Low and Mid Rise Housing in Manly
1,249 residential lots in Manly are eligible for Low and Mid Rise Housing today, about 86% of the suburb's houses. Most sit inside the walking catchment of Manly town centre. Here is what that means, in plain English.
Figures are drawn from the public NSW planning record across the eligible lots in Manly. Eligibility is assessed lot by lot, so your block may differ.
Why Manly is on the list
In 2024 the NSW Government used a state planning policy to override council zoning within walking distance of designated centres. Manly falls inside the catchment of Manly town centre, so R1 (general residential) lots that could carry a single house the day before can now carry more.
The change was not announced to the people it affects. The market has been acting on it since it landed. Most owners have heard nothing.
What an eligible Manly block can become
On an eligible lot, the reform permits dual occupancies, terraces, manor houses, and small apartment blocks where the dimensions work. It also opens a faster approval route for projects that qualify, one your council cannot override. What any single lot can carry depends on its size, its frontage, and the controls that still apply.
The reform widens what is permitted. It does not require you to do anything, and it does not remove bushfire, flood, heritage, or environmental checks.
89 LMR-eligible lots in Manly have changed hands in the last two years, at a median of $5.00M. Some of those sales reflect the uplift and some do not, which is exactly why a lot-specific read matters.
Is your Manly lot one of them?
Enter your address. We read the full planning record on your lot and tell you, in plain English and for free, whether you are eligible. If your block stacks up, we can make you an offer to buy it.