Important information from the granny flat builders gold coast Locals Trust.

This article continues our discussion on the rules and regulations for granny flats and dual occupancy developments in each Council throughout southeast Queensland and northern New South Wales.  Our team at Granny and Co have been working closely with Marc Joyce Town Planning to provide this information and will update this section again in the near future but in the meantime call us if you need clarification.

Gold Coast City Council’s requirements are set out in their City Plan which outlines in detail the rules and regulations for building granny flats and dual occupancy developments. We’ve summarised the main points below. Another good point of reference is this handy fact sheet provided by Council which explains the difference between a house, granny flat and dual occupancy. 

GRANNY FLAT GOLD COAST CHECKLIST (GCCC)

• Granny flat definition: “secondary dwelling”
• Self-assessable? Yes, provided there aren’t any significant development constraints
• Maximum size: 80m2 GFA (measured around the outside of the granny flat walls… excludes Patios, Decks, Carports, etc)
• Maximum overall site coverage / footprint on your site? 50%
• Maximum distance from the primary dwelling: typically 10m (only 3m for properties with medium-density zoning & up to 20m for properties with a rural residential zoning)
• Does it need to be located behind the primary dwelling? No
• Is there a minimum lot size (frontage)? No
• What are the required boundary setbacks? Refer to the Queensland Development Code 
• What are the total number of car spaces required? This varies, but up to 2+2
• Can I rent out my granny flat to someone outside of my household group? Yes and No. At the moment the State Govt has allowed rental of a secondary dwelling, but it is a “temporary measure” to alleviate the SE Qld affordable housing crisis. However in the long term, you’ll need dual occupancy approval for this. 
• Do infrastructure contributions / levies apply? Not for secondary dwellings (yes for dual occupancy)

DUAL OCCUPANCY CHECKLIST (GCCC)

• Granny flat / house definition: “dual occupancy”
• Self-assessable? In some situations, yes (eg. if you have a site with dual frontages or if the “residential density overlay map” is RD1 or greater, which means 1 dwelling per 400 metres). Otherwise, getting your dual occupancy approved will require development approval.
• Maximum size: N/A
• Maximum overall site coverage / footprint on your site? 50%
• Maximum distance from the primary dwelling: N/A
• Does it need to be located behind the primary dwelling? No
• Is there a minimum lot size (frontage)? Yes this varies depending on the zoning or your property and the “residential density overlay”.
• What are the required boundary setbacks? Refer to the Dual Occupancy Code
• What are the total number of car spaces required? 2 + 2
• Can I rent out my granny flat to someone outside of my household group? Yes
• Do infrastructure contributions / levies apply? Yes

Source: Gold Coast Council City Plan

Keep in mind that these are only applicable to properties within the Gold Coast Council’s catchment, so make sure to double-check your Council’s rules and regulations if your property falls outside of this catchment.