Do I have to demolish my existing house to build a dual occupancy?
No, not necessarily. You may be able to retain your existing house and add a second dwelling to create a dual occupancy.
Whether this is possible depends on the existing house's location and whether the completed development can meet the applicable dual occupancy requirements, including site coverage, setbacks, private open space, planting, parking and access.
Reference: Planning (Missing Middle Housing) Design Guide 2026 – ACT Missing Middle Housing Design Guide & Territory Plan 2023 – Part E01 Residential Zone Policy – Territory Plan 2023 | Notifiable instruments
Short Answer
No, not necessarily. You may be able to retain the existing house and add a second dwelling, provided the overall development meets the applicable dual occupancy requirements.
Detailed Explanation
No, demolition of the existing dwelling is not necessarily required. An existing dwelling may be retained and an additional dwelling proposed to create a dual occupancy, provided the resulting development is permissible and satisfies the applicable multi-unit housing requirements.
The existing and proposed dwellings are considered as part of the overall development and must satisfy the relevant controls, including site coverage, setbacks, building height, private open space, planting, parking and access. Whether retention is feasible will therefore depend on the existing dwelling's location and the characteristics of the block.
The Missing Middle Housing Design Guide provides additional design guidance for dual occupancy, while the Residential Zones Policy contains the applicable planning assessment requirements.
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.