Building density overview
Summary of indicator
| Indicator Name | Building density |
| Indicator Type | Supplementary |
| User Outcome | Distinct |
Objective
To measure the density of buildings within a study area, to ensure that new buildings are appropriate for the character, amenity and intended use of a neighbourhood.
Application guidance
Higher density can enhance economic productivity and encourage more sustainable patterns of travel. Higher values of floor space ratio (FSR) indicate higher density, and typical FSR ranges from 0.2:1 in areas that are environmentally constrained, to 8:1 within the CBD.
This indicator will support practitioners to understand how densely packed buildings are in a given study area. Based on the outcome of the assessment, practitioners can determine the total gross floor area within buildings on a block and ensure all new development is appropriate to the character of the existing built environment.
Practitioners can use the average floor space ratio metric to measure the density of buildings in a particular area.
Metric
Average floor space ratio (FSR)
Related indicators
 | Amenity and Use Housing diversity |
 | Character and Form |
Recommendation
- Development applications or other data sources that show the as built (i.e. existing) Floor Space Ratio of buildings could be utilised to enrich the accuracy of the analysis, where possible
- Some councils do not use Floor Space Ratio, and guidance for a manual calculation methodology using building height and lot/site area from a cadastre could be incorporated.