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Secondary Dwellings (Granny Flat)

Secondary Dwellings, (or more commonly known as a Granny Flat) has become more popular than ever due to the Queensland State Government, recently relaxing the rules about renting them out.



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Align can assist you in determining if your property is suitable for a Secondary Dwelling, and will be able to organise / project manage all the relevant consultants to ensure your Council approval goes smoothly.

How does it work?

Secondary Dwellings were previously only allowed to be used by members of the same household (usually classified as a family). However, with the changes announced by the state government Secondary Dwellings can now provide homeowners with the opportunity to generate rental income from their existing property.

Most properties within a region can be improved by a Secondary Dwelling, and therefore provides an opportunity for many homeowners. In Align’s experience, 99% of Secondary Dwellings require a Council approval, however on the odd occasion there may be no Council approval required, but this is rare due to the many complexities of local City Plans / Planning Schemes.

requirements to establish a Secondary Dwelling
The majority of Councils have a general size limit for Secondary Dwellings of 80m2 and a requirement of two bedrooms
An additional car park is required (usually two car parks if the Secondary Dwelling is over 80m2)
The Secondary Dwelling must be located within close proximity of the primary Dwelling (usually a maximum of 20m separation)
The Secondary Dwelling must share the same driveway as the primary Dwelling
The Secondary Dwelling must generally utilise the same materials and colours as the primary Dwelling

Although the above requirements are desired by Councils, the majority of items are negotiable, and this is where Align can help you! If you are thinking of exploring a possible Secondary Dwelling on your property, contact Align Planning today!

Want to know more about Secondary Dwellings? Check out our Learning Hub