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

Middle Cove, NSW 2068 Zoning, development potential & planning controls

Mixed Use dominant. Median sale $3.65M over the last 24 months. 87% of decided DAs approved.

Dominant zone
C4
Mixed Use
Median sale (24m)
$3.65M
32 sales
DA approval rate
87%
33 of 38 approved
Total lots
499
Marketplace

Need a builder, surveyor or planner near Middle Cove? See local experts ↓

Zoning

What you can build in Middle Cove

Middle Cove is dominated by C4Mixed Use. Land use rules, height, FSR, and permitted developments are set per zone in the Local Environmental Plan and refined by the Development Control Plan.

C4
Dominant
C4 Mixed Use 62.7%
R2 Low Density Residential 31.5%
C2 Centre Support 2.2%
RE1 Public Recreation 1.8%
E3 Productivity Support 1.8%
Avg max height
8.1 m

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

Avg max FSR
0.22:1

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

Use mix
Residential32%
Commercial2%
Environment65%

Location

Where Middle Cove sits

Middle Cove 2068 covers an undefined area within Willoughby City Council.

Overlays © NSW Government
Council
Willoughby City Council
Postcode
2068
Area
Total lots
499

Drill into any lot in Middle Cove

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 Middle Cove

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

Underdeveloped
80

lots with remaining GFA capacity

granny flat eligible
156

under SEPP (Housing) 2021

Subdivision potential
16

lots that may support subdivision

Total dev potential
165 lots

show at least one development signal

Rezoning signal score
16.1 /100

average uplift signal across the suburb

Theoretical capacity if every lot built to its limit: 640 dwellings, with 30,711 m² of unused GFA across the suburb.

Own a property in Middle Cove?

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 Middle Cove

57% of lots are bushfire-prone — a bushfire assessment is likely required; also: 1% of lots carry heritage controls.

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

Flood-affected None

Mapped flood-prone land

Bushfire-prone 57.1%

RFS bushfire-prone land mapping

Heritage controls 0.8%

Heritage item or Conservation Area

Near contaminated land None

Within 100 m of EPA-listed site

Threatened ecology (TEC) None

Mapped TEC vegetation

Sea-level rise exposure None

Coastal hazard mapping

Flight noise contour None

ANEF / aircraft noise

Bowe Holder Architects

Architect · serves Middle Cove, NSW

14 Highland Ridge, Middle Cove NSW 2068

View profile

Market

Middle Cove 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)
$3,650,500
32 sales · land value $1.95M
Median rent (house)
$950 / wk
Houses
Gross rental yield
1.1%
House, gross of costs

DA activity

Development applications in Middle Cove

38 development applications for Middle Cove addresses were decided by Willoughby City Council over the past 24 months. 33 approved — a 87% approval rate. Average processing time: 40 days.

87%
Approved
DAs lodged (24m)
38
Approved
33
New dwelling DAs
46
Building approvals (12m)
20

Demographics & lifestyle

Who lives in Middle Cove

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

Green cover
50%
Amenity score
56.2 /100

Walkable amenity within 1 km

Healthcare access
58.8 /100

GP / hospital / pharmacy proximity

Lifestyle score
60.1 /100

Cafés, parks, schools, transport

FAQs

Common questions about Middle Cove

What's the zoning in Middle Cove 2068?

Middle Cove is dominated by the C4 (Mixed Use) zone, which covers 312 of 499 lots (63%). The full mix is: C4 Mixed Use (63%), R2 Low Density Residential (32%), C2 Centre Support (2%), RE1 Public Recreation (2%), E3 Productivity Support (2%).

What's the height limit and FSR in Middle Cove?

Across Middle Cove, the average maximum building height is 8.1 m and the average maximum Floor Space Ratio (FSR) is 0.22:1. 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 Middle Cove?

Yes — 156 lots in Middle Cove 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 Middle Cove?

The median sale price in Middle Cove over the past 24 months is $3,650,500, across 32 sales. Median unimproved land value is $1,950,000.

What's the median rent in Middle Cove?

Median weekly rent for a house in Middle Cove is $950. Gross rental yield works out to 1.1%.

What's the development application approval rate in Willoughby City Council?

Willoughby City Council decided 38 development applications for Middle Cove addresses over the past 24 months, with 33 approved (87% approval rate). Average processing time is 40 days. Processing time depends heavily on application complexity, council backlog, and whether the application requires referral to other agencies.

What planning constraints apply in Middle Cove?

Across Middle Cove, 1% with heritage controls, 57.1% 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 Middle Cove?

165 of 499 lots in Middle Cove show identifiable development potential — under-developed for the planning controls, eligible for a granny flat, or capable of subdivision. Average rezoning signal score: 16.1 / 100.

Call my painter: AGF Designs

Painter · serves Middle Cove, NSW

Rembrandt Dr, Middle Cove NSW 2068

View profile

Get a planning report for any address in Middle Cove

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 Willoughby City 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 →