The Residential Design Codes (R-Codes) are a Western Australian planning code that provides the basis for the guidance and control of residential development throughout the state.
What Are the R-Codes?
The Residential Design Codes, commonly called the R-Codes, are a planning framework used to guide and control residential development in Western Australia.
The R-Codes provide requirements and design provisions that apply to different forms of residential development. They help establish how residential development is assessed within the broader Western Australian planning system.
The R-Codes are administered through the Western Australian planning framework and are used by local governments when assessing applicable residential development proposals.
What Do the R-Codes Control?
The R-Codes address a range of planning and design matters associated with residential development.
Depending on the type of development and the applicable provisions, these can include matters such as:
- building setbacks
- building height
- site and development requirements
- dwelling density
- open space
- privacy
- outdoor living areas
- access and parking
The requirements that apply depend on the type of residential development, the applicable R-Code provisions and other planning requirements affecting the property.
R-Codes Volumes
The R-Codes are divided into different volumes that apply to different forms of residential development.
Volume 1 applies broadly to single houses and grouped dwellings and also covers certain multiple-dwelling development at lower density codes.
Volume 2 applies to high-density multiple-dwelling development.
The applicable volume therefore depends on the type of residential development and the density coding that applies to the site.
R-Codes and Local Planning
The R-Codes do not operate in isolation from the rest of the planning system.
A residential proposal may also need to satisfy the relevant local planning scheme and other applicable planning requirements. Local governments use the planning framework when assessing development proposals within their areas.
This means that complying with an R-Code provision does not necessarily mean that every other planning requirement for a proposal has been satisfied.
R-Codes and Building Design
The R-Codes are particularly relevant during the early stages of residential building design.
Before detailed drawings are finalised, the applicable planning requirements can affect decisions about the building envelope, setbacks, height, site coverage, open space and other aspects of the proposed development.
Considering these requirements early can help identify planning constraints before a design progresses too far.
R-Codes in Western Australia
The R-Codes are part of Western Australia’s planning framework and apply across the state, subject to the provisions and application requirements relevant to the development.
The current R-Codes are also undergoing a State Government review intended to simplify and modernise the framework. Development and subdivision applications continue to be assessed under the current planning framework while the review is underway.
Kyle Standing’s Perspective on R-Codes
Kyle Standing’s engineering and drafting background provides a practical perspective on how planning requirements affect residential building documentation.
For residential projects in Perth, understanding the applicable R-Code requirements before detailed documentation is prepared helps establish whether a proposed design is capable of meeting the relevant planning controls.
This is particularly important where setbacks, building height, site constraints or other planning requirements affect the building envelope.
Related Terms
The R-Codes are closely connected with several terms used throughout the residential planning and building approval process:
- Building Designer
- Draftsman
- Building Surveyor
- Building Permit
- Development Application
- National Construction Code
- Justification Letter
- Granny Flat