Analysis of the 2024 car parking requirements under SEPP Housing 2021 for Seniors and People with a disability.

[Class 1 parking options as per SEPP Housing 2021 (2024 version)]

Below is the link to a short video discussion by Farah Madon, Vista Access Architects, analysing the new car parking requirements under SEPP Housing 2021 for Seniors and People with a Disability that was released in Jan 2024. 

All opinions are based on our interpretation of the standards and viewers are urged to use the information at their own risk.

Over the past 2 months, Farah Madon has been working on behalf of ACAA (Association of Consultants in Access Australia) with a small group of people including representatives from the building industry, design professionals, certifiers and accessibility advocates as part of the Livable Housing Implementation Advisory Committee (LHIAC) to ensure that the new NCC Livable Housing Design Standard is clear and compatible with existing provisions of the NCC.

A copy of the updated NCC Livable Housing Design Standard can be downloaded from here

The work of the LHIAC is now continues with a focus on ABCB guidance materials and education programs to support the new provisions. These additional materials will be available in early 2023.

Farah Madon awarded ACAA Fellow Membership

Farah Madon was awarded ACAA (Association of Consultants in Access Australia) Fellow membership at the 2022 ACAA AGM for her significant contribution to ACAA and to the field of disability access.

Farah has served as a management committee member of ACAA for numerous years since 2010 and is the current Vice President of ACAA. As part of the management committee, she has organised 4 (four) ACAA National Conferences and was the founding editor of the association's Access Insight magazine.

She has also represented ACAA on multiple committees such as Standards Australia Committee ME-064 responsible for the suite of Australian Standards AS1428, RAIA’s (Australian Institute of Architect's) National Enabling Architecture Group, NDIS SDA (Specialist Disability Accommodation) Reference Group and most recently on the ABCB's (Australian Building Codes Board's) LHIAC (Livable Housing Implementation Advisory Committee).

Bite size technical article on AS1428.1-2021- Luminance contrast where one colour is known and you need to know what the contrasting colour needs to be, to comply with luminance contrast requirements for BCA/NCC or NDIS SDA (Specialist Disability Accommodation) requirements of SDA Design Standards for Improved Liveability.

Where LRV (Luminance Reflectance Value) of 2 (two) surfaces are known, calculating the difference in LRV is relatively simple via the Bowman-Sapolinski Equation. AS1428.1 and the SDA Design Standards state that for building elements such as doorways, a minimum of 30% luminance contrast is required between one of the following options:

• door leaf and door jamb; or
• door leaf and adjacent wall; or
• architrave and wall; or
• door leaf and architrave; or
• door jamb and adjacent wall.

If you already know LRV of one surface for example the colour of the door, determining the actual value of LRV required for the other surface such as wall or door frame to achieve the 30% luminance contrast becomes more difficult; especially when there are 2 (two) possible answers.

For example, let’s look at an LRV of 20. To achieve 30% luminance contrast with a colour of LRV 20, there are 2(two) possible options. A colour with LRV of approximately 7 or a colour of LRV of approximately 41 will both provide a luminance contrast of 30% with the colour of LRV 20 as demonstrated in the below graph (Figure B.1 of AS1428.1-2021)

To simplify the calculations of finding the LRV when LRV of one colour is known, Vista Access Architects have a new Colour Selections Calculator on the website. https://www.accessarchitects.com.au/colour-selections-calculator

Step 1: To use the calculator input any 2 (two) fields highlighted in the section below.

Step 2: Taking the same example of LRV of 20 with a 30% luminance contrast requirement, input 20 in LRV 1 section and 30% in the contrast section.

Step 3: Click on the Calculate bar and answers of both 7 and 41 are obtained because both 7 and 41 will achieve a luminance contrast of 30% with LRV of 20

It is important to note that the formula has been reverse engineered and because of the number of decimal points considered in the formula the answer will not always be accurate. We would advise aiming for a 35% luminance contrast where a minimum of 30% is required to allow for calculations and the finishes (i.e. gloss level) achieved on site.

All usual disclaimers apply. Use as your own risk.

AS1428.1:2021- Bite size technical article 1 - Application of 1500mm clear width to Curved walkways and ramps

AS1428.1:2021 (Desing for Access and Mobility) Clause 7.4(f) Curved walkways, ramps and landings

The AS1428.1-2009 Clause 10.4 the following for curved walkways and landings requires:

• Gradients (as per Figure 20)
• Landings (as per Clause 10.8)
• Length of curved ramp to be measured along its centreline
• All curved ramps/ walkways to have a clear minimum width of 1500mm
• Any crossfalls to be towards the centre of curvature

The clause caused confusion in the following areas:

1. What is the definition of a 'curved' walkway or ramp? Would say a gentle 20M radius walkway still be considered to be a ‘curve’ and require 1500mm clear width?
2. What would the junction of a 1000mm straight walkway with a 1500mm curved walkway look like?

To clarify this the AS1428.1:2021 has been updated to state the following:

• The curved ramps are now defined as being maximum inside radius of 5M. Therefore, any curved ramps that have an internal radius of more than 5M need not provide a clear width of 1500mm but can remain a minimum of 1000mm.
• At the junction of a straight walkway / ramp and a curved walkway / ramp, a 1500mm long straight landing is required which:

1. Intersects with each other along the centreline
2. The change in width from 1000mm (straight component) to 1500mm (curved component) is to be accommodated within the length of the 1500mm long straight landing.

Stone path photo created by mrsiraphol- Freepik

An existing dwelling can be refurbished to qualify as a 'new build' for SDA (Specialist Disability Accomodation) funding. But have you considered the minimum refurbishment cost ?

SDA Pricing Arrangements and Price Limits 2021-22 (previously the Price Guide for Specialist Disability Accommodation) notes the following:

To qualify as a 'New Build' under the NDIS SDA, the dwelling needs to comply with the following 5 conditions:

1. Date of Certificate of occupancy.

There are 2 options to comply with this first requirement, noted below as Option A and Option B.

Option A: The very FIRST certificate of occupancy (or equivalent) was issued on or after 1 April 2016 when it complies with the requirements of SDA dwelling. This is important to note the use of the word 'FIRST' in this requirement; or

Option B: The dwelling has been renovated or refurbished and issued with a certificate of occupancy (or equivalent) after 1 April 2016, and:
i) because of the renovation or refurbishment the dwelling meets the Minimum Requirements for a Design Category other than Basic design as noted in Table 5 of SDA Pricing Arrangements and Price Limits 2021-22 (previously the Price Guide for Specialist Disability Accommodation) and
ii) the cost of the refurbishment is equal to or greater than the amount set out in Appendix F as shown below.

SDA developer will be required to prove that the amount of money listed in Appendix F has been spent 

For example to refurbish an existing 1 bedroom apartment for HPS (High Physical Support) design category a minimum refurbishment spent amount of $457,363 is required

This will usually make the project unviable.

Disclaimer:

This article is based on Vista Access Architect’s personal interpretation of what constitutes as a new build. This article is not endorsed by the NDIA and users are advised to make their own inquires directly with NDIA.

It is with great joy that we announce that Vista Access Architects are a finalist in the; 

2021 Altitude Awards in the Excellence in Inclusion category

This award is for an outstanding individual or organisation who are working in community to include disadvantaged or minorities, close gaps or deliver opportunities and transformation in society, environment and career opportunities.

With over 250 entries we are truly humbled to be declared as Finalist in these prestigious awards.

Through Vista Access Architects, we provide Pro-bono access related services to a number of Disability related organisations every year as a part our Social responsibility to the local Community.

The Altitude Awards are presented by Women with Altitude. They are held annually to provide an opportunity to acknowledge those who have made outstanding contributions.

Women with Altitude founder, Andrea Turner-Boys said, ‘We look forward to this time each year when we celebrate and champion the achievements of individuals and businesses from our regions. Each finalist has been chosen for their outstanding contributions in their field.'

Master Builders QLD - Wide Bay Burnett Housing & Construction Awards 2021

It is with immense pleasure that we announce that the very first project certified by Vista Access Architects in QLD for SDA at both the Design and As-built stages, has won the Master Builders Queensland Award- Wide Bay Burnett Housing & Construction Award 2021

This beautiful home was certified to SDA (Specialist Disability Accommodation) HPS (High Physical Support) Design category and is constructed by our clients JRZ Constructions.

Everyone working within the SDA space is familiar with the magnitude of work required in an SDA development and we congratulate the entire team at JRZ Constructions for this wonderful achievement.

 Photo Gallery

NDIS SDA Dwelling types

One of the most common questions we get asked is how to determine the SDA dwelling type. This is not a straightforward answer as what the building industry may refer to as a House or a Group home or a Villa may not neatly fit into the definitions provided for the same under the NDIS Rules 2020.

Funding for an SDA dwelling is based on the Dwelling type and therefore it is therefore essential that the type of the dwelling follows all the requirements as noted in the NDIS Rules 2020.

The definitions of dwelling type used by the NCC may not necessarily match the definition of dwelling type used by the NDIS. For example, what qualifies as a Group home under a NCC or Planning authority can be designed and certified as multiple villas as defined under the Schedule 1 of SDA Rules 2020 as long as all items noted in the SDA Rules 2020 Schedule 1 for type of dwelling are met.

It is the responsibility of the Accredited SDA Assessor to propose the dwelling type and note the same on the SDA Assessment Summary form. The Accredited SDA Assessor shall not rely or be influenced by the SDA developer in determining the dwelling type. Note that NDIA has the right to reject the dwelling type proposed by the SDA Assessor and require change of the dwelling type if the requirements donot comply with the SDA Rules 2020.

If all items noted in the SDA Rules 2020 Schedule 1 for type of dwelling are met then it can be classified as that dwelling type. 

Disclaimer: The flow chart is a free resource developed by Vista Access Architects to simplify the requirements and have been developed based on our interpretation of the requirements. The Flowchart is free to use but at your own risk. By using this Flowchart you agree that you use it at your own risk and Vista Access Architects will take no responsibility for your reliance upon the flowchart. No alterations are permitted to the resouse and author to be attributed when used.

The new NSW Housing SEPP will consolidate five existing housing-related NSW SEPPs:

1. State Environmental Planning Policy (Affordable Rental Housing) 2009 (ARHSEPP);

2. State Environmental Planning Policy (Housing for Seniors and People with a Disability) 2004 (Seniors SEPP);

3. State Environmental Planning Policy No 70 – Affordable Housing (Revised Schemes) (SEPP 70);

4. State Environmental Planning Policy No 21—Caravan Parks; and

5. State Environmental Planning Policy No 36—Manufactured Home Estates.

A Housing SEPP consultation draft has been prepared to provide all stakeholders the opportunity to provide feedback on new and amended planning provisions prior to the making of the Housing SEPP.

The Housing SEPP is intended to be finalised in October 2021.

Copy of the public consultation draft is available HERE

Deadline for public consultation is on the 29th of August 2021. Have your say HERE

Event Details

In this webinar, Farah will be introducing the updated version of AS1428.1:2021 which was released in June 2021. It is anticipated that the updated AS1428.1:2021 will be incorporated in the BCA/NCC 2022. Updates provide clarity to AS1428.1:2009. This webinar will take you through what has changed and how it will impact design with an opportunity to ask questions at the end of the presentation.

Webinar will be hosted by ACAA (Association of Consultants in Access Australia) on Friday 30th July from 3pm till 5pm.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE DETAILS OR TO REGISTER

Farah Madon of Vista Access Architects was invited to present a webinar on Universal Design and Housing options for People with a Disability in Australia at the 2021 Hong Kong Accessibility Webinar III.

A link to the presentation is on https://fb.watch/6m_28bJG_Z/

Presentation at the 1 hour, 1 minute mark.

SDA Tools App has a set of calculators developed to assist with the design and assessment of dwellings developed under the NDIS SDA (National Disability Insurance Scheme - Specialist Disability Accommodation)

The SDA Tools App has 3 Calculators.

1. NDIS SDA Density Calculator based on the SDA Rules 2020

2. Luminance Contrast Calculator (where LRV Values are available)

3. Slope and Gradients Convertor Calculator

The app is availble for Apple phones and Ipads on this LINK 

For users that do not have access to Apple products the same calculators are available on on website HERE

Disclaimer: The SDA Tools app is a free resource developed by Vista Access Architects to simplify the requirements and have been developed based on our interpretation of the requirements. The App is free to use but at your own risk. By using this App you agree that you use them at your own risk and the developers of this app and Vista Access Architects will take no responsibility for your reliance upon the results produced by the App.

Vista Access Architects are delighted to announce the completion of our very first Final-as-built Certification for an SDA (Specialist Disability Accommodation) HPS (High Physical Support) home in Avenell Heights QLD for our Client Liveable Homes Australia.

SDA Certification is a rigorous process with strict compliance essential with all the requirements of the NDIS SDA Design Standard and we would like to congratulate Liveable Homes Australia for possibly being the first in Australia in achieving the Final-as-built Certification for their beautiful home.

 3D walk through on this link https://liveablehomesaustralia.com.au/3d-sda-house-tour

The NDIS SDA Price Guide 2020-21 has an Appendix B for Annual Base Price per participant for New Builds, Appendix C for Annual Base Price per participant for Existing Stock and Appendix D for Annual Base Price per participant for Legacy Stock.

However, we regularly get the question in regard to what can be considered as a New Build, Existing Stock and Legacy Stock or none of these and therefore ineligible for SDA. The NDIS SDA Rules 2020 and NDIS SDA Price Guide 2020-21 both have definitions for New Build, Existing Stock and Legacy Stock, however with minor differences in both documents.

To assist with ther determination of New Build, Existing Stock and Legacy Stock or Dwelling not eligible for SDA, Vista Access Architects have created a Calculator which will determine this for you when you respond to 11 Questions in a simple Yes or No format.

https://www.accessarchitects.com.au/ndis-new-existing-legacy-calculator

As usual the standard Disclaimers apply. The calculator is not endorsed by the NDIA and users are advised to make their own inquiries directly with NDIA. Use the calculator at your own risk. Vista Access Architects shall not be held liable for reliance upon results produced by the Calculator.

The NDIS SDA Price Guide 2020-21 has an Appendix B for Annual Base Price per participant for New Builds, Appendix C for Annual Base Price per participant for Existing Stock and Appendix D for Annual Base Price per participant for Legacy Stock.

However, we regularly get the question in regard to what can be considered as a New Build, Existing Stock and Legacy Stock or none of these and therefore ineligible for SDA. The NDIS SDA Rules 2020 and NDIS SDA Price Guide 2020-21 both have definitions for New Build, Existing Stock and Legacy Stock, however with minor differences in both documents.

To break this down first it is important to assess if the Dwelling can be considered to be a New Build. A dwelling that has been built or renovated post April 2016 in some circumstances can also be considered to be a New Build.

To qualify as a 'New Build' under the NDIS SDA, the dwelling needs to comply with the following 5 conditions:

1. Date of Certificate of occupancy; and
2. Total number of residents in the dwelling; and
3. Design requirements of the dwelling; and
4. Density requirements; and
5. Age of the dwelling.

1. Date of Certificate of occupancy.
There are 2 options to comply with this first requirement, noted below as Option A and Option B.
Option A: The very FIRST certificate of occupancy (or equivalent) was issued on or after 1 April 2016. This is important to note the use of the word 'FIRST' in this requirement; or
Option B: The dwelling has been renovated or refurbished and issued with a certificate of occupancy (or equivalent) after 1 April 2016, AND:
i) because of the renovation or refurbishment the dwelling meets the Minimum Requirements for a Design Category other than Basic design as noted in the Table 3 of the SDA Price Guide; and
ii) the cost of the refurbishment is equal to or greater than the amount set out in the SDA Price Guide, Appendix F – Minimum Refurbishment Costs for New Builds ($2019/20)

2. Total number of residents in the dwelling.
There are 2 options to comply with this second requirement, noted below as Option A and Option B.
Option A: It is enrolled to house five or fewer long-term residents (excluding support staff); or
Option B: It is the home of a participant who intends to provide SDA to themselves (as a registered provider) and to reside there with the participant’s spouse or de facto partner and children.

3. Design requirements of the dwelling.
All its shared areas, and the  bedrooms and similar sized private rooms comply with the Minimum Requirements for a Design Category other than Basic design set out in Section 2B, Table 3 of the NDIS SDA Price Guide. Note that new requirements for design apply post 1st July 2021. Read more about the design requirements here.

4. Density requirements.
The SDA developer needs to confirm that the development does not breach the density restrictions for New Builds in s 31 of the SDA Rule 2020s 31 of the SDA Rule 2020. The density restrictions apply when there are multiple dwellings on a single parcel of land. For more information on Density requirements, read our article on Density requirements or use our SDA Density Calculator.

5. Age of the dwelling.
Fewer than 20 years should have elapsed from the date the certificate of occupancy (or equivalent) in Condition 1 of the Definition of New Build above was issued.

To qualify as a 'Existing' under the NDIS SDA, the dwelling needs to comply with the following 6 conditions:

1. Certificate of occupancy; and
2. Design requirements of the dwelling; and
3. Total number of residents in the dwelling; and
4. Use of Dwelling between 1 July 2013 and 1 Dec 2016; and
5. Type of the dwelling; and
6. Previous funding received by resident of the dwelling.

1. Certificate of occupancy.
The dwelling does not have a certificate of occupancy for a New Build

2. Design requirements of the dwelling
There are 2 options to comply with this second requirement, noted below as Option A and Option B.
Option A: All shared areas and any bedrooms for use by SDA-eligible participants comply, or substantially comply, with the Minimum Requirements for HPS,FA, IL, RO or Basic as noted in the SDA Price Guide OR
Option B: Where dwelling is home of a participant who intends to provide SDA to themselves- All shared areas, and any bedrooms for use by SDA-eligible participants comply with the Minimum Requirements for HPS,FA, IL, RO or Basic as noted in the SDA Price Guide

3. Total number of residents in the dwelling
Dwelling is enrolled to house five or fewer long-term residents (excluding support staff) OR
Dwelling is the home of a participant who intends to provide SDA to themselves (as a registered provider) and to reside there with the participant’s spouse or de facto partner and children

4. Use of Dwelling between 1 July 2013 and 1 Dec 2016.
Dwelling, at some time between 1 July 2013 and 1 December 2016, primarily used as accommodation for people with disability who have an extreme functional impairment or very high support needs. (This requirement does not apply where dwelling is home of a participant who intends to provide SDA to themselves).

5. Type of the dwelling.
Dwelling is not an aged care, health care or other facility that is not specifically intended for use as disability accommodation. (This does not apply where dwelling is home of a participant who intends to provide SDA to themselves)

6. Previous funding received by resident of the dwelling.
Dwelling housed at least one resident who received disability related supported accommodation (or equivalent) payments from a State, Territory or Commonwealth Government at some time between 1 July 2013 and 1 December 2016. (This does not apply where dwelling is home of a participant who intends to provide SDA to themselves)

To qualify as a 'Legacy' under the NDIS SDA, the dwelling needs to comply 

- All requirements for Existng Stock; except, no concessions are available for Participant intending to provide SDA to themselves as a registered provider and the dwelling is enrolled to house more than five long-term residents (excluding support staff).

Funding of the types of dwelling eligible for SDA funding are noted in NDIS (National Disability Insurance Scheme) SDA Price Guide. Therefore, to seek SDA funding the SDA dwelling is required to fit into one of the below dwelling types.

Types of funded SDA dwellings:

• Apartment, 1 bedroom, 1 resident- In this case the apartment with one bedroom will be for exclusive use of one Participant.
• Apartment, 2 bedrooms, 1 resident - In this case the apartment with two bedrooms will have one bedroom for exclusive use of one Participant and one non-SDA bedroom.
• Apartment, 2 bedrooms, 2 residents- In this case the apartment with two bedrooms will have two bedrooms for use by two Participants (one each).
  
• Apartment, 3 bedrooms, 2 residents- In this case the apartment with three bedrooms will have two bedrooms for use by two Participants (one each) and one non-SDA bedroom.
  

• Villa/duplex/townhouse, 1 resident
• Villa/duplex/townhouse, 2 residents
• Villa/duplex/townhouse, 3 residents
• House, 2 residents
• House, 3 residents

• Group Home, 4 residents
• Group Home, 5 residents

The OOA (On-site Overnight Assistance) requirements will depend on the type of the SDA dwelling.

The On-site Overnight Assistance (OOA) amount is an additional amount that is paid when an additional space or apartment is provided for use by support staff who provide 24-hour support services to SDA participants living in the same dwelling or same apartment complex. The type of OOA depends on the SDA Building Type as shown below.

Common questions we receive with regards to OOA

Question: I have a 3 Bedroom SDA apartment with only 2 Participants. Can I use the third bedroom for OOA?

Answer: This scenario is not permitted for OOA payment under the Price Guide.

Question: I have 15 SDA Apartments that require OOA. Can I claim OOA payment for all 15 SDA apartments if I provide one OOA apartment?

Answer: OOA is paid per maximum of 10 SDA Apartments. Therefore, for 15 SDA units to receive the OOA funding, 2 OOA apartments will be required. If only one OOA is provided, then OOA would be payable to 10 SDA apartments and not payable on 5 SDA apartments.

Question: I have a 5-bedroom Group home, can I provide one of these rooms as OOA?

Answer: Yes, if you have 4 Participants then the 5th bedroom can be provided as OOA. 

Question: Can an OOA room be designed as an office without a bed provided?

Answer: There are no set requirements for provision of a bed in an OOA room, though it is important to remember that OOA room will be used by the SIL provider to be on site (24 hours). Therefore, even though not mandated, we would recommend a space for a bed in the OOA room.

New advice as received from NDIA on the 11th of November 2022

Studio apartments not accepted as OOA- 

SDA Design Stage Certification submitted to the NDIA prior to 4 December 2021 Development Application dated after 11 November 2022

Studio apartments accepted as OOA- 

Development Applications dated between 4 December 2021 and 11 November 2022

Liked our article? Follow us on LinkedIn for more articles on SDA or contact us on admin@accessarchitects.com.au

Disclaimer: Thís article is based on Vista Access Architect’s personal interpretation of requirements. This article is not endorsed by the NDIA and users are advised to make their own inquires directly with NDIA.

Is your SDA (Specialist Disability Accommodation) Assessor a NDIS Accredited SDA Assessor?

NDIS SDA (Specialist Disability Accommodation) Assessments and Certifications under the new NDIS SDA Design Standard can only be provided by an NDIS Accredited SDA Assessor. Accredited SDA licences have just started being rolled out to eligible applicants by Livable Housing Australia.

Vista Access Architects are delighted to announce that we now have 3 NDIS Accredited SDA Assessors in our team.

Following are the requirements to become an Accredited SDA Assessor as set by the NDIA.

Below are the NDIA requirements in regards to the independence of the Accredited SDA Assesor

The Accredited SDA Assessor must be an independent third party i.e. independent of the project Architect or Builder or Building Certifier.

At both Design (Provisional) and Final-as-built stage, the Accredited SDA Assessor cannot have a connection to the applicant, for example by way of employment or some other contractual relationship.

An Accredited SDA assessor cannot certify, at both Design (Provisional) and Final-as-built-stage, any project that has been designed (in their capacity of an Architect) or constructed by themselves (in their capacity as the Builder) or other review services (in their capacity as the BCA consultant or Private Building Certifier).

This also extends to another employee or contractors in the company associated with the project. For example, a firm with multiple architects cannot have one Architect
design and another Architect within the same firm certify the project. This is essential to maintain independence and integrity of assessment.

Accredited SDA Assessors certifying dwellings at either Design (Provisional) stage or Final as Built stage must be a third party to the builder, developer and SDA Registered Provider.

Contact us on admin@accessarchitects.com.au for a fee proposal to assess and certify your SDA development.

The SDA price for a particular dwelling depends on the location of the dwelling. To derive an SDA price limit for a particular dwelling, the Base Price (before the fire sprinkler allowance) is multiplied by the Location Factor relevant to the property’s location and Building Type. The location factor is noted in Appendix E – of the NDIS SDA Price Guide 2019-20. The Location Factors applied in SDA Price Guide are based on Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) Statistical Area 4 regions.

So what is SA4 area?

Statistical Areas Level 4 (SA4) are geographical areas which have been designed for the output of a variety of regional data, including data from the 2016 Census of Population and Housing. There are 107 SA4 regions covering the whole of Australia without gaps or overlaps.

The SA4s were designed using several criteria which reflect a balance between respective considerations such as population and labour markets. For example, a population of minimum of 100,000 persons was set for the SA4s, with some exceptions to this in regional and metropolitan areas.

Labour markets were also a key consideration in the design of SA4s. The reason for this is that Labour force data has two geographic components to it - the labour supply (where people live) and demand (where people work).

How do you find what SA4 area applies to your SDA Dwelling?

The Australian Bureau of Statistics website has the information you need to determine the SA4 area.

Step 1: Go to the ABS (Australian Bureau of Statistics) website

Step 2: Select the icon for "Geocoder search"

Step 3: In the field that says “Choose a boundary type” select “2021 Statistical Area Level 4 (SA4)” from the drop-down options.

Step 4: Input the dwelling address.

Step 5: Click on the map and the results will be displayed as shown below.

Geography type: Statistical Area Level 4 (SA4) (2021) 
Name: Sydney - Outer West and Blue Mountains 
Code: 124 
 
The resulting name field (shown highlighted above) is the SA4 Location. 

Once the name of the location area is determined by the above steps, it is as easy as locating the area in the location column of the Appendix E – of the NDIS SDA Price Guide to obtain the Location Factor based on a particular dwelling type.

[Image description: Image above is a snapshot of Appendix E-Location Factor of the NDIS SDA Price Guide]

Liked our article? Follow us on LinkedIn for more articles on SDA or contact us on admin@accessarchitects.com.au

Disclaimer: This article is based on Vista Access Architect’s personal interpretation of what determines Location factor. This article is not endorsed by the NDIA and users are advised to make their own inquires directly with NDIA.

SDA Density Restrictions

"How many SDA participants can be accommodated in a development and in particular in a multi-unit residential building?". This is a very common question that we are asked by SDA developers and the answer is not that straightforward.

There are several factors to consider including the total number of people that can be accommodated in the building, the configuration of units/dwellings available and the particular configuration of the unit/dwelling that the SDA participant will occupy.

To break down the requirements, we need to understand the following:

1. NDIS document that discusses Density Restrictions.

The document that discusses the density requirements is the National Disability Insurance Scheme (Specialist Disability Accommodation) Rules 2020, ItemSubdivision C—Density restriction 

31 Density restriction

(1) The density restriction applies in relation to a parcel of land if:
(a) the parcel of land has 2 or more dwellings; and
(b) at least one of those dwellings is either: (i) a new build; or (ii) existing stock.

(2) If the density restriction applies in relation to a parcel of land, the total number of eligible participants that can receive funding for specialist disability accommodation in relation to all dwellings located on the parcel of land must not exceed:

(a) if one of the dwellings on the parcel of land is enrolled to house 3 or more residents—the greater of the following:
(i) 10 eligible participants;
(ii) 10% of the total number of residents capable of residing on the parcel of land, assuming one resident per bedroom;

or

(b) if all of the enrolled dwellings on the parcel of land are enrolled to house no more than 2 residents and the dwellings are part of an intentional community—the greater of the following:
(i) 15 eligible participants;
(ii) 25% of the total number of residents capable of residing on the parcel of land, assuming one resident per bedroom;

or

(c) if all of the enrolled dwellings on the parcel of land are enrolled to house no more than 2 residents and the dwellings are not part of an intentional community—the greater of the following:
(i) 15 eligible participants;
(ii) 15% of the total number of residents capable of residing on the parcel of land, assuming one resident per bedroom.

2. Undersatnding words that are noted NDIS SDA Rules 2020 that deal with Density Restrictions.

a. ‘A parcel of land’ (defined under NDIS SDA rules 2020)

A parcel of land is:
(a) for land in New South Wales:
(i) the land that forms a parcel for the purposes of the Strata Schemes Development Act 2015 (NSW); or
(ii) the land that forms a community parcel, neighbourhood parcel of precinct parcel for the purposes of the Community Land Development Act 1989 (NSW); or
(iii) for land not covered by subparagraph (i) or (ii)—the land covered by a folio of the Register for the purposes of the Real Property Act 1900(NSW);
or
(b) for land in Victoria:
(i) the land covered by a registered plan for the purposes of the Subdivision Act 1988 (Vic.); or
(ii) for land not covered by subparagraph (i)—the land covered by a folio of the Register for the purposes of the Transfer of Land Act 1958 (Vic.);
or 
(c) for land in Queensland:
(i) the land covered by a mixed use scheme for the purposes of the Mixed Use Development Act 1993 (Qld); or
(ii) the land covered by a building units plan or a group titles plan for the purposes of the Building Units and Group Titles Act 1980 (Qld); or
(iii) the land covered by a community titles scheme for the purposes of the Body Corporate and Community Management Act 1997 (Qld); or
(iv) for land not covered by subparagraphs (i) to (iii)—the land that comprises a lot for the purposes of the Land Title Act 1994 (Qld);
Other rules apply for other states and territories.

b. ‘Ennrolled dwelling’
is a dwelling that complies with all the requirements of NDIS SDA which would then enable it to be enrolled with the NDIS as an SDA dwelling.

c. ‘Participant’ (defined under NDIS Act 2013)
means a person who is a participant in the National Disability Insurance Scheme. In this case the participant means a person who is funded for SDA.

d. ‘Residents’
are the total number of occupants of the entire development on a single parcel of land. Total resident numbers are determined on the assumption that one resident occupies one bedroom. This means that the number of participants with SDA in their plan intended to reside in the dwelling may be lower than the number of residents for which the dwelling is being enrolled. Example, a three bedroom apartment could have 2 participants and 1 non SDA resident.

e. ‘Intentional communities’(Defined under NDIS SDA rules 2020)
An intentional community is a residential community with the following features:
(a) the community is designed to have a high degree of social cohesion,achieved through teamwork and agreed shared values;
(b) the members of the community have chosen to live together based on common social values and have committed to the principle of mutual support;
(c) the community has a defined and explicit agreement under which residents have agreed to live in accordance with shared common values, including the principle of mutual support;
(d) the community is controlled by the members or residents and is not governed by a single entity such as a support provider;
(e) the community includes general market housing, and is not solely designed to provide supported accommodation services.

3. What does 'enrolled to house 3 or more residents' mean?

The Clauses on density, permits the SDA participant numbers to be 10% or 15% of the total number of residents based on type of dwelling being enrolled (example 1 or 2 bedroom dwelling verses 3 or more bedroom dwelling). Therefore the applicable percentage is based on whether a SDA participant is going to occupy a 1 or 2 bedroom dwelling verses a 3 or more bedroom dwelling. So for example even if there are a combination of 2 and 3 bedroom units in a residential building and all the SDA participants will be occupying just the 2 bedroom unit type then a percentage of 15% will apply.

The answer derived by the applicable percentage is then compared to the max number permissible (10 or 15) and the greater number of the two is the maximum permissible density.

Want it simplified even further ?

Use our NDIS SDA Density Calculator to find the density requirement in just a few clicks.

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Disclaimer:
This calculator is based only on Vista Access Architect’s personal interpretation of density restrictions noted in the National Disability Insurance Scheme (Specialist Disability Accommodation) Rules 2016. This calculator is not endorsed by the NDIA and users are advised to make their own inquires in regard to density directly with NDIA. Use calculator at your own risk. Vista Access Architects shall not be held liable for use of the Calculator.