What
are Granny Flats and why build one?
The term "Granny Flat" is the common name
given to a small secondary dwelling on a housing block.
Despite the name, granny
flats can be utilised in a number of ways and
are not just reserved for the use of elderly females.
The permitted use for a granny flat varies from council
to council but generally falls into the category of
a 'Dependent Person's Unit'. Many
councils allow a second dwelling on a block on the
condition that it must be a 'Relocatable' dwelling
used to accommodate a person who is dependent on the
main dwelling. There is no age criteria for this rule
so the dependent person can be of any age, as long
as they are in some way dependent.
With an aging population and a shortage of aged care
facilities in the broader community the cost of nursing
home and elderly care accommodation is becoming prohibitive
for many people. For this reason granny flats are
becoming more popular as a cost effective aged care
solution. The benefits of purchasing a granny flat
in this situation is twofold. Firstly, the dependent
person is accommodated in a caring environment, close
to family whilst retaining their independence. Secondly,
the family has the security of knowing that their
money has been invested in a building which can be
sold and relocated at an time in the future, or can
remain on site adding value to the primary residence.
What else can granny flats be used
for?
Granny flats can also be used for alternative accommodation
such as Bed-and-Breakfast or bed-sit rentals. For
these types of 'commercial' uses, however, your local
council will have the final say as to whether the
use is permissible or not. Councils have all sorts
of overlays or zones that determine whether your site
complies for a certain type of development. Some of
these zones are: |
