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

Helensburgh, NSW 2508 Zoning, development potential & planning controls

Low Density Residential dominant. Median sale $1.16M over the last 24 months. 83% of decided DAs approved.

Dominant zone
R2
Low Density Residential
Median sale (24m)
$1.16M
191 sales
DA approval rate
83%
82 of 99 approved
Total lots
2,581
Marketplace

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Zoning

What you can build in Helensburgh

Helensburgh 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 64.3%
R3 Medium Density Residential 14.8%
C3 Commercial Core 14.1%
C2 Centre Support 4.4%
E1 Local Centre 2.4%
Avg max height
9.4 m

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

Avg max FSR
0.53:1

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

Use mix
Residential75%
Commercial3%
Environment19%
Rural1%

Location

Where Helensburgh sits

Helensburgh 2508 covers an undefined area within Wollongong City Council.

Overlays © NSW Government
Council
Wollongong City Council
Postcode
2508
Area
Total lots
2,581

Drill into any lot in Helensburgh

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 Helensburgh

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

Underdeveloped
846

lots with remaining GFA capacity

granny flat eligible
1,818

under SEPP (Housing) 2021

Subdivision potential
1,458

lots that may support subdivision

Site assembly
11

adjoining lots with combined upside

Total dev potential
2,025 lots

show at least one development signal

Rezoning signal score
23.6 /100

average uplift signal across the suburb

Theoretical capacity if every lot built to its limit: 12,165 dwellings, with 679,978 m² of unused GFA across the suburb.

Own a property in Helensburgh?

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 Helensburgh

68% of lots are bushfire-prone — a bushfire assessment is likely required; also: 1% of lots carry heritage controls; 9.4% of lots intersect a Threatened Ecological Community.

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

Flood-affected None

Mapped flood-prone land

Bushfire-prone 67.8%

RFS bushfire-prone land mapping

Heritage controls 1.4%

Heritage item or Conservation Area

Near contaminated land None

Within 100 m of EPA-listed site

Threatened ecology (TEC) 9.4%

Mapped TEC vegetation

Sea-level rise exposure None

Coastal hazard mapping

Flight noise contour None

ANEF / aircraft noise

Australia Wide Hot Water

Plumber · serves Helensburgh, NSW

2 Lawrence Hargrave Dr, Helensburgh NSW 2508

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Market

Helensburgh 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)
$1,160,000
191 sales · land value $830K
Median rent (house)
$820 / wk
Houses
Gross rental yield
3.3%
House, gross of costs

DA activity

Development applications in Helensburgh

99 development applications for Helensburgh addresses were decided by Wollongong City Council over the past 24 months. 82 approved — a 83% approval rate.

83%
Approved
DAs lodged (24m)
99
Approved
82
New dwelling DAs
91
Building approvals (12m)
42

Demographics & lifestyle

Who lives in Helensburgh

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

Population
9,135
Median age
39
Household income
$132.18K
Owner-occupied
82%
Renting
15%
Green cover
50%
Amenity score
86.8 /100

Walkable amenity within 1 km

Healthcare access
84.8 /100

GP / hospital / pharmacy proximity

Lifestyle score
89.3 /100

Cafés, parks, schools, transport

FAQs

Common questions about Helensburgh

What's the zoning in Helensburgh 2508?

Helensburgh is dominated by the R2 (Low Density Residential) zone, which covers 1,578 of 2,581 lots (64%). The full mix is: R2 Low Density Residential (64%), R3 Medium Density Residential (15%), C3 Commercial Core (14%), C2 Centre Support (4%), E1 Local Centre (2%).

What's the height limit and FSR in Helensburgh?

Across Helensburgh, the average maximum building height is 9.4 m and the average maximum Floor Space Ratio (FSR) is 0.53:1. 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 Helensburgh?

Yes — 1,818 lots in Helensburgh 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 Helensburgh?

The median sale price in Helensburgh over the past 24 months is $1,160,000, across 191 sales. Median unimproved land value is $830,000.

What's the median rent in Helensburgh?

Median weekly rent for a house in Helensburgh is $820. Gross rental yield works out to 3.3%.

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

Wollongong City Council decided 99 development applications for Helensburgh addresses over the past 24 months, with 82 approved (83% 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 Helensburgh?

Across Helensburgh, 1% with heritage controls, 67.8% 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 Helensburgh?

2,025 of 2,581 lots in Helensburgh show identifiable development potential — under-developed for the planning controls, eligible for a granny flat, or capable of subdivision. Average rezoning signal score: 23.6 / 100.

Australian Licensed Electricians & Plumbers

Electrician · serves Helensburgh, NSW

115 The Crescent, Helensburgh NSW 2508

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Get a planning report for any address in Helensburgh

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 Wollongong 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 →