Parking Requirements for Residential Development in Australia

What it is

Two questions sit behind every residential parking calculation. How many spaces do I need to provide, and how big do they need to be? The numbers come from two sources. The how many comes from the local planning scheme or development control plan (DCP). The how big comes from AS/NZS 2890.1 (the off-street parking standard) and AS/NZS 2890.6 (accessible parking).

The state planning policies set the framework. Each council fills in the specifics. The numbers below are typical defaults across Australia. Always check the planning scheme for the project site.

Typical rates by dwelling type

Single dwelling (one dwelling on a lot)

The almost universal rate is one resident space per dwelling. Some inner city councils (City of Sydney, City of Melbourne, City of Yarra) cap parking at one space rather than requiring it. Most suburban councils permit a second space if the lot is wide enough to take two driveways or a double garage.

Visitor parking is not usually required for a single dwelling.

Dual occupancy and townhouses

Dual occupancy in NSW (a second dwelling on the same lot as the first) under State Environmental Planning Policy (Housing) typically requires one space per dwelling. Where the dwelling has three or more bedrooms the rate often increases to two. Visitor spaces are required where five or more dwellings are on the site.

In Victoria, Clause 52.06 of the Victoria Planning Provisions sets the parking rate by dwelling type. For a dwelling with one or two bedrooms the rate is one space. For three or more bedrooms the rate is two spaces. Visitor parking is one space per five dwellings for developments of five or more dwellings.

In Queensland, the rate is set in the Planning Scheme of the local council. The Brisbane City Plan 2014 typical residential rate is one space per dwelling for one or two bedrooms and two spaces for three or more bedrooms. Visitor parking is one space per four dwellings.

Apartments and shop top housing

Apartments are the most variable category. Inner city councils have low or zero minimum rates and may impose a maximum (a parking cap) to encourage public transport use. Outer suburban councils impose higher rates. Common ranges:

• One bedroom apartment: 0.5 to 1.0 space
• Two bedroom apartment: 1.0 to 1.5 spaces
• Three plus bedroom apartment: 1.5 to 2.0 spaces
• Visitor parking: 1 per 5 to 1 per 10 dwellings

The Apartment Design Guide (NSW) and equivalent state guides set the broader design controls but the rate is usually from the local DCP or planning scheme.

AS/NZS 2890.1 dimensions

AS/NZS 2890.1 sets the physical dimensions for off-street parking. The headline numbers for residential parking (User Class 1A) are:

• Standard space: 2.4 metres wide by 5.4 metres long
• Aisle width: 5.8 metres for 90 degree parking (residential aisle can drop to 4.8 metres in some configurations)
• Headroom: 2.2 metres minimum for residential
• Single car garage: 3.0 by 5.4 metres internal minimum (some councils require 3.2 metres for new builds)
• Double car garage: 5.4 by 5.4 metres internal minimum

The 5.4 metre length is what trips up most residential garage designs. A garage that scales as "double" but has 5.0 metres of internal length will not park a Toyota Hilux or a Ford Ranger without the tailgate touching the door. The AS 2890.1 length is the design length, not the absolute minimum.

Accessible parking

AS/NZS 2890.6 sets the accessible space dimensions:

• Space: 2.4 metres wide
• Shared zone alongside: 2.4 metres wide
• Total module: 4.8 metres wide by 5.4 metres long
• Headroom: 2.5 metres

A single accessible space is required where one or more accessible dwellings are in a development. For a development with multiple accessible dwellings, the rate is usually one accessible space per accessible dwelling.

Driveways and crossovers

The crossover (the bit of driveway between the kerb and the property boundary) is council infrastructure. A new or widened crossover needs a separate council approval and is often costed at $3,000 to $8,000 for a residential single. Some councils require an existing redundant crossover to be removed when a new one is built.

AS 2890.1 also sets driveway gradient rules. The maximum gradient is 1 in 5 (20 percent) for short sections and 1 in 8 (12.5 percent) sustained. The first 6 metres from the road should not exceed 1 in 20 for the first 5 metres of driveway. Sloping sites need a longitudinal section through the driveway at design stage. Builders price garage slabs flat and then a non-compliant driveway gradient becomes a real problem at the certifier stage.

Common parking traps

• Counting tandem spaces (two cars nose to tail in the driveway) where the local scheme excludes tandem from the count
• Counting visitor parking that is not signed and line marked
• Stacker parking that does not meet AS 2890.1 sightline rules
• Apartment basement that meets the count but fails the aisle width or column setback rules
• Class 1a dual occupancy with shared driveway less than 3.0 metres wide where the scheme requires 3.5

Bicycle parking

Bicycle parking is a growing source of refusals on apartment applications. The Apartment Design Guide and equivalent state instruments typically require:

• Residential bike spaces at 1 per 1 to 2 dwellings
• Visitor bike spaces at 1 per 10 dwellings
• A secure, weather protected location near the entry

A bike rack in the basement that is past the boom gate and the access controlled door does not count for visitor parking.

Builder context

For builders pricing a residential project that involves more than one dwelling, the parking calculation is one of the three or four early feasibility numbers (alongside POS, site coverage and setbacks) that decide whether the brief is buildable. Test the count against the local scheme at sketch stage. Test the dimensions against AS 2890.1 at design development. Anything else stacks up risk for the build.