Is my backyard suitable for a granny flat?

This is one of the first questions Backyard Grannys is asked when fielding new enquiries from potential builders: is my backyard suitable for a granny flat? The second question is usually about what approvals are required and from whom.

Not all sites will be suitable but outlined below are the minimum site requirements for a granny flat to be approved by what is called a ‘complying development certificate (CDC)’.

Firstly, your property must be zoned residential and be a minimum of 450m² in total area. Your property must also have a 12m width at the building line of the existing dwelling.

A setback of a minimum 3m must be maintained from the rear of the property and 0.9m from the side boundaries.

Your granny flat is required to have a minimum of 60m² external area and you must maintain a distance of 3m from any existing trees that are over 6m in height.

If you’re unsure whether your property meets the requirements, we’ll happily do a free site inspection to determine your eligibility.

Who approves the construction of a granny flat?

So long as you comply for the CDC, we will use a third party certifier to get your granny flat approved.

A few years ago, the NSW Government released what is called the Affordable Housing State Environment Planning Policy (SEPP) which allows any residential home owner with a property larger than 450m² and with a minimum 12m street frontage to build a granny flat on their property.

As mentioned the term ‘complying development’ simply refers to the fast track approval process for a residential development. In addition, it must be:

• Established in conjunction with another dwelling (the principal dwelling),
• On the same lot of land as the principal dwelling (and not an individual lot in a strata plan or community title scheme), and
• May be within, attached to, or separate from the principal dwelling.

So, you’ve found out your property is suitable, and you think you can build a granny flat through the CDC. It’s now time to check out our range of contemporary granny flats to find the one that suits your style and let us do the rest.