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

West Ballina, NSW 2478 Zoning, development potential & planning controls

Low Density Residential dominant. Median sale $815K over the last 24 months. 89% of decided DAs approved.

Dominant zone
R2
Low Density Residential
Median sale (24m)
$815K
118 sales
DA approval rate
89%
63 of 71 approved
Total lots
1,148
Marketplace

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Zoning

What you can build in West Ballina

West Ballina 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 76.0%
R3 Medium Density Residential 11.5%
RU2 Rural Landscape 5.9%
E3 Productivity Support 4.4%
RE1 Public Recreation 2.1%
Avg max height
8.1 m

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

Avg max FSR
:1

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

Use mix
Residential83%
Commercial6%
Environment0%
Rural6%

Location

Where West Ballina sits

West Ballina 2478 covers an undefined area within Ballina Shire Council.

Overlays © NSW Government
Council
Ballina Shire Council
Postcode
2478
Area
Total lots
1,148

Drill into any lot in West Ballina

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

Open interactive map

Development potential

Where the upside is in West Ballina

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

granny flat eligible
938

under SEPP (Housing) 2021

Subdivision potential
144

lots that may support subdivision

Total dev potential
0 lots

show at least one development signal

Rezoning signal score
20.8 /100

average uplift signal across the suburb

0

Own a property in West Ballina?

Check your lot's exact development potential — height, FSR, granny flat, subdivision, dual-occ.

Run a report on your address

Constraints & risks

What could stop you in West Ballina

22% of lots are bushfire-prone — a bushfire assessment is likely required; also: 1.5% of lots intersect a Threatened Ecological Community; 3.4% 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 21.5%

RFS bushfire-prone land mapping

Heritage controls None

Heritage item or Conservation Area

Near contaminated land None

Within 100 m of EPA-listed site

Threatened ecology (TEC) 1.5%

Mapped TEC vegetation

Sea-level rise exposure 3.4%

Coastal hazard mapping

Flight noise contour None

ANEF / aircraft noise

A.E. Colledge Building Design

Architecture firm · serves West Ballina, NSW

28 Dolphin Dr, West Ballina NSW 2478

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Market

West Ballina 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)
$815,000
118 sales · land value $455K
Median rent (house)
$700 / wk
Houses
Gross rental yield
3.9%
House, gross of costs

DA activity

Development applications in West Ballina

71 development applications for West Ballina addresses were decided by Ballina Shire Council over the past 24 months. 63 approved — a 89% approval rate.

89%
Approved
DAs lodged (24m)
71
Approved
63
New dwelling DAs
25
Building approvals (12m)
15

Demographics & lifestyle

Who lives in West Ballina

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

Green cover
38%
Amenity score
82.3 /100

Walkable amenity within 1 km

Healthcare access
87.8 /100

GP / hospital / pharmacy proximity

Lifestyle score
83.3 /100

Cafés, parks, schools, transport

FAQs

Common questions about West Ballina

What's the zoning in West Ballina 2478?

West Ballina is dominated by the R2 (Low Density Residential) zone, which covers 825 of 1,148 lots (76%). The full mix is: R2 Low Density Residential (76%), R3 Medium Density Residential (12%), RU2 Rural Landscape (6%), E3 Productivity Support (4%), RE1 Public Recreation (2%).

What's the building height limit in West Ballina?

Across West Ballina, the average maximum building height is 8.1 m. Height is set per zone in the Local Environmental Plan (LEP) and can be varied by overlays and schedules. For the exact control on a specific address, generate a planning report.

Can I build a granny flat in West Ballina?

Yes — 938 lots in West Ballina 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 West Ballina?

The median sale price in West Ballina over the past 24 months is $815,000, across 118 sales. Median unimproved land value is $455,000.

What's the median rent in West Ballina?

Median weekly rent for a house in West Ballina is $700. Gross rental yield works out to 3.9%.

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

Ballina Shire Council decided 71 development applications for West Ballina addresses over the past 24 months, with 63 approved (89% 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 West Ballina?

Across West Ballina, 21.5% 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 West Ballina?

0 of 1,148 lots in West Ballina show identifiable development potential — under-developed for the planning controls, eligible for a granny flat, or capable of subdivision. Average rezoning signal score: 20.8 / 100.

OSTAR Electrical Pty Ltd

Electrician · serves West Ballina, NSW

1/78 Kalinga St, West Ballina NSW 2478

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Get a planning report for any address in West Ballina

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 →