Understanding Residential Densities Handbook

Understanding Residential Densities: A Pictorial Handbook of Adelaide Examples has been developed by Planning SA to assist in understanding, through visual examples, the residential densities defined in the Planning Strategy for Metropolitan Adelaide.

The Handbook is intended to demonstrate the variety of designs, styles and ages of dwellings that appear already in the four different categories of residential density described in the Planning Strategy (very low, low, medium and high density). The Handbook is in no way intended as a guide to best practice in design and planning of residential development; nor does it endorse any particular form of development or example contained within it.

The 60 examples contained in the handbook have been selected from various sites found throughout metropolitan Adelaide, with the aim of representing a typical cross-section of dwellings and forms of development found within the city. Although they are all from metropolitan Adelaide, the densities and forms of development represented are equally applicable to the outer metropolitan Adelaide region and regional South Australia.

The examples are divided into four sections, in line with the four categories of residential density defined in the Planning Strategy. At the start of each section, the relevant category of density is defined with a direct excerpt from the Planning Strategy. Each section also has general observations regarding typical allotment sizes and characteristics of the various examples included.

Note: Print quality copies of the Handbook are available on CD-ROM. Please phone Michael Davis at Planning SA on (08) 8303 0845

Background

Density is a term that has been bandied about in relation to residential development for some time; however there has not been a consistent definition of residential density applied in South Australia.

The draft volume of the Planning Strategy for Metropolitan Adelaide released for public consultation in April 2005 elected to define residential density for the first time in an effort to have a consistent definition and approach to density across the 18 Development Plans relevant to the metropolitan area. Previously density has been arbitrarily defined, with interpretations of density differing markedly.

The effort to consistently define density was applauded by the development industry, local government and planners as a necessity to combat confusion over what constituted different scales of density.

However, the manner in which density had been defined in the draft Planning Strategy caused some concern due to the number of density categories (seven) and confusion as to whether gross or net density was defined.

Planning SA recognised these concerns and set about re-determining density in consultation with the Urban Development Institute of Australia (UDIA) and other professionals, both internal and external to Government. The result was a redrafted density table that reduced the number of density categories to four, set clear numerical guidelines for net and gross density, and gave an indicative indication of what forms of development came under each category. The redrafted table was included in the August 2006 volume of the Planning Strategy for Metropolitan Adelaide.

Further information

  • Michael Davis, Planning SA (08) 8303 0845
  • Stephen Oliver, Planning SA (08) 8204 8374