Land Subdivision & Dual Occupancy Experts
Surveyors Canberra is a team of experienced and qualified surveyors providing professional consultancy services to Canberra residents. Our team of experts can help with land subdivision and dual occupancy surveys and applications.
We provide comprehensive advice on all aspects of the process including planning approvals, survey plans, construction certificates, and other necessary documents. Our team can guide you through the process and ensure that all requirements are met to help your application succeed.
We are dedicated to delivering quality services and support, so you are sure to receive the best advice to ensure your project is compliant and successful.
Dual occupancy and subdivision are different. The Territory Plan Dictionary treats dual occupancy as two dwellings on land originally used or leased for a single dwelling. Separate titles are a further step, through land subdivision or unit titling, each with its own requirements.
If you are interested in learning more about subdivisions or would like to get an estimate for a subdivision project, please contact us. Our team of surveyors, engineers, and planners can provide you with advice and help you plan out your project.
You can reach us by phone at (02) 5114 2569 or fill in a web form.
Every block is different, and the planning side depends on your zoning and what you intend to build. The surveying work, though, follows a fairly consistent sequence. Here is what we do and roughly when.
We pull the title, the lease and the existing survey records, and look at the block against its zoning. This is where most questions get answered cheaply, before anyone commits to a design. If your block will not support what you have in mind, this is when you find out.
We establish the real boundaries on the ground and pick up the features that matter to a subdivision: levels, existing structures, services, trees and access. On sloping or vegetated blocks this takes longer, which is the main reason quotes differ between two blocks of similar size.
We prepare the plan showing the proposed new boundaries, areas and dimensions, and the easements and services each new block will need. This is the document the planning authority and your other consultants work from.
The plan goes through the approval process, and once approved the final survey plan is lodged so the new titles can issue. Timeframes here depend on the planning authority rather than on us, and we will tell you honestly what to expect.
If what you actually want is to divide an existing building into separately titled units rather than divide the land, you want a strata subdivision instead. The two often get confused and they are different pieces of work.
Costs vary with the number of blocks and the complexity of the site. Our guide to land survey costs in Canberra explains what moves the price.
RZ1 is the Suburban Zone under the ACT Territory Plan. The E01 Residential Zones Policy describes it as mainly low density, low rise housing, with some change to density and subdivision patterns. Missing Middle housing reforms in effect since 1 July 2026 widened low-rise housing options in RZ1 and RZ2. Zoning alone does not confirm what a block can support, so check the district policy, lease, site requirements and any approval needed.
RZ2 is the Suburban Density Zone. Under the E01 Residential Zones Policy, it supports low to medium density housing, mainly low-rise multi-unit housing or compact single dwellings close to services. The zone does not by itself approve a proposal, so district policy, lease and site requirements still apply.
RZ3 is the Residential Transition Zone, a planning zone under the ACT Territory Plan rather than a geographic area of Canberra. Under the Territory Plan's E01 Residential Zones Policy, RZ3 aims for primarily medium density, low to mid rise housing close to local services and amenities, built with good design outcomes. Housing in the zone is expected to be predominantly multi-unit housing of various dwelling types or more compact single dwelling housing. The policy also allows for redevelopment that changes residential density and the original pattern of subdivision. Even so, an RZ3 zoning does not by itself mean a particular block can be subdivided, so the relevant district policy, other site-specific requirements and any development approval that may apply should be checked for that block.
RZ4 is the Urban Residential Zone. The E01 Residential Zones Policy describes it as supporting medium to high density, mid-rise housing. As in other residential zones, subdivision and multi-unit housing generally need approval unless exempt, and district policy and site requirements can add limits for a particular block.
RZ5 is the Urban Density Zone, a planning zone under the ACT Territory Plan rather than a particular suburb or district of Canberra. The E01 Residential Zones Policy describes RZ5 as supporting higher density, mid and medium rise housing with good design outcomes. It provides for residential housing that is generally high density, with a range of high density and larger scale housing choices of various dwelling types. The zone is intended for areas with very good access to facilities and services, frequent public transport, or both. The policy also allows for redevelopment, including changes to the original pattern of subdivision. Being zoned RZ5 does not on its own confirm that a particular block can be subdivided, so the relevant district policy, other site-specific requirements and any development approval that may apply still need to be checked.