New planning rules ensuring ‘granny flats’ can be rented to anyone and refining criteria to fast-track approvals for new homes in master-planned areas are now in effect.
Amended regulations now ensure all existing ancillary accommodation can be leased or rented out, potentially bringing hundreds of new homes to the rental market.
These changes mean it is no longer an offence to enter into an agreement to rent a granny flat with anyone, even if development approval limits use or restricts occupation to family of the main home’s residents.
This important change has been made given the housing accessibility and affordability issues within the State.
Following feedback received from stakeholders, the following important changes have also been made to the accepted development criteria for dwellings in Master Planned Zones:
- Exclude the accepted development pathway from applying where a building envelope plan exists over the site.
- Exclude the accepted development pathway from applying to State Heritage Areas, State Heritage Places and Local Heritage Places.
- Only allow the accepted development pathway to apply to existing allotments.
- Amend the existing primary street setback requirements from 3 metres to 5 metres to be in line with the Deemed-to-Satisfy (DTS) requirements in the Master Planned Township Zone.
- Include the following new criteria:
- Finished floor level must be 300 millimetres above highest point of kerb of primary street in in the Hazards (Flooding) Overlay, Hazards (Flooding – Evidence Required) Overlay and the Hazards (Flooding – General) Overlay.
- Requirements for side setbacks in line with the DTS requirements of the Master Planned Neighbourhood Zone.
- Requirement for a living room window to face street frontage or open space.
- Dimensions for covered and uncovered carparking spaces.
- Setback for garages and carports to allow for two carparking spaces (including limitations on garage door width).
- Restrictions on driveway width where site has a frontage of 10 metres or less.
- Requirements for location of new driveway crossovers.
These changes have been made to ensure better long-term design outcomes for residents of Master Planned Zone communities and to ensure appropriate protection from any future potential flooding.
