What changed in 2024
| Before (R-Codes 2021) | Now (R-Codes Volume 1, 2024) | |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum lot size | 350 m² | None |
| Maximum size | 70 m² internal floor area | 70 m² internal floor area |
| Grouped dwellings and strata lots | Not allowed under the exemption | Allowed, at all density codes in Volume 1 |
| Who can live there | Anyone: family, friends or tenants | |
The changes took effect in mid-April 2024. Some websites still quote 350 m² or 450 m² minimums. Those are out of date.
So can any lot have a granny flat?
Any size lot can, if the granny flat fits the standard rules (the "deemed-to-comply" rules). Those include:
- Setbacks from the boundaries, including your scheme's setbacks.
- Site cover: the lot must keep its required open space with the granny flat added.
- Height.
- Visual privacy towards the neighbours.
- Access to the granny flat.
On a small lot, open space and setbacks are usually what stop a granny flat, not a minimum lot size. If yours can't meet one of the rules, it isn't refused automatically; it just needs planning approval, where council assesses it on its merits.
Parking
In most cases a granny flat doesn't need its own parking bay. The exception is some densities and locations far from public transport, where a car is more likely to be needed.
A building permit is always needed
Skipping planning approval doesn't mean skipping the building permit. Every granny flat needs one and must meet the National Construction Code.