4.11 Haberfield
Part 4 – Place Specific Controls
Haberfield is located on the lands of the Wangal. Wangal lands extend approximately from the south side of Darling Harbour, around the Balmain Peninsula including Memel (Goat Island), reaching from Iron Cove toward Parramatta in the west, with the Parramatta River lying where the northern boundary approximately falls. Wangal Country in Haberfield consists of lowland hugged by two water bodies. The alluvial valley along the creek lines, Ashfield Shale to the south and Hawkesbury Sandstone right next to the water makes this area an interesting place where geology, topography and its ecosystems make this place ecologically valuable. This part of Country resides beside the estuarine waters of the Parramatta River which flows into Sydney Harbour. The topography in Haberfield features gentle rolling terrain rather than steep hills. It generally slopes down towards the surrounding water bodies. The original ecological communities present in Haberfield are Sydney Turpentine Ironbark Forest, Sydney Coastal Sandstone Foreshores Forest and a small patch of Grey Mangrove-Mangrove. This Country has been used for travelling the waterways, fishing and collecting mussels and cockles for thousands of generations of Aboriginal Peoples.
This Country is still used by First Nations Peoples with the From the Ground Up project at St David's Uniting Church providing a space for truthtelling and stories of Wangal Country. In the 2021 Census, the Australian Bureau of Statistics published that 0.7% of the population of Haberfield identified as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander.
Haberfield development as Australia's first Garden Suburb is due to the successive purchase and development by R Stanton and W H Nicholls, real estate agents of Summer Hill. Stanton's Haberfield estate was the first successful Garden Suburb in Australia, predating the first in Britain (Hampstead) by five years.
Stanton and Nicholls purchased fifty acres from two Ramsay children in 1901 and laid out the estate on Stanton's own principles of garden suburb design and management. He set aside land for commercial purposes (there were to be no hotels, no corner shops, and no factories in this model suburb); laid out the roads (named for members of the new Federal Government – Turner, Barton, Forrest, Kingston & O'Connor – and the generous allotments; established an integrated drainage and sewerage system at the back of the lots and planted the street trees. High quality modest houses designed by estate architects, Spencer, Stansfield and Wormald, were built for sale, and title covenants were placed on vacant allotments to ensure a continuation of Stanton's overall design intentions – single storey cottages, one per allotment, uniform setbacks, and quality materials, brick and stone, slate, or tiles. Gardens were laid out by estate gardeners before owners moved in.
It is unusual for any subdivision to be fully developed immediately, but the Stanton Estates were remarkable for the short time frame in which most of them were built upon. Where vacant lots remained, these were built on in the 1920s, 1930s and 1940s, and an examination of the period of each house can provide an interesting history lesson in the progressive development of the suburb.
Amongst the single-family dwellings Stanton also included semi-detached pairs of cottages, carefully designed to appear as one house, so that with consistent forms, setbacks and gardens the pattern of development was maintained.
By the 1960s and 1970s some of the original houses had been demolished for flats or larger houses. Others have changed so extensively, including reskinning of outer walls, that only their original roof shape and footprint remains beneath.
As a result of Stanton's commitment to quality construction and design, and to his application of title covenants the residential parts of Haberfield are characterised today by single storey brick houses on generous garden lots with uniform setbacks and a similarity of form and materials. Stanton's interpretation of Garden Suburb concepts and his consistent development strategy continue to set Haberfield apart.
Within Stanton's strong planning concept, the architectural character and detail of its individual houses, including later 1920s and 1930s bungalows, is richly varied but harmonious, of great visual cohesion and consistency – achieved through the uniformity of materials, scale, and forms. Through the sustained efforts of Councillors, the community and its homeowners, Haberfield has strengthened and maintained its identity and rich heritage values for present and future generations.
Haberfield's desired future character aims to protect and reinforce the established Federation-era scale, setbacks, garden settings, roof forms and street plantings that strongly characterise the area. This vision reinforces a low-scale bungalow identity by retaining pre-1943 buildings and preserving the essential Garden suburb integrity of the area. New development is to be carefully designed to respect and be subordinate to the established built form and detailing, maintaining a low-density, predominantly single-storey character, while modest development along the traditional high street is encouraged, subject to it being consistent with prevailing scale and fine grain character.
Objectives
To facilitate development that is consistent with the Desired Future Character and Controls for the Neighbourhood.
To maintain the heritage significance of Haberfield and ensure that development is carefully designed to fit in with the heritage significance and character of Haberfield as a whole.
Controls
Development, including land uses and urban design is to enhance and achieve the desired future character of the neighbourhood while retaining elements that contribute to that character and meeting all relevant DCP requirements.
Avoid adverse visual impacts on the Haberfield Heritage Conservation Area by using design, materials, and detailing that complement its heritage significance and character.
Site specific controls apply to the precinct identified in the following list and Figure 4.11.1 below.
- 140A Hawthorne Parade applies to the land marked as 'A'
Site specific objectives and controls for following Precinct can be found elsewhere in the DCP:
- Parramatta Road (Ashfield) marked as 'J' – Part 4.2 – Ashfield Neighbourhood
A subdivision/ road layout plan for the land was conditionally approved by Council on 18 December 2001. The subdivision is to be Torrens title for each of the proposed residential lots. An area of public open space is provided as a central focal point to the future development. The roads, public reserve, and provision for drainage easements and infrastructure are to be dedicated from the Commonwealth to Council.
The approved subdivision lot pattern reflects, as far as possible, the principles of the existing surrounding subdivisions and the garden suburb ideal which dates from Richard Stanton's first Haberfield Estate of 1901 and its 1905 extension.
The subject site, including house lots and public reserve, is susceptible to stormwater inundation events. Therefore, minimum required elevated ground floor levels are necessary to ensure dwelling-house habitable living areas are above stormwater inundation levels associated with 1 in 100-year ARI events. Also, minimum required levels for all electrical wiring/power points/switches are detailed for all house lots. Building designs are required to be accompanied with a hydraulic engineering report to establish the minimum floor levels of structures.
Note: Note: Future development on the Defence land will be designed in accordance with relevant controls in Part A3 – Flood Hazard of the Comprehensive DCP 2016 for Ashbury, Ashfield, Croydon, Croydon Park, Haberfield, Hurlstone Park, and Summer Hill. Compliance with this section may require an alternative type of boundary fence.
Objectives
Ensure new development does not detract from the heritage significance of Haberfield.
Establish appropriate uniform front and rear setbacks to enable garden setting to be established.
New dwellings are to be designed to manage flooding and safety.
Controls
Set the dwelling back 4 metres from the front boundary of the lot.
Set the dwelling back 8 metres from the rear boundary of the lot.
Locate driveways on subdivision lots 16 and 17 on the southern side of the dwelling.
Match front garden levels within the required building setback to the adjacent public footpath to achieve a uniform, cohesive garden setting throughout the development.
Construct buildings on Lots 1, 11, 12, 13, 16, 17 and 21 (see Figure 4.11.2) on masonry piers.
Screen the area under buildings constructed on piers so it is not visible from any public place, using timber lattice or other appropriate material.
Retain the masonry walls on lots 10 and 11 required for maintaining overland flows. Do not remove, alter, or reduce the effectiveness of these flood control measures.
This section contains objectives and controls that apply to the Heritage Conservation Area listed below and shown in Figure 4.11.3.
- Haberfield Heritage Conservation Area apply to the land listed as C54
Note: Note: Refer to Clause 6.20 of the Inner West Local Environmental Plan 2022 for additional controls on landscaped area and built form that apply to C54 – Haberfield Heritage Conservation Area.
Haberfield is widely recognised as Australia's first successful, comprehensively planned and marketed Garden Suburb. Developed at the turn of the twentieth century and influenced by the international Garden City movement, Haberfield predates garden cities such as Letchworth (1904) and Hampstead Garden Suburb (1907). It helped shape NSW town planning practice and guided later model suburbs including Daceyville and Rosebery. The area retains its original character of single-storey brick houses on generous garden lots with consistent setbacks and a shared range of forms and materials. These qualities are central considerations when designing new development in the Heritage Conservation Area.
Key Features:
- Planned as a Garden Suburb with uniform setbacks, generous garden allotments, and low front fences creating park-like street views
- Intact street pattern and original allotment proportions
- Federation period houses of high craftsmanship, predominantly Queen Anne and Arts and Crafts styles, with distinctive motifs such as the rising sun, waratah, and flannel flowers
- Consistent use of high-quality materials including brick, stone, slate, and tiles
- Integrated landscape design with remnant garden fabric, historical plantings, and early street tree plantings
- Carefully detailed civic works including stone kerbs and gutters, nature strips, timber tree guards, and original street lighting
- Strong historical associations with Richard Stanton and The Bunyas, and notable figures such as John Spencer Stansfield, Dr David Ramsay and the Yasmar estate, Joseph Neal Grace (Grace Bros), and Peter Dodds McCormick, composer of Advance Australia Fair
- Cultural significance through Italian traditions and culinary influence along Ramsay Street, reflecting post-war migration patterns
- Key period of significance: c.1900 to the 1940s
Objectives
To conserve Haberfield's Garden Suburb character and overall heritage significance, consistent with the Heritage Conservation Area Statement of Significance.
To maintain the single-storey appearance of dwellings and reinforce the established streetscape pattern.
To respect the heritage contribution of existing buildings, retain significant original elements, and preserve the area's heritage values when altering or extending buildings.
To encourage the removal or reversal of built elements that detract from Haberfield's heritage significance.
To ensure that where new buildings can be constructed, they are carefully designed to fit in with the heritage significance and character of Haberfield as a whole.
Controls
Note: Note: These controls apply in addition to the general heritage provisions in Section 2.12 of this DCP. Applicants are to address both the general heritage controls and the locality-specific controls below.
Building Form and Siting
Provide generous green garden space at both the front and rear of the site to maintain the garden setting and streetscape character.
Locate all additions to the rear of the existing dwelling. Maintain the original building width and do not permit extensions forward of the principal façade or to the side of the dwelling.
Keep additions clearly subordinate to the original dwelling by:
- a)Limiting the extension length to less than the original house
- b)Designing overall massing and scale to remain secondary
- c)Avoid introducing major design elements that compete with the existing dwelling or neighbouring buildings. Ensure new work complements the established character
Roof Form and Materials
Design roofs over additions to be sympathetic and subordinate to the original principal roof in shape, pitch, proportion and materials.
Match the eaves and gutter line of additions to the original dwelling or set them lower.
Lower roof extensions by at least 500 mm below the ridgeline of the main roof form and differentiate new work from original fabric.
Reflect the original roof's size, mass, shape and pitch:
- a)Federation-period buildings: use roof pitches 30°–40°.
- b)Post–First World War buildings: use roof pitches 25°–35°.
- c)Use hip or skillion forms at the rear
Replacement roof materials are to match original materials or use suitable alternatives such as:
- a)Unglazed terra cotta Marseilles tiles that match the size, shape, profile, colour, and glaze of original / early Haberfield tiles
- b)Unglazed terracotta shingle tiles
- c)Welsh slate or a suitable alternative like Canadian Glendyne slate tiles
- d)Corrugated non-reflective galvanised steel sheeting (painted/coated or natural) – only at the rear/on skillion roofs
Openings: Windows, Doors and Skylights
Retain, maintain and repair original doors and windows including original leadlight and coloured glass panes. Where retention is not possible, reconstruct authentically.
Design new doors and windows to reflect the relative importance of the room they serve.
Align sill and header heights sympathetically with the original dwelling.
On side elevations, match the proportion, location, size, sill heights, header treatment, materials, detailing, and glazing patterns of original openings.
Where no evidence of original treatment exists, use simple doors and windows with traditional vertical proportions that complement original Haberfield detailing.
Use timber frames for windows and doors in the main part of the existing house. For extensions or rear portions of new dwellings, aluminium frames may be used if their proportions match traditional timber windows and are not visible from the public domain.
Do not install skylights in the front or side roof planes of the principal roof form. Install a maximum of one modest, vertically proportioned, in-plane skylight in the side or rear roof planes of extensions
Do not install dormer windows, Juliet balconies, or similar protrusions or recesses to maintain the integrity of roof forms.
Materials and Finishes
Keep original colours on existing houses where possible. For new colours, match traditional schemes and keep it simple: use one or two light tones with a darker traditional colour for contrast, plus an optional trim.
Use dry-pressed bricks typical of Haberfield for new brickwork.
For new front paths, use tessellated tiles in earthy tones or smooth-textured, red-tinted concrete.
The original shape and materials of the front and side walls are not to be altered.
Reconstruct walls that were previously re-skinned using dry-pressed bricks that match the colour, texture, and finish typical of original Haberfield houses. Incorporate traditional brickwork detailing and tuckpointing on the front façade, and match common bricks on side and rear elevations.
Basements, Lower-Ground Levels and Earthworks
Design earthworks, lower-ground and basement car parking to maintain existing ground levels and complement the area's character.
Where natural land slope allows, permit lower-ground and basement development that:
- a)Maintains the single-storey scale of the building
- b)Keeps wall height at 6 m or less
- c)Minimises openings in side elevations
- d)Uses a suitable base course material traditionally found in Haberfield
- e)Maintains the ground floor level without substantial change
- f)Set back any excavation at least 900 mm from common boundaries
Garages, Carports and Driveways
Locate garages toward the rear of the lot, within the rear setback where possible.
Permit garages in a side setback only where the setback is at least 4.5 m wide and the garage is set back at least 1 m behind the front wall of the dwelling.
Garages and car ports are to be free standing, with at least 300 mm between the car parking space and any adjacent structures.
Carports located within the side setback are to be open on all sides and set back at least 1 m behind the front wall of the dwelling.
On corner allotments, site garages to front the secondary street without encroaching into the prevailing building line.
Design garages and carports to be simple, recessive and utilitarian. Use traditional roof forms and materials, and fit garage doors with timber or metal cladding in recessive colours. Maintain minimum clearance heights and ensure structures do not dominate the mass or bulk of the dwelling.
Provide single garages or carports in the side setback rather than tandem arrangements
Form driveways as two hard-surface strips of brick paving or concrete with grass or garden between. Keep wheel strips a maximum of 600 mm wide with a minimum separation of 900 mm.
Permit basement car parking where:
- a)The site naturally slopes to the rear and parking can be provided without major excavation
- b)Access driveways do not impact the garden setting
- c)The garage is not visible from a public place
- d)The original dwelling remains structurally sound
Ancillary Structures (including secondary dwellings, studios, outbuildings and pools)
Locate new ancillary structures and swimming pools at the rear of the allotment, positioned to minimise visibility from the street and neighbouring properties.
Pools are to not be located within the side setback and finished ground levels around pools are not raised.
Design ancillary structures to be subordinate to the main house, with simple floor plans and modest floor plates for non-habitable spaces. Habitable ancillary structures are to:
- a)Be set back at least 900 mm from common boundaries
- b)Adopt minimum floor-to-ceiling heights
- c)Use simple roof forms such as skillion or hip, with a pitch lower than the main house
Construction materials are to be brick, weatherboard or fibre cement sheeting with cover battens. Roofs are to be unglazed terra cotta Marseilles tiles or corrugated metal. Windows are to have vertical proportions.
Garden sheds of metal construction are acceptable if screened from the street or public places. Hot water tanks, bin enclosures, rainwater tanks and similar structures are be located behind the front façade of the building.
Fences and Gates
Retain and repair original and Inter-War front fences and gates. Where removed or replaced with non-contributory fences, permit demolition only where the proposal includes accurate reconstruction.
Where no evidence exists of an original or Inter-War masonry fence, build a timber picket fence:
- a)Height: 1.0–1.2 m
- b)Pickets: 90 mm wide, 20 mm spacing, flat or rounded top
- c)Optional low brick base: 1–2 courses
Paint timber in colours historically used on fences in Haberfield.
Ensure new gates complement the associated front fence. Use traditional swing gates where no evidence exists of the original gates.
Note: Note: vehicular bi-fold or sliding gates will only be considered where swing clearance is insufficient and gate height does not exceed the fence height
Fences within side setbacks are to:
- d)Be constructed of lattice or timber
- e)Have a maximum height of 1.8 m
- f)Be set back at least 1 m behind the front building line
Swimming pool safety fencing is not to be visible from the streetscape.
Non-Residential Buildings
Haberfield's commercial centres reflect Stanton's ideal of separating land uses to protect residential amenity. The main Ramsay Street group of shops, many with residences above, is notable for its diversity of design within a harmonious two-storey streetscape. This consistency comes from original above-awning facades featuring recessed balconies, arched verandah openings, bay windows, and roof-screening parapets.
At ground level, the few remaining original shopfronts display stained glass and leadlight windows, heavy copper or brass mouldings, glazed tiles below display windows, central entryways, and porches embellished with tessellated tiles.
At ground level the few remaining shopfronts provide evidence of stained glass and leadlight windows, heavy copper or brass mouldings, glazed tiles below the display window, central entryways and porches embellished with tessellated tiles. The Haberfield Main Street Heritage Study is a valuable reference indicating the style and significance of original commercial facades.
Other smaller "neighbourhood" centres are also found, such as the corner group at Boomerang and Waratah Streets. Their significance and character are to also be carefully managed, with careful design, and conservation planning.
Maintain the existing siting pattern within the main commercial area. Forecourts or entrance areas to commercial buildings are not appropriate as they interrupt the continuity and strength of the streetscape
Note: Note: In this control, the commercial area refers to the land outlined in red in Figure 4.11.9
Design new non-residential buildings to reflect the character and scale of existing buildings, aligning with parapet, string course and awning lines, fenestration patterns, and tenancy widths.
Shopfront design and detail is to be based on historical evidence. Where not available, shopfront windows, transom windows and recessed splayed entries is to be sympathetic to characteristic detailing in the vicinity.
Below awning level, design new work to be sympathetic to the building and streetscape character. Use materials, colours, signage, and detailing that reflect original Haberfield commercial facades.
Reinstate original street-level facades, including posted verandahs, where feasible.
Incorporate verandah or awning facades in new commercial buildings to maintain streetscape continuity and provide footpath shelter.
Non-Contributory Dwellings
Some parts of the Haberfield Conservation Area contain houses built after the key period of significance. These houses are usually single-storey, low-set, and respect the original development pattern, often constructed in brick and tile. Their scale and materials allow them to blend with Haberfield's character without detracting from its significance.
A small number of original houses have been substantially altered or demolished and replaced by one and two storey houses or by blocks of flats. These are generally non-contributory buildings and out of character with the surrounding dwellings, and with the Conservation Area.
Alterations and additions to non-contributory houses are to complement the form of surrounding original dwellings and be compatible with the general development pattern and distinctive character of the conservation area
New Dwellings
New dwellings in Haberfield are to be carefully designed to protect and complement its heritage as Australia's first garden suburb. Each dwelling is to be individually designed to suit its site and reflect architectural styles characteristic of Haberfield. Houses are to sit within a garden setting and share common elements that maintain a streetscape of single-storey scale, roof form, bulk, and materials. The front section is to be the prominent feature with a pitched tiled roof, while the rear section remains subservient in scale
New development is to:
- a)Be single storey
- b)Be freestanding
- c)Provide generous green garden space at both the front and rear of the site to maintain the garden setting, streetscape character and desired future character
- d)Provide a 6 m front setback (except Area 'A'; a front setback of 4 m for this area is listed in Part 4.11.4(A) of this DCP)
- e)Provide side setbacks of at least 3 m on one side and 1.5 m on the other
- f)Provide a front fence
New dwellings are to be designed to complement the shape, scale, form, and materials of surrounding original dwellings and adopt a tripartite composition comprising:
- a)Base: The ground-to-ground floor level, often incorporating a plinth
- b)Body: The main walling with windows, doors, and shadowed areas such as verandas
- c)Top: Roof forms with eaves forming the building's crown
The main front section facing the street is to have a pitched roof of 30–40 degrees over a footprint of approximately four typical rooms. Rear sections are to be subservient in scale.
Joinery, doors, and windows are to reflect original Haberfield houses in material, proportion, location, size, sill heights, header treatment, detailing, and glazing patterns.