How Wide does the Entry have to be Subdivide my Property?

In regards to subdivision, the question of how much is enough to subdivide my property is a common question that has rarely been addressed.

As a rule of thumb for conventional proposed dwellings, entries need to allow for one driveway, landscaping elements preferably on both sides of the proposed dwelling, and of course the dwelling.

All these elements however can change and vary depending on a number of key factors that can affect the size of the entrance. These can include site location, council and zoning requirements and also the nature of the intended development.

Site location can also drastically change how wide an entry needs to be, particularly in built up/inner city suburbs. In built up areas, these determining factors vary even from street to street. Some areas may require wider more prominent crossovers, and some other areas wish for the complete opposite where they don’t want to see any vehicular access along the front entrance of the site.

Council and zoning requirements vary from council to council, but to give an example, the shire of Nillumbik is a very landscape conservative council, and it is safe to assume they will require prominent landscape consideration in the entrances. This consideration will not be the same in every council, and it is always important to confirm this.

The type of development can also affect the entrance width. If it is a series of low rise apartments, there may need to allow for more side setbacks to address shadowing on adjacent properties, as compared to a townhouse in Richmond, where it is plausible to have a development boundary to boundary.

Finally, all property sizes are different, and there is no ‘golden number’ that a subdivision has to abide to. It is best to confirm a development opportunity with a professional, so there are no discrepancies on this matter.