Missing middle housing is now easier to build across Canberra. New Territory Plan changes came into effect on 1 July 2026, opening up established suburbs to types of housing that were previously much harder to build.
What the missing middle housing reforms change
- Duplexes, triplexes, terraces, townhouses and low-rise apartments (up to two storeys in RZ1 zones and three in RZ2) are now allowed under the updated Territory Plan.
- A temporary 50 per cent cut to the Lease Variation Charge makes it cheaper to vary a Crown lease to add extra dwellings. To qualify, projects in RZ1 and RZ2 zones need development approval before 30 June 2029 and must be finished by 31 December 2030.
- The ACT Government has opened expressions of interest for a national design competition to build the Canberra House Pattern Book, a collection of pre-qualified designs that will benefit from a faster approval process. It’s looking for dual occupancies, tri-occupancies, townhouses and terraces, and architects, building designers and architecture students from across Australia can register their interest until 3 December 2026.
- The reforms are backed by a new Missing Middle Housing Design Guide, and proposals must also take into account the character of Canberra’s suburbs.
Why it matters
The charge cut is designed to keep construction going through to the end of 2030, supporting the ACT Government’s goal of 30,000 new homes by that year. Most of these are to be built through infill in established suburbs rather than new greenfield estates.
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General information only, not legal advice. Check the official source before acting.
Source: ACT Government. Licence: CC BY 4.0.
