Released 24/03/2026
The Government has introduced the Planning (Missing Middle Housing) Amendment Bill 2026 which complements the Government’s proposed Missing Middle Housing Reforms (DPA-04) to the Territory Plan.
The legislation proposes to amend the Planning Act to support the delivery of missing middle homes, including secondary dwellings, multi-occupancy housing, townhouses, terraces and low-rise apartments in existing suburbs.
Small subdivision and consolidation development applications would no longer be considered “significant development’, cutting assessment and approval timeframes from 60 days and two rounds of public notification, down to 30-45 working days.
The Government is also reforming the process to change the number of dwellings permitted in crown leases. All single-dwelling crown leases will have an automatic entitlement to build a secondary residence, such as a granny flat.
Changes to crown leases to add additional dwellings on a block would also become ‘exempt development’ which means a development application is not required to change the lease cutting assessment time down to 10 days. The Bill does not change the requirement of a development application for design and siting of the additional homes.
Minister for Planning and Sustainable Development Chris Steel said the Bill supports the Government’s priority of enabling diverse housing choices through practical, administrative changes that streamline approvals for new housing.
“This Bill will deliver faster approvals for missing middle housing for Canberrans,” Minister Steel said.
“The reforms to crown leases are practical administrative changes, that give Canberrans greater use of their land without compromising building quality.
“This will mean that a DA won’t be required just to vary a lease to add a secondary or additional dwelling, which adds little value to the planning process.”
Minister Steel said the Bill also strengthens the core principles of the Planning Act by improving clarity, certainty and outcomes in the planning system.
“This Bill supports the Government’s construction productivity agenda as we seek to enable 30,000 new homes by 2030,” the Minister said.
“These reforms provide certainty and makes the overall planning process simpler so that proponents can get on and deliver more homes where people want to live."
- Statement ends -
Chris Steel, MLA | Media Releases