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Western Australia · WA

Perth

Distances measured from Perth Station.

Highly restricted land

≈86% of Perth’s residential land within 20km of Perth Station is highly restricted.

Across the whole urban area, this rises to 88%.

Perth ranks #5 of 8 most restrictive Australian capitals. “Highly restricted” means residential land that is either zoned for no more than 2 storeys, designated low-density only, or covered by a heritage overlay.

Perth’s residential zoning is ≈86% highly restrictive
Highly restricted residential
Not highly restricted residential
20km headline radius

Highly restricted, by distance from Perth Station

151015200% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% Distance from CBD (km) Share (%)

2-storey cap

≈86%

Two-storey caps make dense development illegal.

Detached-only

≈0%

Only detached houses permitted—no townhouses or apartments.

Low-density only

≈55%

Low-density zoning typically only permits one or two dwellings per lot.

heritage controls

≈2%

Heritage restrictions often make redevelopment prohibitively difficult.

Highly restricted (total)

≈86%

Source: Geometric union of 2-storey, low-density, detached-only, and heritage controls. Methodology →

Where Perth ranks across the country

Perth ranks #5 of 8 among Australian capitals for highly restrictive planning.

Highly restricted

Perth: ≈86% · rank #5 of 8

Hobart ≈97%
Adelaide ≈92%
Darwin ≈88%
Brisbane ≈87%
Perth ≈86%
Sydney ≈81%
Canberra ≈74%
Melbourne ≈43%
0% (least restrictive) (most restrictive) 100%

Highly restricted

  1. 1. Hobart ≈97%
  2. 2. Adelaide ≈92%
  3. 3. Darwin ≈88%
  4. 4. Brisbane ≈87%
  5. 5. Perth ≈86%
  6. 6. Sydney ≈81%
  7. 7. Canberra ≈74%
  8. 8. Melbourne ≈43%

2-storey cap

  1. 1. Hobart ≈96%
  2. 2. Adelaide ≈91%
  3. 3. Darwin ≈88%
  4. 4. Perth ≈86%
  5. 5. Brisbane ≈86%
  6. 6. Sydney ≈77%
  7. 7. Canberra ≈74%
  8. 8. Melbourne ≈37%

Low-density

  1. 1. Canberra ≈74%
  2. 2. Brisbane ≈74%
  3. 3. Darwin ≈73%
  4. 4. Sydney ≈69%
  5. 5. Perth ≈55%
  6. 6. Adelaide ≈34%
  7. 7. Melbourne ≈34%
  8. 8. Hobart ≈14%

Detached-only

  1. 1. Darwin ≈73%
  2. 2. Brisbane ≈66%
  3. 3. Sydney ≈3%
  4. 4. Melbourne ≈2%
  5. 5. Adelaide ≈0%
  6. 6. Canberra ≈0%
  7. 7. Hobart ≈0%
  8. 8. Perth ≈0%

Heritage

  1. 1. Sydney ≈13%
  2. 2. Melbourne ≈11%
  3. 3. Adelaide ≈9%
  4. 4. Hobart ≈4%
  5. 5. Perth ≈2%
  6. 6. Canberra ≈2%
  7. 7. Brisbane ≈1%
  8. 8. Darwin ≈0%

Permits no more than 2 storeys

≈86% of Perth’s residential land within 20km permits no more than 2 storeys.

Across the whole urban area, this rises to 88%.

Permits no more than 2 storeys, by distance

151015200% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% Distance from CBD (km) Share (%)

Across Perth’s residential land

86% capped at no more than 2 storeys12% 3+ storeys allowed2% no published height limit

Source: Perth parcels capped at no more than 2 storeys, against the all-housing-permitted denominator. Methodology →

What counts in Perth

Published height limit of ~2 storeys (≤ 8.5 m)

Zones: Rural residential, Residential (R20), Special rural, Urban development, Residential (R40), Residential (R30) (+75 more)

Low-density only

≈55% of Perth’s land within 20km is zoned for “low-density” within the planning scheme.

Across the whole urban area, this falls to 52%.

Low-density only, by distance

151015200% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% Distance from CBD (km) Share (%)

Across Perth’s residential land

55% low-density only45% denser housing allowed

Source: Perth parcels zoned for low-density residential use only. Methodology →

What counts in Perth

Zones: Rural residential, Residential (R20), Special rural, Residential (R5), Residential (R25), Residential (R12.5) (+38 more)

Detached houses only

0% of Perth’s residential land permits only detached houses.

No residential zone in Perth mandates detached dwellings only—every zone permits at least one denser form (a dual occupancy, townhouses or apartments). Detached-only mandates appear mainly in the Queensland, WA, NT and NSW schemes.

Across Perth’s residential land

98% other dwellings allowed2% not classified

Source: Perth parcels permitting only detached dwellings, against the all-housing-permitted denominator. Methodology →

heritage controls

≈2% of Perth’s residential land within 20km is under heritage controls.

Across the whole urban area, this falls to 2%.

heritage controls, by distance

151015200% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% Distance from CBD (km) Share (%)

Across Perth’s residential land

2% heritage controlled98% no heritage control

Source: Perth residential parcels intersecting any state, local, or other heritage overlay. Methodology →

What counts in Perth

Controls: State Heritage, Local Heritage

Highly restricted land near rapid transit

≈78% of Perth’s residential land within 800m of rapid transit is highly restricted.

800m buffer
Highly restricted near PT
Open residential near PT
Train / tram / ferry
High-freq bus

Within 800m of rapid transit

78% highly restricted22% not highly restricted

Source: Rapid-transit stops = train + tram + ferry stations plus any bus stop with mean headway ≤15 min across the weekday 7am-7pm GTFS window. Buffered 800m, intersected with the highly-restricted residential layer. Methodology →

Detailed zoning map

Perth’s residential planning controls, polygon-by-polygon

Every residential zone in Perth

  1. Business (R20)<1 km²<0.1%
  2. Business (R25)<1 km²<0.1%
  3. Commercial (R10)<1 km²<0.1%
  4. Commercial (R15)<1 km²<0.1%
  5. Commercial (R20)<1 km²<0.1%
  6. Development (R20)<1 km²<0.1%
  7. Local centre (R5)<1 km²<0.1%
  8. Local centre (R10)<1 km²<0.1%
  9. Local centre (R12.5)<1 km²<0.1%
  10. Local centre (R15)<1 km²<0.1%
  11. Local centre (R20)<1 km²<0.1%
  12. Local centre (R25)<1 km²<0.1%
  13. Medium and high density residential (R25)11 km²1.8%
  14. Mixed use (R20)<1 km²<0.1%
  15. Mixed use (R25)<1 km²<0.1%
  16. Neighbourhood centre (R20)<1 km²<0.1%
  17. Neighbourhood centre (R25)<1 km²<0.1%
  18. Residential3 km²0.5%
  19. Residential (R2)1 km²0.2%
  20. Residential (R2.5)5 km²0.8%
  21. Residential (R5)36 km²5.6%
  22. Residential (R10)9 km²1.5%
  23. Residential (R12.5)12 km²1.9%
  24. Residential (R15)8 km²1.3%
  25. Residential (R17.5)3 km²0.4%
  26. Residential (R20 density unless otherwise shown)<1 km²<0.1%
  27. Residential (R20 density unless otherwise shown) (R12.5)<1 km²<0.1%
  28. Residential (R20 density unless otherwise shown) (R20)5 km²0.8%
  29. Residential (R20)209 km²32.8%
  30. Residential (R25)28 km²4.4%
  31. Residential development17 km²2.6%
  32. Residential development (R20)<1 km²<0.1%
  33. Residential development (R25)<1 km²<0.1%
  34. Residential redevelopment<1 km²<0.1%
  35. Service commercial (R20)<1 km²<0.1%
  36. Special commercial (R20)<1 km²<0.1%
  37. Special use (R20)<1 km²<0.1%
  38. Urban development105 km²16.5%
  39. Urban development (R20)<1 km²<0.1%
  40. Business (R30)<1 km²<0.1%
  41. Commercial (R30)<1 km²<0.1%
  42. Development (R30)<1 km²<0.1%
  43. Local centre (R30)<1 km²<0.1%
  44. Medium and high density residential (R30)1 km²0.1%
  45. Medium and high density residential (R35)<1 km²<0.1%
  46. Mixed business (R30)<1 km²<0.1%
  47. Mixed use (R30)<1 km²<0.1%
  48. Mixed use (R35)<1 km²<0.1%
  49. Neighbourhood centre (R30)<1 km²<0.1%
  50. Neighbourhood centre (R35)<1 km²<0.1%
  51. Residential (R20 density unless otherwise shown) (R30)<1 km²<0.1%
  52. Residential (R30)40 km²6.2%
  53. Residential (R35)5 km²0.9%
  54. Special use (R30)<1 km²<0.1%
  55. Business (R40)<1 km²<0.1%
  56. Business (R50)<1 km²<0.1%
  57. Centre (R40)<1 km²<0.1%
  58. Centre (R50)<1 km²<0.1%
  59. Centre (R-AC0)4 km²0.6%
  60. Commercial (R40)<1 km²<0.1%
  61. Commercial (R-AC0)<1 km²<0.1%
  62. Development16 km²2.5%
  63. Development (R40)<1 km²<0.1%
  64. Development (R50)<1 km²<0.1%
  65. Development (R-AC0)<1 km²<0.1%
  66. District centre (R40)<1 km²<0.1%
  67. District centre (R50)<1 km²<0.1%
  68. District centre (R-AC0)<1 km²<0.1%
  69. Local centre (R40)<1 km²<0.1%
  70. Local centre (R50)<1 km²<0.1%
  71. Maylands activity centre zone (r-aco) (R-AC0)<1 km²<0.1%
  72. Medium and high density residential (R40)1 km²0.2%
  73. Medium and high density residential (R50)1 km²<0.1%
  74. Medium and high density residential (R-AC0)<1 km²<0.1%
  75. Mixed business (R40)<1 km²<0.1%
  76. Mixed business/residential (R-AC0)<1 km²<0.1%
  77. Mixed use (R40)<1 km²<0.1%
  78. Mixed use (R50)<1 km²<0.1%
  79. Mixed use (R-AC0)<1 km²<0.1%
  80. Neighbourhood centre (R40)<1 km²<0.1%
  81. Neighbourhood centre (R-AC0)<1 km²<0.1%
  82. Residential (R20 density unless otherwise shown) (R40)3 km²0.4%
  83. Residential (R20 density unless otherwise shown) (R50)<1 km²<0.1%
  84. Residential (R40)51 km²8.0%
  85. Residential (R50)5 km²0.8%
  86. Residential (R-AC0)1 km²0.2%
  87. Residential office (R40)<1 km²<0.1%
  88. Service commercial (R40)<1 km²<0.1%
  89. Special use (R40)<1 km²<0.1%
  90. Special use (R-AC0)<1 km²<0.1%
  91. Strategic regional centre (R-AC0)<1 km²<0.1%
  92. Town centre (R-AC0)<1 km²<0.1%
  93. Urban development (R40)<1 km²<0.1%
  94. Urban development (R-AC0)2 km²0.3%
  95. Centre (R60)1 km²<0.1%
  96. Centre (R80)<1 km²<0.1%
  97. Commercial (R60)<1 km²<0.1%
  98. Commercial (R80)<1 km²<0.1%
  99. Commercial (R-AC4)<1 km²<0.1%
  100. District centre (R60)<1 km²<0.1%
  101. District centre (R80)<1 km²<0.1%
  102. District town centre (R80)<1 km²<0.1%
  103. Local centre (R60)<1 km²<0.1%
  104. Local centre (R80)<1 km²<0.1%
  105. Local centre (R-AC4)<1 km²<0.1%
  106. Maylands activity centre zone (r-aco) (R60)<1 km²<0.1%
  107. Medium and high density residential<1 km²<0.1%
  108. Medium and high density residential (R60)<1 km²<0.1%
  109. Medium and high density residential (R80)<1 km²<0.1%
  110. Midland strategic regional centre (R80)<1 km²<0.1%
  111. Mixed business (R60)<1 km²<0.1%
  112. Mixed use (R60)<1 km²<0.1%
  113. Mixed use (R80)1 km²0.1%
  114. Mixed use (R-AC4)<1 km²<0.1%
  115. Neighbourhood centre (R60)<1 km²<0.1%
  116. Neighbourhood centre (R80)<1 km²<0.1%
  117. Neighbourhood centre (R-AC4)<1 km²<0.1%
  118. Normalised redevelopment area<1 km²<0.1%
  119. Residential (R20 density unless otherwise shown) (R60)<1 km²<0.1%
  120. Residential (R60)14 km²2.1%
  121. Residential (R80)3 km²0.4%
  122. Residential office (R60)<1 km²<0.1%
  123. Restricted foreshore centre (R60)<1 km²<0.1%
  124. Urban development (R60)<1 km²<0.1%
  125. Centre (R100)<1 km²<0.1%
  126. Centre (R160)<1 km²<0.1%
  127. Commercial (R100)<1 km²<0.1%
  128. District centre (R100)<1 km²<0.1%
  129. District centre (R160)<1 km²<0.1%
  130. Local centre (R100)<1 km²<0.1%
  131. Medium and high density residential (R100)<1 km²<0.1%
  132. Midland strategic regional centre (R100)<1 km²<0.1%
  133. Mixed use (R100)<1 km²<0.1%
  134. Mixed use (R160)<1 km²<0.1%
  135. Regional centre (R160)<1 km²<0.1%
  136. Residential (R20 density unless otherwise shown) (R100)1 km²0.1%
  137. Residential (R100)1 km²0.2%
  138. Residential (R160)1 km²<0.1%
  139. Town centre (R100)<1 km²<0.1%
  140. Town centre residential (R100)<1 km²<0.1%
  141. Centre9 km²1.4%
  142. City centre1 km²0.2%
  143. Commercial (R-AC3)<1 km²<0.1%
  144. District centre1 km²0.2%
  145. District centre (R-AC2)<1 km²<0.1%
  146. District centre (R-AC3)<1 km²<0.1%
  147. District town centre<1 km²<0.1%
  148. Foreshore centre<1 km²<0.1%
  149. General town centre<1 km²<0.1%
  150. Kwinana town centre<1 km²<0.1%
  151. Local centre1 km²0.2%
  152. Maylands activity centre zone (r-aco)<1 km²<0.1%
  153. Medium and high density residential (R-AC3)<1 km²<0.1%
  154. Midland strategic regional centre<1 km²<0.1%
  155. Mixed use (R-AC1)<1 km²<0.1%
  156. Mixed use (R-AC3)<1 km²<0.1%
  157. Neighbourhood centre<1 km²<0.1%
  158. Neighbourhood centre (R-AC1)<1 km²<0.1%
  159. Neighbourhood centre (R-AC2)<1 km²<0.1%
  160. Neighbourhood centre (R-AC3)<1 km²<0.1%
  161. Regional centre1 km²0.1%
  162. Residential (R-AC1)<1 km²<0.1%
  163. Residential (R-AC2)<1 km²<0.1%
  164. Residential (R-AC3)<1 km²<0.1%
  165. Strategic centre6 km²1.0%
  166. Town centre1 km²0.1%
  167. Town centre residential<1 km²<0.1%
  168. Mixed use1 km²0.2%
  169. Neighbourhood mixed use<1 km²<0.1%
  170. Office/residential1 km²<0.1%
  171. Residential and stables<1 km²<0.1%
  172. Residential/commercial<1 km²<0.1%
Per page:

Source: State-published zoning data, residential ex-rural, bounded to the Significant Urban Area. Areas measure the zone polygons drawn here, which include road reserve and unsubdivided land, so they are a different measure from the lot-by-lot areas behind this page’s restricted-land figures.

Local restrictiveness

Perth’s councils, ranked by restrictiveness.

  1. Serpentine-Jarrahdale≈99%
  2. Murray≈99%
  3. Claremont≈98%
  4. East Fremantle≈98%
  5. Mundaring≈97%
  6. Fremantle≈97%
  7. Kalamunda≈96%
  8. Wanneroo≈95%
  9. Bassendean≈95%
  10. Cambridge≈94%
  11. Mosman Park≈92%
  12. Armadale≈92%
  13. Cottesloe≈91%
  14. Stirling≈91%
  15. Mandurah≈90%
  16. Gosnells≈89%
  17. Melville≈89%
  18. Joondalup≈88%
  19. Cockburn≈87%
  20. Bayswater≈87%
  21. Nedlands≈85%
  22. Canning≈85%
  23. Belmont≈83%
  24. Rockingham≈79%
  25. Victoria Park≈78%
  26. Swan≈74%
  27. Kwinana≈73%
  28. South Perth≈70%
  29. Subiaco≈62%
  30. Vincent≈56%
  31. Perth≈17%
Per page:

All councils →

Source: ABS 2025 LGA boundaries × union of 2-storey, low-density, detached-only, and heritage controls (parcel-level where available; zone-polygon for SA / ACT). Filtered to Perth LGAs with ≥1.5 km² of residential land.. Methodology →

Keep exploring

All Australian capitals

TAS

Hobart

≈97%

#1 of 8 · most to least restrictive

SA

Adelaide

≈92%

#2 of 8 · most to least restrictive

NT

Darwin

≈88%

#3 of 8 · most to least restrictive

QLD

Brisbane

≈87%

#4 of 8 · most to least restrictive

WA

Perth

You are here

≈86%

#5 of 8 · most to least restrictive

NSW

Sydney

≈81%

#6 of 8 · most to least restrictive

ACT

Canberra

≈74%

#7 of 8 · most to least restrictive

VIC

Melbourne

≈43%

#8 of 8 · most to least restrictive