Every planning control identified for any lot | Every planning rule & overlay cross-referenced in one query | Approval likelihood scored for every control | Conflicts and overrides resolved automatically | Every answer cited to the source clause | Ask planning questions in plain English | Results in under 1 second | Every planning control identified for any lot | Every planning rule & overlay cross-referenced in one query | Approval likelihood scored for every control | Conflicts and overrides resolved automatically | Every answer cited to the source clause | Ask planning questions in plain English | Results in under 1 second |
Suburb planning guide · Updated 2026-04-27

Skennars Head, NSW 2478 Zoning, development potential & planning controls

Low Density Residential dominant. Median sale $1.5M over the last 24 months. 95% of decided DAs approved.

Dominant zone
R2
Low Density Residential
Median sale (24m)
$1.5M
71 sales
DA approval rate
95%
121 of 128 approved
Total lots
630
Marketplace

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Zoning

What you can build in Skennars Head

Skennars Head is dominated by R2Low Density Residential. Land use rules, height, FSR, and permitted developments are set per zone in the Local Environmental Plan and refined by the Development Control Plan.

R2
Dominant
R2 Low Density Residential 81.3%
R3 Medium Density Residential 10.7%
DM DM 3.5%
RU1 Primary Production 2.4%
RU2 Rural Landscape 2.1%
Avg max height
8.0 m

Limit varies by lot — check your address for the exact figure.

Avg max FSR
0.80:1

Floor Space Ratio — total floor area as a multiple of lot area.

Use mix
Residential91%
Commercial0%
Environment0%
Rural4%

Location

Where Skennars Head sits

Skennars Head 2478 covers an undefined area within Ballina Shire Council.

Overlays © NSW Government
Council
Ballina Shire Council
Postcode
2478
Area
Total lots
630

Drill into any lot in Skennars Head

Open the interactive map — click any address to see its zone, height, FSR, overlays, and approval likelihood.

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Development potential

Where the upside is in Skennars Head

We score every lot for development signal — under-built relative to the controls, eligible for a granny flat, or sized for subdivision.

Underdeveloped
1

lots with remaining GFA capacity

granny flat eligible
571

under SEPP (Housing) 2021

Subdivision potential
113

lots that may support subdivision

Total dev potential
1 lots

show at least one development signal

Rezoning signal score
25.5 /100

average uplift signal across the suburb

Theoretical capacity if every lot built to its limit: 136 dwellings, with 13,657 m² of unused GFA across the suburb.

Own a property in Skennars Head?

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Constraints & risks

What could stop you in Skennars Head

18% of lots are bushfire-prone — a bushfire assessment is likely required; also: 0% of lots carry heritage controls; 2.5% of lots intersect a Threatened Ecological Community; 2.1% of lots are exposed to projected sea-level rise.

Suburb-wide percentages — your specific lot may have all, some, or none of these.

Flood-affected None

Mapped flood-prone land

Bushfire-prone 18.3%

RFS bushfire-prone land mapping

Heritage controls 0.2%

Heritage item or Conservation Area

Near contaminated land None

Within 100 m of EPA-listed site

Threatened ecology (TEC) 2.5%

Mapped TEC vegetation

Sea-level rise exposure 2.1%

Coastal hazard mapping

Flight noise contour None

ANEF / aircraft noise

Flor & Son Electrical

Electrician · serves Skennars Head, NSW

12 Waterford Parade, Skennars Head NSW 2478

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Market

Skennars Head property market

Sales, rent, and yield data drawn from NSW Property Sales Information and rental bond data over the past 24 months.

Median sale price (24m)
$1,500,000
71 sales · land value $900K
Median rent (house)
$700 / wk
Houses
Gross rental yield
2.4%
House, gross of costs

DA activity

Development applications in Skennars Head

128 development applications for Skennars Head addresses were decided by Ballina Shire Council over the past 24 months. 121 approved — a 95% approval rate.

95%
Approved
DAs lodged (24m)
128
Approved
121
New dwelling DAs
165
Building approvals (12m)
15

Demographics & lifestyle

Who lives in Skennars Head

ABS Census 2021 population data combined with lot-level amenity, healthcare, lifestyle, and crime indices.

Green cover
40%
Amenity score
46.9 /100

Walkable amenity within 1 km

Healthcare access
59.1 /100

GP / hospital / pharmacy proximity

Lifestyle score
49.6 /100

Cafés, parks, schools, transport

ZoneDSS Marketplace

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FAQs

Common questions about Skennars Head

What's the zoning in Skennars Head 2478?

Skennars Head is dominated by the R2 (Low Density Residential) zone, which covers 507 of 630 lots (81%). The full mix is: R2 Low Density Residential (81%), R3 Medium Density Residential (11%), DM DM (4%), RU1 Primary Production (2%), RU2 Rural Landscape (2%).

What's the height limit and FSR in Skennars Head?

Across Skennars Head, the average maximum building height is 8.0 m and the average maximum Floor Space Ratio (FSR) is 0.80:1. Individual lots can vary materially — height and FSR are set per zone in the Local Environmental Plan (LEP) and can be modified by overlays. For an exact figure on a specific address, generate a planning report.

Can I build a granny flat in Skennars Head?

Yes — 571 lots in Skennars Head appear eligible for a granny flat under SEPP (Housing) 2021, based on lot size, zoning, and frontage. Eligibility is lot-specific: get a planning report on your address to confirm.

What's the median property price in Skennars Head?

The median sale price in Skennars Head over the past 24 months is $1,500,000, across 71 sales. Median unimproved land value is $900,000.

What's the median rent in Skennars Head?

Median weekly rent for a house in Skennars Head is $700. Gross rental yield works out to 2.4%.

What's the development application approval rate in Ballina Shire Council?

Ballina Shire Council decided 128 development applications for Skennars Head addresses over the past 24 months, with 121 approved (95% approval rate). Processing time depends heavily on application complexity, council backlog, and whether the application requires referral to other agencies.

What planning constraints apply in Skennars Head?

Across Skennars Head, 0% with heritage controls, 18.3% bushfire-prone. These are suburb-wide percentages — every lot has its own combination. A planning report on a specific address shows exactly which controls apply.

What's the development potential of Skennars Head?

1 of 630 lots in Skennars Head show identifiable development potential — under-developed for the planning controls, eligible for a granny flat, or capable of subdivision. Average rezoning signal score: 25.5 / 100.

PRG Architects

Architect · serves Skennars Head, NSW

5A Mayo Ct, Skennars Head NSW 2478

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Get a planning report for any address in Skennars Head

Suburb-wide stats are useful for context. For a buy-or-walk decision on a specific lot, you need every control, every constraint, and every clause cited to source.

Run a report — from A$29

14-section report · LEP + SEPP + DCP cross-referenced · cited to source

Methodology & sources

Zoning, height, FSR, and overlays parsed from the Ballina Shire Council Local Environmental Plan, applicable State Environmental Planning Policies, and the Development Control Plan. Property sales drawn from NSW Property Sales Information. DA history aggregated from the NSW Planning Portal. Heritage, flood, bushfire, contaminated land, TEC, sea-level rise, and aircraft noise overlays from the NSW Spatial Services and EPA registers. Population, age, income, and tenure from ABS Census 2021. Aggregated by ZoneDSS · last updated 2026-04-27.

Suburb-wide statistics — your specific lot may vary. Always run a planning report on the actual address before making a decision. How ZoneDSS works →