Design guides help proponents consider how their developments can achieve better designed buildings and shared spaces that benefit the community.
Having well located and well designed buildings can have a positive effect on resident's wellbeing and health, as well as on the environment.
Building design and spaces the public can use are areas where proponents can be more innovative. They can deliver diverse and well designed buildings and spaces that cater for residents and Canberrans.
Developers will need to meet the requirements in the Territory Plan and outline how they have considered the design guides. The teams assessing this applications will use the design guides and those Territory Plan requirements when making a decision.
Housing Design Guide
The Housing Design Guide [15.0 MB] outlines ways developers can incorporate good design into denser housing developments. This includes elements such as apartment size and layout, ceiling heights, solar access, natural ventilation and private open spaces like balconies.
Urban Design Guide
The Urban Design Guide [12.9 MB] looks at the ways developers can incorporate good design into public spaces and places. Examples include the outside public areas around the building, improved pedestrian access, and designing for active travel, trees and landscaping and inclusive public spaces.
City Centre Urban Design Guide
Working alongside the Territory-wide Urban Design Guide, the City Centre Urban Design Guide [11.0 MB] is a place-specific guide that provides design guidance tailored to the unique characteristics of the City Centre.
Biodiversity Sensitive Urban Design Guide
The Biodiversity Sensitive Urban Design Guide [6.4 MB]looks at how new developments can work in harmony with the natural environment. They will help protect and improve biodiversity and ecological connectivity. This will be done throughout the development’s design.
Frequently asked questions
There are development thresholds for when a proponent will need to consider the design guides and provide a response.
There will be some instances where some proposals will require them to look at 2 or all 3 guides together.
The triggers for when the Urban Design Guide is used if one of the below criteria is met:
- it is precinct scale with a site area greater than one hectare;
- the combined development gross floor area exceeds 10,000m2;
- comprises more than 1,000m² of public or common space; or
- required to seek advice from the Design Review Panel.
The trigger for when the Housing Design Guide is used if the below criteria is met:
- residential developments that are greater than single dwelling housing or secondary residences (like granny flats and small additional homes in a backyard).
The triggers for when the Biodiversity Sensitive Urban Design Guide is used if one of the below criteria is met:
- the development is a Future Urban Area
- the development is in non-urban zones (NUZ1-5)
- the development is in an Urban Open Space zone (PRZ1)
- has an area greater than one hectare in any zone.
The Biodiversity Sensitive Urban Design Guide does not apply to single dwelling housing or secondary residences. It also does not apply on developments where the increase in impermeable surfaces is 500m2 or less.
You can find more information on when to use a design guide in Part A of the Territory Plan.
Having well designed building around Canberra will help provide healthy living options to the community. It makes the economy more productive when buildings provide a range of good, well-designed spaces. It also creates public spaces that are inclusive and that encourage walking and cycling.
Canberra will see a large amount of growth and transformation in the coming decades throughout our communities. The design guides make sure that buildings, places and spaces across Canberra are long lasting, useful and desirable.
These documents will also improve the green spaces around Canberra. Responding to climate change, along with improvements to biodiversity and the environment will be a key part of a development’s design. This includes the protection of existing biodiversity values and the introduction of trees and landscaping that cool our public spaces and encourage their use.
No.
Currently, the design guides are not for conventional housing like those in the suburbs.
No.
Developers will still need to meet their minimum requirements in the Territory Plan.
This system is focused on good outcomes for the community. The design guides require applicants to think about the design of buildings and their impact on the environment and community. It also gives the assessment team more information about a proposal. This will make sure that the building is beneficial to the community and that it is innovative in its design.
If the triggers for a design guide are met, proponents should consider relevant guides and the Territory Plan. This should be done at the very beginning of the design process, before lodging a Development Application.
The Development Application, plans and other documentation that is submitted must demonstrate how the proponent has addressed the relevant design guides and the Territory Plan.
This must also be done before a proposal goes to the National Capital Design Review Panel (if it is required to do so).
The design guides that are the most relevant to the new system's objectives have been released first.
There will be more investigation and research over time. This will determine if further design guides are needed for other building types and spaces.
