Land Use Definitions

Question 1

Use zones

Answer 1

This indicates the purposes for which buildings may be erected and used and the purposes for which land may be used

Example sentence: The property is zoned as ‘Commercial’ which allows for retail and office use.

Question 2

Density zones

Answer 2

This is information concerning the number of dwellings that may be erected on a property or the minimum erf size that is required for a house. This is important when considering the subdivision potential of a property or the number of dwelling units that may be erected on a property.

Example sentence: The density zone allows for a maximum of 10 dwellings per hectare.

Question 3

Floor area ratio (FAR)

Answer 3

This is the total floor space that may be built on a property. it is also referred to as floor space ratio or bulk.

Example sentence: The FAR for this property is 2.0, allowing for a maximum of 200 square meters of floor space.

Question 4

Height

Answer 4

This refers to the number of storeys that are permitted on a property. It can be expressed in the number of storeys or as the height above ground level in metres.

Example sentence: The height restriction for this property is 3 storeys or 15 meters above ground level.

Question 5

Coverage

Answer 5

This is the amount of land that may be covered by buildings.

Example sentence: The coverage allowed on this property is 40%, leaving space for green areas.

Question 6

Building restriction areas

Answer 6

This refers to the distance from the street boundary or the distance from the side and rear boundaries that may not be built upon.

Example sentence: The building restriction area from the rear boundary is 3 meters, allowing for a setback.

Question 7

Parking

Answer 7

This information concerns the number of parking bays required, especially in the case of townhouses, flats, and similar developments.

Example sentence: The parking requirement for this development is 1 parking bay per unit.