Building a Granny Flat in Victoria no longer requires a planning permit.

Source: https://www.planning.vic.gov.au/guides-and-resources/strategies-and-initiatives/small-second-dwellings

To make it easier to build a small second home, the Victoria Planning Provisions, all planning schemes and the building regulations have changed.

Following the Victorian Government’s Housing Statement: The decade ahead 2024-2034, a small second home up to 60 square metres, also known as a granny flat, secondary dwelling or an accessory dwelling unit, no longer requires a planning permit in most cases where there are no flooding, environmental or other special planning controls.

A small second home still requires a building permit, to meet siting, amenity, design and safety requirements – and cannot be subdivided or separately sold off from the main home.

Anyone can live in or rent-out a small second home, including a family member, dependent person or unrelated persons such as a renter.

The secondary home cannot be connected to a reticulated natural gas supply, and it does not need to allow for car parking space but must must be self contained, requiring some kind of kitchen and bathroom, and there can only be one secondary home on a lot.

Rules can differ between local councils, but across the state, as long as the property owner has obtained an occupation certificate, the secondary dwelling can be lived in by family and friends or leased to renters.

In 2009, changes to legislation made it easier to build a secondary dwelling in New South Wales without development approval if the dwelling meets certain criteria; while the South Australian Government is seeking to clarify rules around granny flats and to streamline the approvals process.

Queensland's government recently made changes to legislation which restricted secondary homes to only to being used for dependant relatives, meaning ancillary dwellings can now be offered to renters.

Councils still have development approval and, while state planning rules do not prevent leasing granny flats to someone outside the family, many councils stipulate their own conditions.

Building a granny flat could open the door to multi generation living or an extra income. Contact our team to discuss your options!