Dwelling house including a secondary dwelling
A dwelling house is defined in Planning Regulation 2017, Schedule 24 as the following:
dwelling house means a residential use of premises involving-
(a) 1 dwelling and any domestic outbuildings associated with the dwelling; or
(b) 2 dwellings, 1 of which is a secondary dwelling, and any domestic outbuildings associated with either dwelling.
Secondary dwelling
A secondary dwelling is defined in Planning Regulation 2017, Schedule 24 as the following:
secondary dwelling means a dwelling on a lot that is used in conjunction with, but subordinate to, another dwelling on the lot, whether or not the dwelling is-
(a) attached to the other dwelling; or
(b) occupied by individuals who are related to, or associated with, the household of the other dwelling.
A dwelling (including a secondary dwelling) is rated the same as standard dwelling, sharing the same bins and connections such as electricity, water, sewer (where applicable).
A secondary dwelling (commonly referred to as a granny flat) is purely an extension of a dwelling house use (whether attached or detached). As such, it is subordinate to the primary dwelling and cannot be separately sold.
Renting a secondary dwelling - changes in 2022
An amendment to the Planning Regulation announced on 23 September 2022 came into effect on Monday 26 September 2022.
To provide people with a greater range of affordable housing options, restrictions on who can live in secondary dwellings no longer apply across Queensland.
This amendment removes the restriction of how members of a household live together. This recognises that the relationship of occupants in a dwelling and how they interact with one another should not be considered in a planning assessment of how land is used.
Following the State Government amendment to the Planning Regulation in 2022, Council identified the need to include additional provisions to manage secondary dwellings and commenced a major amendment to its City Plan. Major planning scheme amendments require State Government approval and can take a long time before they are in effect. As an interim measure, Council has amended its Amenity and Aesthetics Policy and Guideline to include provisions relating to secondary dwellings. In summary, where a proposed secondary dwelling does not comply with the probable solutions identified in Part 4 of the Amenity and Aesthetics Guideline, the application will need to be referred to Council. Additionally, an infrastructure charge will be levied for secondary dwellings that do not comply with the gross floor area thresholds Item 4, Probable Solution P1 of the Amenity and Aesthetics Guideline.
Further details on the major amendment and Council's Amenity and Aesthetics Policy and Guideline are available through the following link:
Secondary Dwellings - Planning Amendments | Your Say Redlands Coast
For more information, please refer to the State website FAQ's.
Approval process
The application process depends on the zoning and overlays on your property, and the design of your proposal.
To determine the zoning and overlays on your property, you can visit:
To determine the level of assessment, please refer to Part 5 of the Redland City Plan.
For more information, you can access the Queensland Development Code (QDC) MP1.1 Design and siting standards for single detached housing on lots under 450m2, or MP1.2 Design and siting standards for single detached housing on lots 450m2 and over.
For some secondary dwellings, you only need to obtain building and plumbing approval, while others may also need a planning approval. To find out if you need planning approval, contact Council's Planning Liaison Officer on (07) 3829 8999.
Also see our information on approval for dual occupancy.