
A Fresh Outlook On Granny Flat Development
We help our clients achieve their development rental dreams
Find out how we can help you
A Fresh Outlook On Granny Flat Development
We help our clients achieve their development rental dreams
Find out how we can help you
Granny flats, or secondary dwellings as they are known as in the Planning world, can allow home owners to keep parents or adult children close by while giving them their own space. They can also be a great way to generate additional rental income.
In NSW, The State Environmental Planning Policy Affordable Rental Housing 2009 paved the way for granny flats across NSW with it becoming permissible for granny flats in most residential areas. This created a boom in the Sydney region particularly established areas such as the Northern Beaches area where rental prices and housing prices were increasing exponentially.
But before you book in your builder, there are a few questions you’ll need to ask and some research to undertake to make your project a successful one.
Don’t assume that because your neighbour has one, you can have one too. Each state and territory has different laws governing secondary dwellings, with rules on block size and dwelling size and the distance you’ll need to leave between boundaries, trees and your existing house.
In NSW the minimum lot size is 450 square metres (under complying development) but Development Application can be permissible for smaller lot sizes, and the maximum dwelling size is 60 square metres (in most cases). There are some certain situations where your council area might provide you a better granny flat size option under clause 5.4 of the Local Environmental Plan.
You can have a chat with one of our planners at Outlook Planning and Development to see whether you can building a granny flat on your site.
If you live in Melbourne, Brisbane or Adelaide and you thought a granny flat was a great way to boost your cashflow, think again.
According to regulations in these cities, only immediate family or a “dependent person” can occupy your granny flat. In some instances, you may be required to remove your granny flat if that person leaves or dies.
There is more choice across NSW, Western Australia, the Northern Territory, the ACT and Tasmania, where Gateway Bank chief executive Paul Thomas says it’s generally acceptable to rent out your second dwelling. Research conducted by Gateway revealed 23 per cent of the country’s granny flats were used to generate rental income.
The cost for a granny flat can range from $20,000 to $200,000-plus.
The cost of a granny flat can vary depending on the purpose of the residence and the quality you’re striving for…
For example for $24,000 you might secure a flat-pack DIY dwelling, $70,000 should cover the installation of a one-bedroom prefabricated dwelling while custom designs start from around $120,000.
Owner and managing director of Newcastle-based Backyard Grannys Alex
Mitchell says the typical price for a one-bedder starts at $90,000, with
a two-bedder starting from $105,000.
“In our experience at Backyard Grannys clients spend on average $130,000 on a granny flat purchase,” he says.
If your home is encumbered and you’re still paying off a mortgage, you’ll need to go through the process of a home loan application.
While you can use your home’s equity to help you apply for a top-up or new loan, you will still need to be able to demonstrate that you have enough income to make the repayments on the new loan.
As part of the application process, you may also need to have your home revalued so be prepared. Have your house and floor plans ready so that your appraiser can get a sense of how much value your granny flat will add to your existing property.
Some banks, including Gateway, have products specifically designed for the development of granny flats. If you choose this option, you may have to refinance your existing mortgage with the new credit provider in order to gain access to the granny flat loan.
An approval for a secondary dwelling generally takes about three months to get approval through a development application with Council. This will allow time for creating the concept design, detailed plans, choosing selections, engineering, signing the contract and an official DA Approval of a granny flat. If the granny flat can be approved under a complying development certificate then this approval timeframe becomes potentially around 10 days.
This will depend on whether you are putting together a flat pack, installing a pre-fabricated unit or building from scratch. Some suppliers claim their dwellings can be erected in as little as six
weeks.
On average a simple granny flat takes 12 weeks to build and up to 15 weeks for more complex builds.
Development approval is obtained through two methods:
Both of these approval methods require different documents to be prepared and without knowledge of the processes you can end up spending more money than anticipated on unnecessary reports or plans.
Before you begin your development journey it is always best to have a chat with a town planner and that is where Outlook Planning and Development can assist. We have helped countless people with their granny flats over the years and have got some difficult granny flat applications over the line with a well drafted statement of environmental effects.
Simply give us a call on 0432 848 467 and have a talk with one of our friendly planners. They can help guide you through the process and assist you in obtaining approval for your granny flat. Their experience will mean that you do it right the first time.
They can help guide you through the process and assist you in obtaining approval for your granny flat. Their experience will mean that you do it right the first time.
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With expert experience in Local Government as well as the private sector, our town planners help get development approved. Below is a list of some of the development types we work with.
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Do it right the first time and have us handle your development application. Our statement of environmental effects are detailed and cover everything for your development saving time and money to get your approval.
We have extensive and broad experience in all types of town planning. Our Planners have Ex-Council experience and know the best way to get an approval.
No matter how small or how big your job is, we can help you. We work on small renovations to large subdivisions and residential flat buildings.
Our experience and knowledge of the legislation allows us to come up with solutions to problem developments where others fail.
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This must be submitted with your development application to all Councils!
A Statement of Environmental Effects (SEE) is a written report required under the Environmental and Assessment Act 1979 that outlines the likely environmental impacts of a development application and must be submitted with your development application to council.
A Statement of Environmental Effects details:
The statement of environmental effects must address the relevant legislation such as the Act, Regulations, State Environmental Planning Policies, Local environmental plans and development control plans!
Council development planners are require by legislation to consider the general public for all development applications! This often means they notify the application to neighbouring residents to seek comment!
The community regularly turns to Outlook Planning and Development for their objection letters as we are one of the most prominent Consulting firms that regularly submit development objection letters for all NSW Councils.
Our Principal Planner obtained the nickname “Objection King” from his customers throughout his career and can assist you with your Council development objection letter!
Contact us to learn more about our process and how we can assist with your development objection letter!
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We now offer template statement of environmental effects for development applications so you can fill out your own report based on your development. Buy our template statement of environmental effects report.
Building Designers! Outsource your statement of environmental effects to Outlook Planning and Development and save time and money! Let us deal with the report so you can focus on the plans!
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Want to build a house or renovate but don’t want the hassle of a development application. You might be able to get approval through a private certifier. We take some time to explain what a complying development is and the steps you need to take to obtain a CDC through a private certifier.
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Boarding Houses
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Regional NSW
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Development Application – Ballina
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Development Application – Wagga Wagga
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Development Application – Dubbo
Development Application – Parkes
Development Application – Armidale
Development Application – Tamworth
Development Application – Coffs Harbour
Development Application – Snowy Mountains
Development Application – Yass
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DA Objection – Southern Suburbs
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DA Objection – Wollongong
Newcastle – Hunter Valley
DA Objection – Newcastle
DA Objection – Maitland
DA Objection – Cessnock
DA Objection – Singleton
DA Objection – Dungog
DA Objection – Lake Macquarie
DA Objection – Port Stephens
Regional NSW
DA Objection –Mid North Coast
DA Objection – Ballina
DA Objection – Byron Bay
DA Objection – Wagga Wagga
DA Objection – Tweed
DA Objection – Dubbo
DA Objection – Parkes
DA Objection – Armidale
DA Objection – Tamworth
DA Objection – Coffs Harbour
DA Objection – Snowy Mountains
DA Objection – Yass
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