Granny Flats
Granny flats offer a diverse and affordable housing solution and are a popular development option.
A granny flat, or secondary dwelling, is self-contained accommodation within, attached or separate to an individual home. A council or accredited certifier can certify granny flats as complying development without the need for a development application, provided they meet specific standards in the State Environmental Planning Policy (Affordable Rental Housing) 2009.
Typically to build a granny flat as complying development it must be:
- Established in conjunction with another dwelling (the principal dwelling),
- On the same lot of land as the principal dwelling (and not an individual lot in a strata plan or community title scheme), and
- May be within, attached to, or separate from the principal dwelling.
How to lodge an application
To lodge an application for a granny flat as complying development, you will need to complete your nominated accredited certifier or council's approved Complying Development Certificate (CDC) application form. Using this approval pathway, the granny flat may be approved within 20 days.
If the granny flat does not meet the requirements for complying development, a full development application will need to be lodged with the relevant council.