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

Forster, NSW 2428 Zoning, development potential & planning controls

Low Density Residential dominant. Median sale $730K over the last 24 months. 86% of decided DAs approved.

Dominant zone
R2
Low Density Residential
Median sale (24m)
$730K
808 sales
DA approval rate
86%
345 of 402 approved
Total lots
6,295
Marketplace

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Zoning

What you can build in Forster

Forster 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 86.0%
R3 Medium Density Residential 8.2%
RE1 Public Recreation 2.6%
R5 Large Lot Residential 1.7%
E2 Commercial Centre 1.6%
Avg max height
8.8 m

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

Avg max FSR
0.56:1

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

Use mix
Residential91%
Commercial3%
Environment1%
Rural1%

Location

Where Forster sits

Forster 2428 covers an undefined area within Mid-Coast Council.

Overlays © NSW Government
Council
Mid-Coast Council
Postcode
2428
Area
Total lots
6,295

Drill into any lot in Forster

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 Forster

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

Underdeveloped
2,878

lots with remaining GFA capacity

granny flat eligible
5,652

under SEPP (Housing) 2021

Subdivision potential
2,602

lots that may support subdivision

Site assembly
25

adjoining lots with combined upside

Total dev potential
5,857 lots

show at least one development signal

Rezoning signal score
35.5 /100

average uplift signal across the suburb · 8 high-signal lots

Theoretical capacity if every lot built to its limit: 101,972 dwellings, with 8,785,014 m² of unused GFA across the suburb.

Own a property in Forster?

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

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Constraints & risks

What could stop you in Forster

21% 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; 0.5% 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 20.9%

RFS bushfire-prone land mapping

Heritage controls 0.2%

Heritage item or Conservation Area

Near contaminated land 0.3%

Within 100 m of EPA-listed site

Threatened ecology (TEC) 2.5%

Mapped TEC vegetation

Sea-level rise exposure 0.5%

Coastal hazard mapping

Flight noise contour None

ANEF / aircraft noise

A & B Dormor Building

Construction company · serves Forster, NSW

14 Manara Cres, Forster NSW 2428

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Market

Forster 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)
$730,000
808 sales · land value $437K
Median rent (house)
$555 / wk
Houses
Gross rental yield
3.9%
House, gross of costs
Projected dwellings 2036
9,024

Greater Sydney Region Plan / NSW Department of Planning forecast.

DA activity

Development applications in Forster

402 development applications for Forster addresses were decided by Mid-Coast Council over the past 24 months. 345 approved — a 86% approval rate. Average processing time: 53 days.

86%
Approved
DAs lodged (24m)
402
Approved
345
New dwelling DAs
417
Building approvals (12m)
19

Demographics & lifestyle

Who lives in Forster

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

Population
14,709
Median age
57
Household income
$52.78K
Owner-occupied
69%
Renting
26%
Green cover
39%
Amenity score
97.1 /100

Walkable amenity within 1 km

Healthcare access
96.8 /100

GP / hospital / pharmacy proximity

Lifestyle score
97.2 /100

Cafés, parks, schools, transport

FAQs

Common questions about Forster

What's the zoning in Forster 2428?

Forster is dominated by the R2 (Low Density Residential) zone, which covers 5,051 of 6,295 lots (86%). The full mix is: R2 Low Density Residential (86%), R3 Medium Density Residential (8%), RE1 Public Recreation (3%), R5 Large Lot Residential (2%), E2 Commercial Centre (2%).

What's the height limit and FSR in Forster?

Across Forster, the average maximum building height is 8.8 m and the average maximum Floor Space Ratio (FSR) is 0.56:1. 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 Forster?

Yes — 5,652 lots in Forster 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 Forster?

The median sale price in Forster over the past 24 months is $730,000, across 808 sales. Median unimproved land value is $437,000.

What's the median rent in Forster?

Median weekly rent for a house in Forster is $555. Gross rental yield works out to 3.9%.

What's the development application approval rate in Mid-Coast Council?

Mid-Coast Council decided 402 development applications for Forster addresses over the past 24 months, with 345 approved (86% approval rate). Average processing time is 53 days. Processing time depends heavily on application complexity, council backlog, and whether the application requires referral to other agencies.

What planning constraints apply in Forster?

Across Forster, 0% with heritage controls, 20.9% bushfire-prone, 0.3% near contaminated sites. 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 Forster?

5,857 of 6,295 lots in Forster show identifiable development potential — under-developed for the planning controls, eligible for a granny flat, or capable of subdivision. Average rezoning signal score: 35.5 / 100.

Active 247 Locksmith and Security Services

Locksmith · serves Forster, NSW

1/32 Kularoo Dr, Forster NSW 2428

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Get a planning report for any address in Forster

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 Mid-Coast 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 →