requirement zones for any block of land you intend to purchase.
What is the average lot size in Perth?
The average lot size in Perth depends a lot on which suburb you're looking at. The average plot size in Perth is 372m2, but of course there is a wide range of plot sizes on either side of this midpoint.Perth's outer suburbs are often zoned R20 and plots can be more than twice the size of land in central Perth. Precincts closer to the Perth CBD are generally zoned R30 or R40 and plot sizes reflect this higher living density.
For example, the average plot size in North Perth is just 245m2, while Mount Pleasant has a generous average plot size of 485.5m2. For more average plot sizes in Perth suburbs seeWARTday's report.
What is Microlot?
A microlot is exactly what it sounds like: incredibly small lots designed expressly for high-density housing.While there is no official "microlot" category under Western Australian zoning law, a widely publicized pilot project in 2018 tested the microlot strategy.
These tiny plots can be up to 80 square meters. The Western Australian Government - WAPC in particular - executed the project with developer LWP Property Group and builders Now Living. Together, they experimented with building and selling houses on small plots of only 80 to 100 m2.
These properties opened to buyers in the Ellenbrook subdivision, north-east of Perth, where 11 microlots were for sale. The project aimed to test a strategy to address the real estate crisis, aiming for more flexible future planning and construction strategies. With available plots shrinking and property costs rising, the experiment was set to prove that sustainability and housing quality need not be sacrificed even for the smallest blocks.
The project has indeed been a huge success, proving that it is possible to achieve a high quality of life on a small and narrow plot, but it may be a while before 80m2 plots become regular. It all depends on the design of the home and the right custom home builder can work wonders on even the tightest of Perth lots.
Does Perth have a small area housing code?
At the time of writing, Perth does not have a minor housing code unlike many other Australian cities.However, general building regulations and requirements regarding minimum setbacks, land area and open space requirements must be considered for any residential or commercial development in Perth.
What is the smallest plot of land you can build a house on?
As demonstrated by the success of Perth's small plot project, a comfortable, aesthetic and perfectly sustainable house can be built on plots from 80m2 to 100m2.In typical conditions, Perth's highest residential zoning density - R80 - allows a minimum floor area of 100m2 per dwelling.
Denial of responsibility:
This article is published in good faith and for general informational purposes only. It does not take into account your individual circumstances and is not an estimate for any particular project. Central Avenue Homes makes no warranty as to the continuing completeness, reliability or accuracy of this information. Construction costs and other financial details vary and you should always look for a specific quote.
Greg Granger
Greg has over 40 years experience in the WA construction industry, starting as a carpenter.
He is well established in the local industry and has served on the board of MBAWA (Master Builders Australia WA) for over 10 years and was a founding director of Wesbuilders Cooperative for over 11 years.
With this experience, he is able to accurately bid on new projects without the large increase in interim funding.
FAQs
What is considered a small or narrow plot in Perth? - Residences Avenida Central? ›
Different suburbs of Perth can have individual council planning codes, and therefore the typical, minimum and average lot sizes vary. The median lot size in Perth is 372 m2, so anything below this is on the smaller side, and narrow blocks are generally considered to be those under 15 m.
What is considered a narrow lot? ›We've defined narrow lot house designs as homes 40-feet wide or narrower. You'll often find narrow lots in urban areas, infill opportunities, and many brand-new neighborhoods.
What is the minimum size of a house in Perth? ›The draft document outlines key elements aimed at improving liveability, including minimum dwelling sizes of 36 square metres for studio apartments, 47 square metres for one-bedroom, 67 square metres for two-bedroom and 90 square metres for three-bedroom apartments.
What is the average size of a house in Perth? ›Data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) shows that the average size of blocks of land for new homes has been steadily shrinking around the country for the past decade, and Perth is the first to slip below 400 square metres, to 399sqm in 2021.
What are the smallest suburbs in Perth? ›Highgate is the smallest suburb in the Perth metropolitan region, with an area of just 0.4 km2 (0.2 sq mi).
How wide is a narrow house? ›Narrow houses typically fit on blocks that are 8-15 metres wide or even as narrow as 7m wide. Narrow houses have been around for centuries.
What is the width of a narrow house? ›Narrow Lot house plans are slender home designs built up vertically rather than horizontally to fit a slim lot size. Their width varies, but most Narrow Lot house plans reach a limit of 50' or less in width.
What is the average land size in Perth? ›In Greater Perth, the average site area has been less than 500 square metres each year since 2011-12, and has been below 450 square metres for the past seven financial years.
How much money do you need to buy a house in Perth? ›You only need 20% of the price to buy your new home. While a lower deposit is possible, they come with more disadvantages. With a greater down payment, your regular payments and interest will be reduced. Remember that you also must pay for stamp duty on a house in WA and other costs.
What is the lot size in Perth? ›Different suburbs of Perth can have individual council planning codes, and therefore the typical, minimum and average lot sizes vary. The median lot size in Perth is 372 m2, so anything below this is on the smaller side, and narrow blocks are generally considered to be those under 15 m.
Are Perth property prices falling? ›
Perth property market forecast 2023
The banks are all more-or-less aligned in their expectations. NAB's latest Perth house price forecast, which previously had values falling by a massive -13.1 per cent in 2023, has been revised to a +0.1 per cent gain.
Property prices to hold firm, rent prices to increase: REIWA market forecast update. "REIWA's 2023 property market quarterly update estimates Perth house prices will remain steady in the first half of 2023, while rent prices will continue to increase."
Is Perth property going to boom? ›Experts are expecting a 30% growth in Perth property prices in the period from 2023 to 2027. Despite going through some pricing fluctuation waves, the Perth property market is still expected to grow significantly in the long term.
What is the quietest suburb in Perth? ›Salter Point. Salter Point will be one of the best suburbs to live in Perth for those who like to avoid chaos and want to have a home in quiet streets. Salter Point has spectacular views and a relaxing place to settle just above the water.
What is the most sought after suburb in Perth? ›Dalkeith topped the million dollar list with an annual median house price of $3,400,000.
What is the safest suburb in Perth? ›Using data collected during the 2021 to 2022 financial year and 2022 to March 2023 financial year, PerthNow can exclusively reveal that the Joondalup policing district was overwhelmingly the safest place to live in WA.
What are narrow houses called? ›A shotgun house is a narrow rectangular domestic residence, usually no more than about 12 feet (3.5 m) wide, with rooms arranged one behind the other and doors at each end of the house.
What are the advantages of a narrow house? ›Improved energy efficiency. A smaller or narrow home means that you'll require less energy to heat or cool down the rooms in your home. You'll be saving money, reducing waste, as well as doing your part for the environment. You may even opt to add solar panels on the roof of your home so you can collect solar heat.
How narrow is the narrow house? ›Known in English as The Narrow House (fittingly), this two-story building is only five feet wide. It stretches 36 feet back, however, and is a popular stop for tourists in Puerto Rico.
Is there a 3 foot wide house? ›This perplexing 'skinny house' is going viral for its weirdly thin shape. This home in Illinois has a side that's only 3 feet wide. Houses come in all shapes and sizes, but most of us have never seen something quite like the "skinny house" in Deerfield, Illinois.
What is the smallest size a house can be? ›
Most states have adopted building and zoning codes from the International Residential Code (IRC). The IRC codes require that all homes must be built on a minimum of 320 square feet. The minimum square footage for a house is 120 square feet, and at least one room must be habitable.
What is the average size of a small house? ›A small home is a home under 2500 square feet (232 square meters). These homes are designed to hold an individual with room to spare or perfect for a medium to large family.
Is Perth Ground big or small? ›The field is 165 m (541 ft) long and 130 m (430 ft) wide, 5 m (16 ft) longer than both the Melbourne Cricket Ground and Docklands Stadium in Melbourne, but 10 m (33 ft) shorter than Subiaco Oval which is 175 by 122 m (574 by 400 ft).
What is the average block size in Perth? ›Average block size 180-280m² Typically built as a group, these allotments generally accommodate two storey homes with garaging via a rear lane.
What is the average house land size in Australia? ›State and territory highlights
In 2019/20 the average floor area of a house built in the ACT was 256.3m²; ahead of Victoria (250.3m²); NSW (235m²); and Western Australia (232.5m²).
In summary, foreigners can generally buy property in Perth, but they need to comply with FIRB regulations and restrictions . Foreign buyers are generally limited to purchasing new dwellings or vacant land for residential development, and FIRB approval is required for each purchase.
How much cash can you keep at home legally in Australia? ›There are no laws limiting the amount of cash you can keep at home. This makes sense as many businesses, especially retail stores, keep large amounts of money with them merely as floating cash.
Is buying a house in Perth a good investment? ›The Real Estate Institute of Western Australia (REIWA) expects, 'Perth house prices will show moderate growth of between +2 per cent and +5 per cent' over 2023. This is after robust sales growth in 2022, where their data recorded average weekly sales of 895, up from 870 in 2022.
What does R20 zoning mean in Perth? ›An R Code of R20 means that an average of 450sqm is required per dwelling: Lot is in the range: 450-899sqm. 900-1,349sqm. 1,350-1,799sqm 1,800-2,249sqm 2,250sqm and over.
What is a standard lot size for a house? ›According to our research, the national yard size sits around 23,301 square feet, or just over half an acre.
What is a green title subdivision in Perth? ›
WHAT IS A GREEN TITLE SUBDIVISION? A Green Title Lot, also known as a Freehold Lot, refers to a title that has no common areas or shared services. That is, the landholder owns the lot in its entirety and does not share utility services, such as sewerage, power, water and gas lines, with any other land owners.
What are the predictions for Perth property in 2024? ›“Prices now expected to lift 5 per cent in 2024, revised up from 2 per cent.” Overall, Westpac has predicted house prices will soar by 5 per cent in both Sydney and Melbourne, prices will jump by 6 per cent in Brisbane and rise by 8 per cent in Perth in 2024.
What is the average price of a house in Perth? ›Save articles for later
Perth remains one of Australia's strongest property markets with house prices continuing to climb higher to set a new record median of $672,177. Domain's House Price Report for the March quarter shows Perth and Adelaide are the only capital cities currently at a record high.
Westpac has revised its house price forecasts, with dwelling values expected to stabilise in 2023 (initially forecast a -7% decline). National dwelling values are predicted to rise 5% in 2024, up from 2%. Increased migration, surging construction costs, and low market supply are contributing to the stabilisation.
What will house prices be in 2025 Perth? ›A rise in house prices of 4% in 2024/25 is expected to see the median house price reach $679,000 in June 2025.
What will happen to Perth property market? ›“We are already seeing a resurgence of buyer pressure and price growth in properties below $1 million in Perth,” he said. “As a result, with affordability pricing people out, we will continue to see people consider moves to regional areas such as York which is currently experiencing strong price pressure.”
What is the outlook for property prices in Perth? ›Perth's house prices could crash over the next year, experts have warned. This decline follows a price increase of 13.1 per cent in 2021 and a 3.6 per cent increase in 2022.
How much will Perth houses cost in 2030? ›Assuming a 4.8% annual growth rate over the next 7 years, Perth's house prices could reach around $850,000 and the city's unit prices as high as around $560,000 in 2030.
Is Perth in a rental crisis? ›WA needs up to 20,000 rental homes
According to the Real Estate Institute of Western Australia (REIWA), the state needs 18,000 to 20,000 new rental properties to bring the market into balance. Perth's vacancy rate is currently at 0.7%, far from the balanced levels of 2.5% to 3.5%.
While conditions are not boding well for the future of Perth's property market, Mr Gavalas warned that the situation is “unlikely to improve anytime soon”, with the National Housing Finance and Investment Corporation's recently released State of the Nation's Housing Report 2022–23 predicting that Perth is set to ...
What suburbs to avoid living in Perth? ›
Northbridge, unsurprisingly, tops the list as the suburb with the most misdemeanours per 1000 people last year, followed by Perth itself. Both are home to the majority of the city's nightlife and entertainment venues, which attract visitors and escalate the opportunity for crime.
Which part of Perth is best to live? ›- Freemantle – Freemantle (or “Freo”) is almost as famous as Perth itself and is the city beach at the entrance to the mighty Swan River which winds its way throughout Perth. ...
- Swanbourne – As far west as you can get from Perth's city centre is the coastal suburb of Swanbourne.
Living north of the river gives you the best of both worlds being close to the coast and Perth's vibrant city life. Generally speaking, the northern suburbs are considered livelier with more attractions and a larger density of people.
Which US city is most like Perth? ›Perth is San Diego.
Which suburb in Perth has the most Chinese? ›Perth. Perth has a Chinatown on Roe Street in the inner-city suburb of Northbridge. There are many more Asian businesses found on William St, Northbridge than at the official Chinatown.
Which Perth suburbs have the most Asians? ›'What is the person's ancestry?' . In 2021, Crawley had the highest proportion of people with Chinese ancestry in the City of Perth.
Which part of Perth is rich? ›Bound on three sides by the Swan River, Dalkeith is renowned for being home to Perth's most affluent and some of the most impressive mansions in the city. Across the water from Dalkeith, the suburb is known colloquially as “Peppy Grove”.
What is the average width of a lot? ›sit on lots much wider than 50'. Based on about 25 years of surveying property in Fort Worth, my guess is that if you could find the data to average it out, you would find the average residential lot width to be about 55 feet.
What is the standard size of a lot? ›Understanding a Standard Lot
A standard lot represents 100,000 units of any currency, whereas a mini-lot represents 10,000 and a micro-lot represents 1,000 units of any currency. A one-pip movement for a standard lot corresponds with a $10 change.
Over the last few decades, the typical lot size in the U.S. has decreased significantly—from 18,760 square feet in 1978 to 13,896 in 2020. While lot sizes are getting smaller overall, there are still large discrepancies in lot sizes from state to state.
What is considered a good size lot? ›
Now, don't get us wrong, 8,000 square feet is plenty substantial for a single family. It's more than enough space for a home with several bathrooms and bedrooms as well as a full kitchen and generously-sized living area. The home would have room for both a big, green front yard and a backyard.
What is the width of a plot of land? ›The standard size of a plot of land is measured at 18 m x 36 m (meters), which is equivalent to 60 ft x 120 ft (Feet), and thus translates to 648 square meters.
What is the average size of a lot to build a house? ›Maryland at 7,599 square feet or 0.17 acres. California at 7,811 square feet or 0.18 acres. New Jersey at 7,811 square feet or 0.21 acres.
How do you determine property size? ›If the property is a perfect rectangle, simply measure the length and width and multiply those two numbers together. For example, if your one-story house is 60 feet wide by 40 feet long, then your property is 2,400 square feet (60 x 40 = 2,400).
What is the minimum lot size? ›Minimum Lot Size means the smallest allowable portion of a parcel determined to be usable for the proposed construction of facilities, according to applicable development standards. Minimum Lot Size has the meaning set forth in the Statement of Work.
What size house can you build on a 5000 sq ft lot? ›What is the Floor Area Ratio (FAR)? In an R1 zoned lot with a Lot Size of 5,000 square feet, the Total Development Potential for a one-story Single Family Dwelling is 2,600 square feet. For a two- story Single Family Dwelling, it is 4,940 square feet and for a three-story Single Family Dwelling it is 7,020 square feet.
What is the average size for a house? ›The median home size in the United States is 2,014 square feet.
Does lot size increase home value? ›Lot Size As a Factor in the Value of Your Home
As a general rule, homes on larger lots have a higher property value than similar houses on smaller lots in the same area. How much higher may depend on other neighborhood factors. The location makes a difference in how valuable a larger plot of land is to home buyers.
West Virginia is the cheapest state to buy a house in as it has the lowest median list prices for homes as well as the cheapest sales price per square foot. Property taxes in the state are also some of the lowest in America.
How many acres is a normal house? ›If you want to visualize an acre as a square, that's about 208 feet by 208 feet. The median lot size for a new single-family home is 0.19 acres, so five homes can fit comfortably on one acre. Learn how to visualize the size of an acre.
Is 2 acres enough for a house? ›
It is customary for builders to place at least 2-3 homes per acre, depending on the landscape. With custom home construction, lot sizes generally tend to be a little bigger.
How big of a house can you build on 0.25 acres? ›Today's homeowner prefers properties that are 2,500 square feet. At that size, you could fit more than 4 homes on your . 25 acres.
What is a lot in house? ›In real estate, a lot or plot is a tract or parcel of land owned or meant to be owned by some owner(s).