By Julie Ryan

A proposal to allow two separate homes on eligible rural and conservation properties in the Hawkesbury has completed public exhibition, bringing potential new housing options for families and farm workers a step closer.

Community submissions closed on 29 October 2026. Hawkesbury City Council will now review the submissions before forwarding the proposal, supporting documents and its resolution to the NSW Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure for a final determination.

The proposed changes would permit detached dual occupancies, with development consent, in six zones where attached dual occupancies are already allowed.

An attached dual occupancy consists of two joined dwellings on one lot, while a detached dual occupancy comprises two separate dwellings on the same lot. The amendment would give eligible landowners another option for accommodating family members or agricultural workers, subject to approval.

The proposal covers land zoned RU1 Primary Production, RU2 Rural Landscape, RU4 Primary Production Small Lots, RU5 Village, C3 Environmental Management and C4 Environmental Living. It would introduce a new local provision into the Hawkesbury Local Environmental Plan 2012.

For rural families, the change could make multigenerational living more practical. Older parents could live close to their adult children while maintaining their independence, while younger family members could have the opportunity to remain on family land in a separate home.

Council’s supporting planning material identifies family accommodation, ageing in place and housing for agricultural workers as key reasons for pursuing the amendment. It also highlights the potential to broaden housing choice while maintaining the Hawkesbury’s rural character.

However, the changes would not give every landowner in the nominated zones an automatic right to build a second home. Each development would still require consent and assessment against the applicable planning requirements.

A property’s location, environmental constraints and capacity to accommodate another dwelling would remain important considerations. Council’s supporting material states that environmental impacts would be assessed on a case-by-case basis.

This means the opportunities available could vary considerably between properties. A large rural holding and a smaller village block, for example, may face different constraints, even if both fall within an eligible zone.

The proposal would also not create a pathway to subdivision. Two dwellings on one lot would not, by themselves, become separately saleable properties, and Council’s supporting material confirms that subdivision is not proposed as part of the amendment.

With public exhibition complete, the next stage is Council’s consideration of community feedback ahead of a final planning determination.

For Hawkesbury families, the proposal offers the possibility of greater flexibility to live close together on rural land. Whether that option becomes available, and which properties could benefit, will depend on the final decision and the requirements applying to each site.