Height of Buildings (HOB)
What HOB means on a NSW LEP: the maximum building height in metres set on the LEP Height of Buildings Map. How it is measured and applied.
Ask Chalkline about this →Height of Buildings (HOB) is a development standard in a council’s Local Environmental Plan (LEP) that sets the maximum height a building may reach on a site. It is expressed in metres and shown on the Height of Buildings Map in the LEP maps package. The standard is controlled by clause 4.3 of the Standard Instrument (Local Environmental Plans) Order 2006.
Height is measured vertically from the existing ground level to the highest point of the building, including roof plant, lift overruns, and parapets, unless the LEP specifically excludes them. Typical limits in suburban R2 (Low Density Residential) zones are 8.5 m or 9 m, but values vary by council and precinct. The map governs, not the zone name: some councils set different limits in different parts of the same zone.
If no HOB value is mapped for a lot, no height limit applies under that LEP clause (though DCP controls may still apply). Where a proposal exceeds the HOB limit, a clause 4.6 variation request is required as part of a DA. Designing to comply avoids this cost.
Also known as: HOB, building height limit.
Category: Approvals.
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Last updated: 2026-05-08. Verified: 2026-05-08. Quarterly review for currency.