Landscaped area
Landscaped area is the percentage of a residential lot the LEP or DCP requires as planted ground. How it differs from deep soil, and what counts vs what doesn't.
Ask Chalkline about this →A landscaped area is the portion of a residential lot dedicated to planted (soft, vegetated) ground, expressed as a percentage of the site area. Council DCPs and state instruments require a minimum landscaped-area percentage, layered on top of the site coverage and FSR controls, to make sure new development keeps some of the lot green.
What counts (and what doesn’t)
The detail in the relevant council’s DCP determines what counts, but the recurring rules of thumb:
- Counted: planted garden beds, lawn, soft mulched areas, planted strips along boundaries. Trees and the soil they sit in count.
- Usually not counted: paved courtyards and patios, decks, driveways, pool surrounds, hard-surfaced car spaces. “Landscape” generally means soft, not just outside the dwelling.
- Sometimes credited: turf-paver mixes, pervious paving, and rooftop garden areas can attract a partial credit, council-specific.
Landscaped area vs deep soil
The two often appear on the same DA drawing set but measure different things (verified 2026-05-29, see landscaped area and deep soil):
- Landscaped area: any soft planted surface, as a percentage of the site. Typical council DCP requirement for houses sits in the 30 to 50 percent range.
- Deep soil: a stricter subset, natural ground with no slab or structure beneath it, contiguous, and wide enough to support tree roots. Under the NSW Apartment Design Guide, residential flat buildings need at least 7% of the site as deep soil with a 3 m minimum width for most sites.
A podium planter or above-slab garden bed counts as landscaped area but does not count as deep soil, which is the trap on tight urban infill: the landscaped percentage looks fine on the plan but the deep-soil requirement is missed.
Why it matters
A non-compliant landscaped-area number at DA assessment stalls the project until the design is re-drawn, the lot replanned, or a planning variation is justified. Three practical points:
- Read both controls: the DCP landscaped-area percentage and any deep-soil requirement (NSW ADG, council DCP, or other state equivalent).
- Measure on the site plan, not by eye: the landscaped area is calculated against the site area per the DCP method, including or excluding easements as the instrument specifies.
- Coordinate with the landscape architect early: late-stage redesign to add 5% landscaped area can force the dwelling footprint to shrink.
Also known as: landscape area control, soft landscaped area.
Category: Planning / site controls
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Last updated: 2026-05-29. Verified: 2026-05-29. Quarterly review for currency.