Are these specifications binding, or are they guidance?
The Planning Technical Specifications are not absolute rules, but they are recognised benchmarks used to demonstrate compliance with the assessment outcomes. A development proposal does not have to strictly comply with a specification if it can demonstrate, on its merits, that the relevant assessment outcomes are still achieved.
They are a benchmark, not a hard rule. The primary assessment consideration is whether the proposal meets the assessment outcomes in the Territory Plan. Where a proposal complies with a relevant specification and comprehensively addresses the assessment outcome, no further assessment of those specific provisions is required. However, a proposal can depart from a specification if the applicant can demonstrate that the relevant assessment outcome is still achieved on its merits.
Reference: Territory Plan 2023, Part E01 - Residential Zones Policy- Territory Plan 2023 | Notifiable instruments
Link on the answer: https://www.legislation.act.gov.au/ni/2023-540/Current
Where this question is kept
| Dual Occupancy Q&A | #192 | agrees | 31/07/2026 |