Caringbah South and Miranda are the major “hot spots” for dual occupancy developments in Sutherland Shire.
Each suburb had more than 80 duplex development applications (DAs) processed over 22 months – twice as many as the next highest, Caringbah, Sylvania, Cronulla and Woolooware.
Applications for dual occupancies have surged since the 2015 local environmental plan (LEP) removed minimum lot sizes and made other favourable changes.
In most cases, applicants are receiving approval for Torrens Title subdivision, allowing properties to be sold separately.
The council provided a breakdown by suburb on the number of approved and pending DAs between July 2015 and April 2017:
Burraneer 14, Caringbah 44, Caringbah South 84, Como 1, Cronulla 34, Dolans Bay 8, Engadine 13, Grays Point 1, Gymea 27, Gymea Bay 5, Heathcote 2, Illawong 1, Jannali, 16.
Kareela 2, Kirrawee 19, Loftus 4, Miranda 82, Oyster Bay 10, Port Hacking 6, Sutherland 11, Sylvania 42, Sylvania Waters 1, Taren Point 7, Woolooware 30, Yowie Bay 5.
At a recent auction, a developer paid $1.83 million for a site in Jellicoe Street, Caringbah South, occupied by a three-bedroom fibro house.
Peter James, of Peter James Realty, said the buyer planned to build a duplex, as did three of the other four bidders had they been successful at the auction.
Investors are looking at pretty much anything over 600 square metres.
- Peter James
The bidder with other ideas was an older couple who wanted to build a single level retirement home.
“We had a lot of mum and dad investors looking at the property,” Mr James said.
“Ridiculous money is being paid for duplex sites and investors are looking at pretty much anything over 600 square metres, and sometimes less.”
The council said the dual occupancy changes in the LEP had provided more housing choice.
“In reviewing its 2006 LEP, one of the outcomes council sought was to increase housing supply and choice,” a spokesman said.
“Widening the scope for dual occupancy development was one initiative toward achieving this outcome in line with the state government’s housing targets.”
The council’s online register showed 32 DAs for dual occupancies were submitted in March, and approval given for 29 lodged earlier.