The Low and Mid-Rise (LMR) Housing Policy in New South Wales (NSW) is a government initiative designed to increase housing supply, diversity, and affordability in well-located areas across the state.
This policy enables a wider range of housing types—including terraces, duplexes, townhouses, and small apartment buildings—particularly near transport hubs, local centres, and existing infrastructure.
This article explains how to activate and use the LMR Housing planning layer in Landchecker to identify development opportunities and understand housing policy impacts on NSW properties.
What is the Low and Mid-Rise Housing Policy?
The LMR Housing Policy supports medium-density development that integrates with established neighbourhoods while addressing the growing demand for housing in urban and suburban areas. The policy specifically targets residential areas within walking distance of train stations and town centres.
Under the LMR Housing Policy, different types of developments are permitted depending on the specific LMR classification and underlying zoning controls. These classifications include LMR Centres, Transport Oriented Development (TOD) areas, TOD Accelerated Rezoning Areas, Deferred TOD Areas, and Indicative LMR Housing Areas.
Who Uses the LMR Housing Planning Layer?
The LMR Housing planning layer is valuable for:
Property developers: Identifying sites with increased development potential under the new housing policy
Town planners and architects: Understanding planning controls and permitted development types
Real estate agents: Advising clients on properties affected by the LMR Housing Policy
Property investors: Evaluating investment opportunities in areas with changing planning controls
Homeowners: Understanding how the policy affects their property and neighbourhood
Access Requirements
The LMR Housing planning layer is available to all Landchecker plan members, including Standard, Advanced and Enterprise plans. The layer displays planning data for properties across New South Wales only.
Step 1: Search for a New South Wales Property
The LMR Housing planning layer only applies to properties in New South Wales. You must navigate to an NSW location before activating the layer.
Follow these steps:
Log in to your Landchecker account at app.landchecker.com.au.
Navigate to New South Wales using one of these methods:
Search by address: Enter a specific NSW property address in the search bar at the top of the screen
Search by Lot/DP number: Enter the Lot and Deposited Plan number (for example, "Lot 1 DP 123456") in the search bar
Navigate manually: Zoom and pan the map to your desired NSW location
Confirm you are viewing a New South Wales location by checking the state boundaries on the map or verifying the address in the property information panel.
If you attempt to view the LMR Housing layer while focused on a location outside New South Wales, the layer will not display any data, as the policy only applies within NSW.
Step 2: Open the Planning Layers Menu
Planning layers provide visual overlays on the map that help you understand planning controls, constraints, and opportunities affecting properties.
Follow these steps:
Locate the Planning Layers menu icon on the left-hand side panel of the screen. The icon appears as a layers symbol.
Click the Planning Layers icon to open the planning layers menu.
The menu expands to show all available planning layers for the selected state.
Scroll through the list to locate the Low and Mid-Rise Housing option.
The Planning Layers menu contains numerous other planning datasets, including zones, overlays, heritage layers, and environmental constraints. You can activate multiple layers simultaneously to build a comprehensive understanding of planning controls affecting a property.
Step 3: Activate the Low and Mid-Rise Housing Layer
Activating the LMR Housing layer displays designated areas on the map where the Low and Mid-Rise Housing Policy applies.
Follow these steps:
Within the Planning Layers menu, locate Low and Mid-Rise Housing in the list of available layers.
Tick the checkbox beside Low and Mid-Rise Housing to activate the layer.
The map updates to display LMR Housing areas with coloured overlays indicating different classification types.
Properties within LMR Housing areas are highlighted on the map, making it easy to identify affected sites across suburbs and municipalities.
Click on any property within an LMR Housing area to open the property information panel and view specific LMR classifications affecting that site.
The LMR Housing layer remains active as you navigate across the map until you manually deactivate it by unticking the checkbox in the Planning Layers menu.
Understanding LMR Housing Classifications
Once activated, the LMR Housing planning layer displays different classifications that indicate the type and status of housing policy controls affecting a property. Understanding these classifications helps you determine development potential and planning requirements.
LMR Centre
LMR Centre areas are located around established town centres and local shopping precincts. These areas support a range of housing types, including terraces, townhouses, and low-rise apartment buildings, to encourage housing diversity near commercial amenities and services.
Transport Oriented Development (TOD)
Transport Oriented Development areas are located within walking distance (typically 800 metres) of train stations and major transport hubs. TOD areas encourage medium-density housing to maximise the use of existing transport infrastructure and promote walkable, transit-connected neighbourhoods.
TOD Accelerated Rezoning Area
TOD Accelerated Rezoning Areas are locations where the NSW Government has prioritised faster implementation of planning changes to support housing delivery. These areas benefit from streamlined rezoning processes to enable quicker development of low and mid-rise housing.
Deferred TOD Area
Deferred TOD Areas are identified for future Transport Oriented Development but have not yet received final planning approval or rezoning. These areas may become active TOD zones in the future, subject to government planning processes and community consultation.
Indicative LMR Housing Area
Indicative LMR Housing Areas show locations being considered for Low and Mid-Rise Housing policy application. These are preliminary designations that may change as planning policies are finalised. Indicative areas provide early insight into potential future planning changes.
Step 4: Filter LMR Housing Sub-Classifications
The LMR Housing layer includes multiple sub-classifications. You can control which specific classifications display on the map using the dropdown menu within the Planning Layers panel.
Follow these steps:
After activating the Low and Mid-Rise Housing layer, locate the dropdown arrow next to the layer name in the Planning Layers menu.
Click the dropdown arrow to expand the list of LMR Housing sub-classifications.
The expanded menu displays checkboxes for each classification type:
LMR Centre
Transport Oriented Development
TOD Accelerated Rezoning Area
Deferred TOD Area
Indicative LMR Housing Area
Tick the checkboxes next to the classifications you want to view on the map.
Untick checkboxes to hide specific classifications from the map view.
The map updates in real-time to display only the selected classifications.
Filtering sub-classifications allows you to focus on specific types of LMR Housing areas relevant to your research or project requirements. For example, you might choose to display only Transport Oriented Development areas if you are specifically searching for sites near train stations.
Combine the LMR Housing Layer with Other Datasets
The LMR Housing planning layer becomes even more powerful when combined with other datasets available in Landchecker. Layering multiple datasets provides comprehensive site analysis and helps you evaluate properties from multiple perspectives.
High-Resolution Aerial Imagery
Combine the LMR Housing layer with high-resolution aerial imagery to:
Assess current site conditions and built form
Identify vacant or under-utilised sites with development potential
Review historical imagery to understand site evolution over time
Measure site features and dimensions for feasibility assessments
To activate high-resolution aerial imagery, click Map Type in the bottom left corner and select High-Res Aerial Imagery.
Planning Zones and Overlays
View the LMR Housing layer alongside planning zones and other overlays to:
Understand underlying zoning controls and permitted uses
Identify additional planning constraints such as heritage overlays, flood overlays, or vegetation protection overlays
Assess cumulative planning requirements affecting development potential
Activate additional planning layers from the Planning Layers menu by ticking the relevant checkboxes.
ICEYE Flood Data
Assess flood risk on properties within LMR Housing areas by combining the LMR layer with ICEYE flood data:
View real-time satellite flood imagery showing actual flood extents from recent events
Identify properties that have been affected by flooding
Evaluate flood risk when considering development opportunities
ICEYE flood data is available through the Due Diligence menu. Read our article "How to purchase an ICEYE Flood Report" for detailed instructions.
Planning Permits and Development Applications (DAs)
Monitor development activity in LMR Housing areas by activating the planning permits layer:
View approved, pending, and rejected development applications on nearby properties
Identify planning precedents that support similar development types
Stay informed about development trends in LMR Housing areas
Set up permit and DA alerts to receive notifications about new applications
Activate the planning permits layer by clicking the clipboard icon in the left-hand menu and selecting Planning Permits.
Site Finder
Use Site Finder in combination with the LMR Housing layer to identify development opportunities:
Search for properties within LMR Housing areas that meet specific criteria (land size, frontage, orientation)
Filter by underlying zoning to find sites suitable for your intended development type
Export search results to projects for further analysis and collaboration
Site Finder is available to Advanced and Enterprise plan members through the left-hand menu.
By combining multiple datasets, you can conduct comprehensive due diligence and make informed, data-driven decisions about property acquisitions, development feasibility, and investment strategies in areas affected by the LMR Housing Policy.
Downloading Property Reports with LMR Housing Information
Property reports generated in Landchecker include LMR Housing classifications, providing documentation for due diligence, client presentations, and development feasibility assessments.
Follow these steps:
Search for or click on a property within an LMR Housing area.
In the property information panel, locate the Property Report section.
Click View Report or Buy Premium depending on your plan level.
The property report includes:
LMR Housing classifications affecting the property
Underlying planning zones and overlays
Planning scheme links for detailed requirements
Property attributes, sales history, and permit information
Customise which sections to include in your report before downloading.
Download the report as a PDF to save, print, or share with clients and stakeholders.
Property reports provide comprehensive documentation of LMR Housing policy impacts, making them valuable for property assessments, development applications, and investment analysis.
LMR Housing Policy Implementation Timeline
The Low and Mid-Rise Housing Policy was gazetted and came into effect on 28 February 2025. Development applications submitted after this date are subject to the new LMR Housing planning controls.
Properties within LMR Housing areas may now be eligible for different types of development depending on the specific classification and underlying zoning. Always consult the relevant planning scheme schedules and local council planning departments to understand specific development requirements and application processes.
As planning policies continue to evolve, Landchecker updates the LMR Housing layer regularly to reflect the latest government data and policy changes.