Tougher secondary dwelling requirements

Council will require all applications for a Material Change of Use or Building Works as code assessment if adjoining to a local heritage item and/or property as indicated within the Heritage and neighbourhood character overlay.

Members report that this could potentially add an additional $7,000 – $9,000 to the total cost of delivering detached dwellings taking into account consultant fees, council fees, and specialist fees for design and or heritage.

The Bundaberg branch committee has just completed their submission to council raising concern around the proposed Heritage and neighbourhood character overlay planning scheme amendment.

Council is seeking to include more restrictive provisions for secondary dwellings to ensure they remain subordinate to the primary dwelling. Changes include:

  • Requiring a minimum lot size for house and secondary dwelling, where within the Low density residential zone of 800sqm
  • Reduction of the maximum gross floor area (GFA) of the secondary dwelling from 80sqm to 60sqm
  • The secondary dwellings to be connected to the main dwelling via door, breezeway or hallway

Through our submission, the Institute raised the important role secondary dwellings play in accommodating aging in place and the changing demographics in the region.

If you have questions, please contact Policy Executive, Robert Tily via email or on (07) 3229 1589.