Corona Projects can help you move your mother-in-law into a granny flat!
March 30, 2020by coronaprojects..Blog
Thinking of building a granny flat?
To save you time and stress, Corona Projects have the knowledge and experience to assist you step by step throughout the entire design, preparation and lodgement process of building a granny flat.
The booming popularity of granny flats also known as a secondary dwelling on a property, is a self- contained living area that may be within, attached to, or separate from the principal dwelling. They can provide additional space, and also be a great way to generate additional rental income.
Obtaining Council or Principal Certifying Authority (PCA) approval is vital prior to the construction of your granny flat. Building without approval will most likely result in a demolition order or the issuance of a fine.
What type of application (and approval) is needed to build a granny flat?
A granny flat can be approved with a Complying Development Certificate (CDC) obtained through a Principal Certifying Authority (PCA) or through a Development Application (DA) submitted to your Local Council. The PCA can either be your Local Council or an Accredited Private Certifier.
A CDC can be less time consuming than a DA and may be issued for a granny flat if the proposal meets all relevant development standards outlined in State and Local Government legislation and policies. To be certain of the planning controls that apply to your site, we would obtain a Section 10.7 Planning Certificate from your Local Council, outlining the permissible development on your site.
If your granny flat does not qualify for a CDC, your granny flat can still be approved by lodging a Development Application to your Local Council. Your Local Council will assess your proposal against relevant development standards and consider the impact the granny flat will have on the subject site and surrounding locality. Unlike a CDC, if the granny flat does not meet every relevant development standard it may still be approved in accordance with merit-based rules, for consideration.
Do you qualify for a granny flat approval through a CDC?
The minimum site requirements for a granny flat approval as a complying development include:
- Property must be a minimum 450m² in area
- Property must be zoned residential
- Property must have a 12 metre width at the building line of the existing dwelling. If your property does not meet this requirement you could apply for an attached granny flat.
- Maintain a 3.0m setback from the rear and 0.9m from side boundaries
- Maintain a distance of 3.0m from any existing trees that are over 6m in height
- Maximum 60m² external area for your granny flat
There are many other site specific limitations such as heritage conservation areas, bushfire prone areas, flood prone areas, stormwater and sewer infrastructure, powerlines easements etc which may restrict or prohibit development of a granny flat.
What happens when I have already built my granny flat without approval?
If your granny flat has already been built without approval, you can still attain approval with the help of a retrospective Development Application (DA) or Building Information Certificate (BIC). Corona Projects can help submit these applications to Council on your behalf.
The lack of compliance could result in issuance of fines and compromise the value of your home if resold in future. It’s not worth taking any of these risks! Corona Projects will help you follow the regulations that apply in your Local Council for everyone’s safety and peace of mind.
Why do I need professional assistance in the design and application process for a granny flat?
These little dwellings have grown drastically in popularity over the past couple of years. So don’t assume that because your neighbour has one, you can have one too. Each Council has different regulations and controls governing secondary dwellings, such as land size, setbacks and landscaped area.
Building a granny flat may seem like a simple exercise, but as we know, it is more than a walk around the park! If not done correctly, the application for a simple granny flat can become costly and extremely time consuming. If you don’t achieve the necessary requirements for council approval before building, this could result in illegal building works and will not be in favour of council.
So get in touch with Corona Projects to find out if you can build a Granny Flat!
Have your granny flat built right with Corona Projects.
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