The Territory Plan

The Territory Plan will help to deliver a planning system that focuses on quality outcomes. Assessment of developments will focus how developments perform in their setting and how they meet the desired development outcomes. They will still have to comply with specific requirements.

The new plan will provide greater flexibility in the way developments are designed. It will allow greater emphasis on improving design quality and built outcomes for all Canberrans.

There are still parameters that development must meet, such as land use and building height.

Important changes made with the new Territory Plan are:

• blocks over 800m2 are now able to accommodate dual occupancy developments with separate titles. Criteria applies, including that one dwelling must be 120m2 or less.
• a new structure that contains district and zone policies
• introduction of new supporting material such as design guides and planning technical specifications
• a focus on the desired outcomes for development by clearly articulating the assessment outcomes that should be achieved
• various policy changes relating to definitions, uses permitted in zones and planning requirements.

Further detail on the changes being made with the new Territory plan is provided in the Territory Plan Explanatory Report and the Territory Plan Supporting Report.

Development on a block needs to comply with the requirements of the Territory Plan. However, it may be considered to be an exempt development under the Planning Exemptions Regulation 2023.

Find out what can be built on your block on the Build, Buy, Renovate website.

The new interim Territory Plan incorporates the living infrastructure provisions that were introduced in TPV 369. There are also now provisions for Commercial and Community Facility Zone, and new requirements in the Subdivision technical specifications.

The locations of these in the interim Territory Plan include:

• Part E1 Residential Zones Policy – Section 4
  • requirements that a sufficient planting area and canopy trees are provided
  • Roofed and hard surfaces are limited to reduce urban heat island effects
  • Minimised stormwater run-off
  • A requirement to maintain ecosystem services
• Part E1 Residential Zones Policy – Section 5
  • All types of residential development proposals in all residential zones will be required to meet the mandatory development controls relating to site coverage limits
  • When the interim Territory Plan takes effect, there will be no exceptions for mandatory living infrastructure requirements for blocks where the original Crown lease was granted on or after 1 January 2020. This is also the case for estate development plans approved on or after 1 January 2020.
• Part E2 Commercial Zones Policy and Part E4 Community Facility Zones Policy – Section 4
  • Requirements for urban heat island effects to be reduced
  • Minimised stormwater run-off
  • Ecosystem services must be maintained through the provision of planting area and canopy trees
  • Requirements for deep soil zones are provided on site to support healthy tree growth and provide adequate room for canopy trees.
• Territory Plan – Part G Dictionary
  • An amendment to the wording for the definition of ‘site coverage’ This is to clarify what structures are included or not.
• Zones Planning Technical Specifications
  • No change to the planting area and tree planting area.
• Commercial and Community Facility Zones Specifications
  • New requirements being introduced for tree canopy cover, reducing urban heat, protection from heat (early childhood education and care, educational establishment, residential care accommodation and retirement village)
• Other Specifications - Subdivision specifications
  • New requirements being introduced for tree canopy cover, reducing urban heat (cool paving) and protection from heat (playgrounds and public seating)