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

Scarborough, NSW 2515 Zoning, development potential & planning controls

Low Density Residential dominant. Median sale $1.69M over the last 24 months. 93% of decided DAs approved.

Dominant zone
R2
Low Density Residential
Median sale (24m)
$1.69M
8 sales
DA approval rate
93%
13 of 14 approved
Total lots
179
Marketplace

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Zoning

What you can build in Scarborough

Scarborough 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 55.9%
C4 Mixed Use 30.5%
C3 Commercial Core 7.9%
RE1 Public Recreation 4.0%
C2 Centre Support 1.7%
Avg max height
9.0 m

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

Avg max FSR
0.32:1

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

Use mix
Residential55%
Environment41%

Location

Where Scarborough sits

Scarborough 2515 covers an undefined area within Wollongong City Council.

Overlays © NSW Government
Council
Wollongong City Council
Postcode
2515
Area
Total lots
179

Drill into any lot in Scarborough

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 Scarborough

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

Underdeveloped
47

lots with remaining GFA capacity

granny flat eligible
93

under SEPP (Housing) 2021

Subdivision potential
41

lots that may support subdivision

Total dev potential
99 lots

show at least one development signal

Rezoning signal score
15.4 /100

average uplift signal across the suburb

Theoretical capacity if every lot built to its limit: 381 dwellings, with 21,903 m² of unused GFA across the suburb.

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Constraints & risks

What could stop you in Scarborough

89% of lots are bushfire-prone — a bushfire assessment is likely required; also: 17% of lots carry heritage controls; 15.1% 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 89.4%

RFS bushfire-prone land mapping

Heritage controls 17.3%

Heritage item or Conservation Area

Near contaminated land None

Within 100 m of EPA-listed site

Threatened ecology (TEC) 15.1%

Mapped TEC vegetation

Sea-level rise exposure None

Coastal hazard mapping

Flight noise contour None

ANEF / aircraft noise

RKW Constructions

Custom home builder · serves Scarborough, NSW

406 Lawrence Hargrave Dr, Scarborough NSW 2515

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Market

Scarborough 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)
$1,687,500
8 sales · land value $1.39M
Median rent (house)
$950 / wk
Houses
Gross rental yield
1.7%
House, gross of costs

DA activity

Development applications in Scarborough

14 development applications for Scarborough addresses were decided by Wollongong City Council over the past 24 months. 13 approved — a 93% approval rate.

93%
Approved
DAs lodged (24m)
14
Approved
13
New dwelling DAs
26
Building approvals (12m)
42

Demographics & lifestyle

Who lives in Scarborough

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

Green cover
51%
Amenity score
38.3 /100

Walkable amenity within 1 km

Healthcare access
0.0 /100

GP / hospital / pharmacy proximity

Lifestyle score
43.6 /100

Cafés, parks, schools, transport

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FAQs

Common questions about Scarborough

What's the zoning in Scarborough 2515?

Scarborough is dominated by the R2 (Low Density Residential) zone, which covers 99 of 179 lots (56%). The full mix is: R2 Low Density Residential (56%), C4 Mixed Use (31%), C3 Commercial Core (8%), RE1 Public Recreation (4%), C2 Centre Support (2%).

What's the height limit and FSR in Scarborough?

Across Scarborough, the average maximum building height is 9.0 m and the average maximum Floor Space Ratio (FSR) is 0.32:1. 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 Scarborough?

Yes — 93 lots in Scarborough 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 Scarborough?

The median sale price in Scarborough over the past 24 months is $1,687,500, across 8 sales. Median unimproved land value is $1,390,000.

What's the median rent in Scarborough?

Median weekly rent for a house in Scarborough is $950. Gross rental yield works out to 1.7%.

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

Wollongong City Council decided 14 development applications for Scarborough addresses over the past 24 months, with 13 approved (93% 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 Scarborough?

Across Scarborough, 17% with heritage controls, 89.4% 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 Scarborough?

99 of 179 lots in Scarborough show identifiable development potential — under-developed for the planning controls, eligible for a granny flat, or capable of subdivision. Average rezoning signal score: 15.4 / 100.

Get a planning report for any address in Scarborough

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 →