01 August 2024
By Building Business
The government's plan to simplify granny flat regulations could profoundly affect the building industry, opening up a new stream of opportunity for residential builders.
Under the proposed changes, people will be able to build a small, secondary self-contained dwelling on their property without needing resource consent, making the whole process easier and more cost-effective.
The government says the proposals will "make it more affordable for families to live the way that suits them best," and "unlocking the space in the backyards of family members opens the door to new ways of living."
Not just for granny
Announcing the changes, NZ First leader Winstone Peters said the concept of a granny flat wasn't just for seniors.
"They're also increasingly popular with families whose university-age children can live at home but maintain some privacy and independence, or families who want to provide extra support to a loved one."
A discussion document detailing the proposed changes was released in June and includes a range of options for setbacks, including one that requires no minimum setback, meaning the second dwelling could be built right up to boundary lines, thus maximising the space available for building.
The proposals apply to small (60m2 or less), detached, self-contained, single-storey houses for residential use with a principal residence on-site, and the two will be held in common ownership.
Plenty of space
According to Stats NZ, the median floor size of a new home consented in 2022 was 126m2. A second dwelling would be just under half the size.
Bill McKay, from the university's School of Architecture and Planning, says that a dwelling of that size could easily have two bedrooms, a living room, kitchen, dining and a bathroom.
Also included in the discussion document is the proposal to add a new schedule to the Building Act to allow "simple standalone houses" up to 60m2 to be exempt from a building consent, provided the dwellings conform to certain "conditions and criteria" yet to be determined.
Under the proposed changes, people will be able to build a small, secondary self-contained dwelling on their property without needing resource consent, making the whole process easier and more cost-effective.
The government says the proposals will "make it more affordable for families to live the way that suits them best," and "unlocking the space in the backyards of family members opens the door to new ways of living."
Not just for granny
Announcing the changes, NZ First leader Winstone Peters said the concept of a granny flat wasn't just for seniors.
"They're also increasingly popular with families whose university-age children can live at home but maintain some privacy and independence, or families who want to provide extra support to a loved one."
A discussion document detailing the proposed changes was released in June and includes a range of options for setbacks, including one that requires no minimum setback, meaning the second dwelling could be built right up to boundary lines, thus maximising the space available for building.
The proposals apply to small (60m2 or less), detached, self-contained, single-storey houses for residential use with a principal residence on-site, and the two will be held in common ownership.
Plenty of space
According to Stats NZ, the median floor size of a new home consented in 2022 was 126m2. A second dwelling would be just under half the size.
Bill McKay, from the university's School of Architecture and Planning, says that a dwelling of that size could easily have two bedrooms, a living room, kitchen, dining and a bathroom.
Also included in the discussion document is the proposal to add a new schedule to the Building Act to allow "simple standalone houses" up to 60m2 to be exempt from a building consent, provided the dwellings conform to certain "conditions and criteria" yet to be determined.