Battleaxe subdivision is one of the most recognisable forms of residential infill in Perth: a front property remains on the street while a new lot is created behind it and accessed by a long driveway.
It can be an excellent way to unlock a large backyard, but battleaxe sites have their own planning, access, servicing and design constraints. A layout that looks simple on an aerial photograph can become difficult once the driveway, existing house, utilities and future dwelling are all considered together.
What is a battleaxe lot?
WAPC Operational Policy 2.2 defines a battleaxe lot as a single-house lot that obtains street access and servicing through a strip of connecting land forming part of the lot.
The main part of the lot - excluding the access leg and associated truncations - is referred to as the effective lot area.
In a typical Perth example, the front home remains on its own lot while the rear lot includes the driveway leg running past the front residence.
Are battleaxe subdivisions encouraged?
Not necessarily.
Current WAPC policy says battleaxe configurations are not favoured where direct street frontage, dual street frontage or rear laneway access can provide a better subdivision pattern.
That does not mean battleaxe subdivision is prohibited. It remains common and can be appropriate where the existing block pattern and retained dwelling make a rear-lot configuration the practical solution.
The important point is that the proposal still needs to satisfy the WAPC's battleaxe criteria and the broader planning framework.
How wide does a battleaxe driveway need to be?
Under current WAPC Operational Policy 2.2, a battleaxe access leg should generally be at least:
- 4.0 metres wide for land coded R2 to R40; or
- 3.6 metres wide for land coded R50 and higher.
The policy explains that this width is intended to accommodate a 3.0m constructed driveway together with landscaping space and necessary public utility services.
For low-density sites with long access legs or where there are physical or topographical constraints, the WAPC may require a wider leg.
At the rear of the access leg, a 3m x 3m truncation may also be required to improve vehicle access and manoeuvring. A smaller truncation can also be required where the leg meets the street for visibility.
The driveway is also a servicing corridor
The access leg is not just for cars.
Water, sewer, electricity and telecommunications may also need to reach the rear lot through or alongside the same narrow corridor.
This is why an access width that looks generous on a sketch can become tight once existing eaves, meter boxes, retaining walls, fences, landscaping and service clearances are considered.
Current WAPC policy also says residential subdivision will normally be required to provide underground power, subject to advice from the relevant service provider.
Can I keep the front house?
Often, yes - and this is one of the main reasons people choose a battleaxe subdivision.
However, the existing house needs to leave enough room for the driveway and still function properly on its reduced lot.
Where an existing dwelling is retained beside a battleaxe leg or communal street, WAPC policy generally requires:
- no eaves overhangs or other building protrusions into the driveway; and
- adequate space for the retained home's required car parking and safe vehicle manoeuvring.
The front residence also needs to work with its new boundaries, outdoor area, parking, services and any applicable local requirements.
What if the house is too close to the side boundary?
This is a common issue on older Perth properties.
Possible solutions can include removing or modifying a side carport, garage, patio or eave; adjusting the subdivision configuration; considering survey-strata common property; or, in some cases, accepting that the existing house cannot practically be retained.
The right solution depends on the actual dimensions and the applicable planning controls. It should be tested before a subdivision application is lodged.
What size does the rear battleaxe lot need to be?
The required lot area depends on the applicable R-Code and planning framework.
Importantly, the battleaxe lot is assessed using its effective lot area, which excludes the access leg. The WAPC's current policy applies the battleaxe lot area standards in the R-Codes and states that it will not permit reductions in the minimum or average lot sizes for battleaxe lots under the policy.
This means the driveway leg cannot simply be counted as useful residential land to make an undersized rear lot work.
Will the driveway have to be constructed during subdivision?
It may.
Operational Policy 2.2 says battleaxe driveways may be required to be constructed and drained as a condition of subdivision approval in accordance with the local government's specification.
Depending on the project, the driveway may also need associated drainage, kerb or crossover work, retaining, lighting or service trenches.
This is an important feasibility cost because a long battleaxe driveway can represent a meaningful part of the subdivision budget.
Designing the rear home matters before titles
A rear lot has no conventional street frontage, so the design response is different to a normal front lot.
The future home needs to deal with:
- vehicle turning and garage access;
- pedestrian entry from the long driveway;
- privacy from the front house and neighbouring backyards;
- solar orientation and outdoor living;
- waste-bin movement to the street;
- service routes;
- retaining and site levels;
- fire and emergency access where applicable; and
- the sense of arrival and presentation of a home located behind another residence.
A technically compliant rear lot can still be a poor building site if these things are left until after subdivision.
For that reason, testing a concept dwelling at feasibility stage is one of the most useful things an owner can do.
Battleaxe lot or shared survey-strata driveway?
Not every rear-lot development has to use a separately owned battleaxe leg.
A survey-strata scheme can include common property, such as a shared driveway, and this can sometimes produce a better arrangement where multiple dwellings need to use the same access.
WAPC policy treats shared access differently from a true battleaxe lot, so the preferred title and access arrangement should be considered as part of the subdivision design rather than decided later.
Common battleaxe subdivision mistakes
- Assuming the total block area proves the rear lot will comply.
- Measuring the access gap without allowing for eaves, gutters, meter boxes, fences or retaining.
- Ignoring where sewer and power need to run.
- Leaving insufficient manoeuvring space at the rear.
- Making the front lot so small that its parking or outdoor living no longer works.
- Creating a rear lot before testing whether a good house can actually be designed on it.
- Underestimating the cost of a long driveway, drainage and service connections.
- Treating subdivision approval as the end of the process rather than the start of the condition-clearance stage.
Is a battleaxe subdivision worth it?
It can be very effective where a deep Perth block has a well-positioned front home and sufficient side access.
The strategy is less attractive where the driveway consumes valuable land, significant structures must be removed, services are difficult to extend, or the resulting rear lot has poor proportions.
The best way to find out is to compare the battleaxe option with alternative subdivision layouts and test the likely future dwelling before committing to the application.
How Shoreline Design can help
Battleaxe projects sit directly between subdivision planning and residential design.
Shoreline Design can assess the property, test the access and lot configuration, consider the retained dwelling and future rear home, and assist with the subdivision, approvals and consultant coordination if the project proceeds.
The goal is to create a subdivision that works on paper, on site and as a future residential development.
This article is general information for Perth property owners. Planning rules, fees and costs change, and every property is different, so check the requirements for your own property before you act on it.