What privacy requirements apply between the two dwellings?
For a dual occupancy, privacy between the two dwellings should be considered as part of the overall design. The Missing Middle Housing Design Guide provides general guidance for multi-dwelling development on minimising overlooking between dwellings, balconies and private open spaces, including through appropriate siting, landscaping, fencing and screening.
These are design considerations applicable to missing-middle housing generally, rather than privacy rules written specifically for dual occupancy.
Reference: Planning (Missing Middle Housing) Design Guide 2026 – 5.2C Privacy and Outlook – ACT Missing Middle Housing Design Guide
Short Answer
The Guide does not set privacy rules specifically for dual occupancy. However, because dual occupancy falls within the housing covered by the Guide, 5.2C – Privacy and Outlook provides relevant guidance for addressing privacy between the dwellings.
Detailed Explanation
The Missing Middle Housing Design Guide 2026 does not prescribe a dual-occupancy-specific privacy standard. Rather, 5.2C – Privacy and Outlook provides broader design guidance applicable to development within the scope of the Guide, which includes dual-occupancy development.
Accordingly, the guidance may be applied when assessing privacy between the two dwellings, but it should not be characterised as a mandatory privacy requirement applying exclusively to dual occupancy.
No minimum block size does not remove the need for planning assessment.
Would you like to know what these rules mean for your property?
Get a Planning Assessment prepared by our experienced planning team.