Thinking About Adding Off-Street Parking?

5 Things to Get Right Before You Lodge Your DA 

Off-street parking is hugely desirable. It can make a property more valuable. But in the congested inner suburbs, it's often very hard to get approved by council. 

We see this all the time. Real estate ads say things like “subject to council approval” as if that means likely. Sometimes it does not. In some cases, it should really read “likely subject to council refusal.” 

Here are the main ways an off-street parking DA can fail. 

1. It fails the Australian Standards 

This is the first thing an architect should check, and it is the most common point of failure. 

It is not just about whether the car space is long enough or wide enough. It is also about whether a car can actually turn into it. If the lane is too narrow, or the turning circle does not work, the space may not comply. 

There are also standards around levels, crossovers, road safety and pedestrian safety. If the design cannot meet those, the application can fall over very quickly. 

2. It does not comply with planning controls 

The next issue is planning compliance. 

Things like site coverage, floor space ratio, setbacks and other planning controls can all affect whether a car space can be added to an existing dwelling. This is where things get technical quickly. 

Even if a parking space looks possible on paper, it may still fail once the planning controls are properly tested. 

3. Heritage and streetscape work against it 

This is a major issue in heritage conservation areas. 

The question is not just whether you can fit a car space. The question is how you create one without damaging the streetscape. Cutting into a front fence, altering the façade, or changing the presentation of the property to the street can all create problems. 

It is not impossible, but it is definitely harder where heritage is involved. 

4. Drainage makes it too expensive 

Drainage is often overlooked. 

In theory, drainage problems can usually be solved. But that does not mean they are practical to solve. Sometimes the cost of making drainage work is so high that it wipes out the value of the parking space. 

If you need excavation, a pit, pumps and extra concrete work, the numbers can get ugly fast. At that point, the application may not fail technically, but it can still fail commercially. 

5. Council simply does not want it 

This is the uncomfortable truth. 

Councils, particularly in inner Sydney, are generally not in favour of off-street parking. They do not like bringing more cars into dense areas. They do not like new crossovers. And they do not like removing a public parking space so one property can have access to a private one. 

That attitude is real, and it matters. Any architect or planner working in inner Sydney knows this is a factor, whether it is openly stated or not. 

Final thought 

Off-street parking can add real value, but it is not something to assume is achievable even when it’s described as, “subject to council approval.” 

Before you get too far, test it properly. Check the standards, check the planning controls, check the heritage risk, check the drainage, and be realistic about council’s attitude from the start. 

If you are having trouble with a parking application, get advice early.