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Average Perth block size decreasing

Source: perthnow.com.au by Chris Robinson
January 10, 2009

WA suburban lots have gone from the second biggest to the second smallest in Australia.

Blocks are getting smaller because of affordability, lack of space and people wanting to live near the coast.

Since 2003, block sizes have shrunk 72sqm, from 600sqm to 528sqm- the size of an average apartment, latest Housing Industry Association and RP Data figures show.

Perth is second only to Adelaide when it comes to the smallest average lot sizes.

Perth had the second-largest average size as recently as 1993.

With most people wanting to retain interior space, shrinking lot sizes mean the days of the big back yard may be numbered, according to HIA assistant director Ben Phillips.

"Particularly in the large capital cities, it is potentially something that is in the past, unfortunately,'' he said.

A variety of reasons was driving the recent decrease in Perth block sizes, with affordability the prominent factor.

"It's a general trend among developers to develop on smaller blocks of land, and probably also the fact that infrastructure charges are very high,'' Mr Phillips said.

"(But) it still comes down to the basic issue of affordability that's driving the block sizes smaller. I don't think it's because people are preferring to have smaller block sizes.''

RP Data research analyst Cameron Kusher said land availability played a significant role in smaller metropolitan blocks.

"Most people want to live in the capital city areas, and the only way to squeeze more people in there is to make the average lot size smaller,'' he said.

Planning Minister John Day this week finalised plans to allow owners of R20-zoned blocks- 900-999sqm- to continue to subdivide existing back yards by overturning restrictions imposed by the previous Labor government.

The decision applies only to blocks approved before the amendment is finalised.Real Estate Institute of WA president Rob Druitt said while the idea of big back yards was ``not completely dead in the water'', they were not a priority for new home builders.

Gary Browning, who owns a 400sqm block in Hillarys, said he found it practical to attend to only a small back garden.

"It's really a lifestyle choice for us- we were keen on not having to attend to a large block,'' he said.

"As you get a bit older, it gets harder to maintain a large back garden.''

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Average Perth block size decreasing

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