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

Scotts Head, NSW 2447 Zoning, development potential & planning controls

General Residential dominant. Median sale $860K over the last 24 months. 91% of decided DAs approved.

Dominant zone
R1
General Residential
Median sale (24m)
$860K
34 sales
DA approval rate
91%
40 of 44 approved
Total lots
676
Marketplace

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Zoning

What you can build in Scotts Head

Scotts Head is dominated by R1General 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.

R1
Dominant
R1 General Residential 77.6%
R3 Medium Density Residential 15.4%
C1 Local Centre 3.5%
MU1 Mixed Use 2.0%
RE1 Public Recreation 1.5%
Avg max height
8.0 m

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

Avg max FSR
0.59:1

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

Use mix
Residential90%
Commercial1%
Environment4%
Rural0%

Location

Where Scotts Head sits

Scotts Head 2447 covers an undefined area within Nambucca Valley Council.

Overlays © NSW Government
Council
Nambucca Valley Council
Postcode
2447
Area
Total lots
676

Drill into any lot in Scotts 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 Scotts Head

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

Underdeveloped
320

lots with remaining GFA capacity

granny flat eligible
594

under SEPP (Housing) 2021

Subdivision potential
198

lots that may support subdivision

Site assembly
1

adjoining lots with combined upside

Total dev potential
627 lots

show at least one development signal

Rezoning signal score
24.4 /100

average uplift signal across the suburb

Theoretical capacity if every lot built to its limit: 5,235 dwellings, with 382,274 m² of unused GFA across the suburb.

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Constraints & risks

What could stop you in Scotts Head

50% of lots are bushfire-prone — a bushfire assessment is likely required; also: 4.7% of lots intersect a Threatened Ecological Community; 0.4% 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 50.3%

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) 4.7%

Mapped TEC vegetation

Sea-level rise exposure 0.4%

Coastal hazard mapping

Flight noise contour None

ANEF / aircraft noise

Spectre Real Estate

Real estate agency · serves Scotts Head, NSW

23 Raleigh St, Scotts Head NSW 2447

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Market

Scotts 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)
$860,000
34 sales · land value $415K
Median rent (house)
$558 / wk
Houses
Gross rental yield
3.0%
House, gross of costs

DA activity

Development applications in Scotts Head

44 development applications for Scotts Head addresses were decided by Nambucca Valley Council over the past 24 months. 40 approved — a 91% approval rate.

91%
Approved
DAs lodged (24m)
44
Approved
40
New dwelling DAs
83
Building approvals (12m)
2

Demographics & lifestyle

Who lives in Scotts Head

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

Green cover
45%
Amenity score
69.7 /100

Walkable amenity within 1 km

Healthcare access
66.3 /100

GP / hospital / pharmacy proximity

Lifestyle score
71.1 /100

Cafés, parks, schools, transport

ZoneDSS Marketplace

Local experts in Scotts Head

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FAQs

Common questions about Scotts Head

What's the zoning in Scotts Head 2447?

Scotts Head is dominated by the R1 (General Residential) zone, which covers 508 of 676 lots (78%). The full mix is: R1 General Residential (78%), R3 Medium Density Residential (15%), C1 Local Centre (4%), MU1 Mixed Use (2%), RE1 Public Recreation (2%).

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

Across Scotts Head, the average maximum building height is 8.0 m and the average maximum Floor Space Ratio (FSR) is 0.59:1. 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 Scotts Head?

Yes — 594 lots in Scotts 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 Scotts Head?

The median sale price in Scotts Head over the past 24 months is $860,000, across 34 sales. Median unimproved land value is $415,000.

What's the median rent in Scotts Head?

Median weekly rent for a house in Scotts Head is $558. Gross rental yield works out to 3.0%.

What's the development application approval rate in Nambucca Valley Council?

Nambucca Valley Council decided 44 development applications for Scotts Head addresses over the past 24 months, with 40 approved (91% 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 Scotts Head?

Across Scotts Head, 50.3% 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 Scotts Head?

627 of 676 lots in Scotts Head show identifiable development potential — under-developed for the planning controls, eligible for a granny flat, or capable of subdivision. Average rezoning signal score: 24.4 / 100.

TK BUILT

Home builder · serves Scotts Head, NSW

12 Sandpiper Dr, Scotts Head NSW 2447

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Get a planning report for any address in Scotts 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.

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

Methodology & sources

Zoning, height, FSR, and overlays parsed from the Nambucca Valley 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 →