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

Woollahra, NSW 2025 Zoning, development potential & planning controls

Medium Density Residential dominant. Median sale $2.7M over the last 24 months. 76% of decided DAs approved.

Dominant zone
R3
Medium Density Residential
Median sale (24m)
$2.7M
331 sales
DA approval rate
76%
226 of 296 approved
Total lots
2,356
Marketplace

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

Zoning

What you can build in Woollahra

Woollahra is dominated by R3Medium 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.

R3
Dominant
R3 Medium Density Residential 49.5%
R2 Low Density Residential 43.8%
RE1 Public Recreation 2.5%
MU1 Mixed Use 2.3%
E1 Local Centre 2.0%
Avg max height
9.5 m

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

Avg max FSR
0.74:1

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

Use mix
Residential92%
Commercial2%

Location

Where Woollahra sits

Woollahra 2025 covers an undefined area within Woollahra Municipal Council.

Overlays © NSW Government
Council
Woollahra Municipal Council
Postcode
2025
Area
Total lots
2,356

Drill into any lot in Woollahra

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 Woollahra

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

Underdeveloped
304

lots with remaining GFA capacity

granny flat eligible
669

under SEPP (Housing) 2021

Subdivision potential
330

lots that may support subdivision

Site assembly
532

adjoining lots with combined upside

Total dev potential
1,194 lots

show at least one development signal

Rezoning signal score
39.7 /100

average uplift signal across the suburb

Theoretical capacity if every lot built to its limit: 5,279 dwellings, with 263,736 m² of unused GFA across the suburb.

Own a property in Woollahra?

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 Woollahra

89% of lots have a heritage listing or sit in a Heritage Conservation Area — expect controls on demolition, alterations, and additions; also: 1.9% of lots are within 100m of a recorded contaminated site.

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

Flood-affected None

Mapped flood-prone land

Bushfire-prone None

RFS bushfire-prone land mapping

Heritage controls 89.3%

Heritage item or Conservation Area

Near contaminated land 1.9%

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

Aaron Del Monte - LJ Hooker - Double Bay Real Estate

Real estate consultant · serves Woollahra, NSW

38 Ocean St, Woollahra NSW 2031

View profile

Market

Woollahra 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)
$2,700,000
331 sales · land value $2.96M
Median rent (house)
$1,450 / wk
Houses
Gross rental yield
4.0%
House, gross of costs

DA activity

Development applications in Woollahra

296 development applications for Woollahra addresses were decided by Woollahra Municipal Council over the past 24 months. 226 approved — a 76% approval rate. Average processing time: 39 days.

76%
Approved
DAs lodged (24m)
296
Approved
226
New dwelling DAs
237
Building approvals (12m)
62

Demographics & lifestyle

Who lives in Woollahra

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

Population
7,454
Median age
42
Household income
$157.09K
Owner-occupied
60%
Renting
34%
Green cover
35%
Amenity score
95.6 /100

Walkable amenity within 1 km

Healthcare access
97.1 /100

GP / hospital / pharmacy proximity

Lifestyle score
95.1 /100

Cafés, parks, schools, transport

FAQs

Common questions about Woollahra

What's the zoning in Woollahra 2025?

Woollahra is dominated by the R3 (Medium Density Residential) zone, which covers 1,144 of 2,356 lots (50%). The full mix is: R3 Medium Density Residential (50%), R2 Low Density Residential (44%), RE1 Public Recreation (3%), MU1 Mixed Use (2%), E1 Local Centre (2%).

What's the height limit and FSR in Woollahra?

Across Woollahra, the average maximum building height is 9.5 m and the average maximum Floor Space Ratio (FSR) is 0.74:1. 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 Woollahra?

Yes — 669 lots in Woollahra 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 Woollahra?

The median sale price in Woollahra over the past 24 months is $2,700,000, across 331 sales. Median unimproved land value is $2,960,000.

What's the median rent in Woollahra?

Median weekly rent for a house in Woollahra is $1,450. Gross rental yield works out to 4.0%.

What's the development application approval rate in Woollahra Municipal Council?

Woollahra Municipal Council decided 296 development applications for Woollahra addresses over the past 24 months, with 226 approved (76% approval rate). Average processing time is 39 days. Processing time depends heavily on application complexity, council backlog, and whether the application requires referral to other agencies.

What planning constraints apply in Woollahra?

Across Woollahra, 89% with heritage controls, 1.9% 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 Woollahra?

1,194 of 2,356 lots in Woollahra show identifiable development potential — under-developed for the planning controls, eligible for a granny flat, or capable of subdivision. Average rezoning signal score: 39.7 / 100.

Adam Regan - Real Estate Agent

Real estate agency · serves Woollahra, NSW

83 Queen St, Woollahra NSW 2025

View profile

Get a planning report for any address in Woollahra

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 Woollahra Municipal 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 →