Do Granny Flats need council approval?
These days, accommodation can be a contentious issue. As our lives evolve, we often find ourselves needing extra space for a parent or a teenager who has outgrown their small or shared bedroom. With Australian house prices on the rise, a lot of families simply can’t afford to move to a bigger property. One alternative to this is the granny flat, however, a large number of people are put off by the concern that a long drawn out and complicated council approval will be required. The following is our guide to what you need to do if you’re considering a granny flat in Brisbane.
Building hope
The good news is that, if you are planning on building a residential granny flat on your property you generally are only required to obtain a Building Approval (BA) for the dwelling. Your block stays as it is, with no need to go through the process of subdividing.
It is highly recommended that you obtain a Town Planning Assessment Report on your property that will include information about which Council you fall within, the zoning, any neighbourhood plans or overlays, infrastructure/easements on your site etc. That will assist in obtaining your Building Approval. It is very rare that you will be required to obtained Development Approval (DA) from your local council.
Things to look out for in the report are Bushfire Zone, Flood Zone, Tree Preservation, Acoustic Overlay, Koala Habitat, etc.
Other items to be aware of are:
Boundary setbacks
Land / Block size requirements
Site coverage
If you have further questions please contact us today
