Can I build a granny flat in Lockyer Valley?
Short answer: in the Lockyer Valley a secondary dwelling is accepted development in the Emerging community, Low density residential, Low-medium density residential, Rural, Rural residential and Township zones if it meets the Planning Scheme's requirements. The limit is 70 m² in residential and Township zones and 100 m² elsewhere, with no more than two bedrooms. Flood hazard areas are a major constraint.
Lockyer Valley secondary dwelling rules at a glance
| Zones | Accepted development in Emerging community, Low density residential, Low-medium density residential, Rural, Rural residential and Township zones. The Mixed use zone is excluded |
|---|---|
| Maximum size | 70 m² in residential zones or the Township zone; 100 m² elsewhere |
| Distance (rural) | In the Rural or Rural residential zone, within 20 m of the primary dwelling |
| Bedrooms | No more than two |
| Parking | Three spaces in total for a dwelling house with a secondary dwelling; tandem parking is allowed if within the lot |
| Shared | Private open space, driveway and crossover, and all service connections are shared with the primary dwelling |
| Flood hazard overlay | Must not be in the Low, Medium or High flood hazard areas (temporary local planning instrument); a planning application is needed unless the land is only in the flood investigation area and council's modelling shows it isn't flooded in the defined flood event |
| Water authority | Queensland Urban Utilities |
| Rent | Since 26 September 2022 a secondary dwelling in Queensland can be rented to anyone, not only family. It needs its building approval and final certificate first, and normal tenancy law applies. |
Check the flood overlay first
Council's accepted-development checklist excludes a secondary dwelling from the Low, Medium and High flood hazard areas of its temporary local planning instrument. If your land is in the flood investigation area only, council's latest modelling must show it is not subject to flooding in the defined flood event. Otherwise you need a planning application. Use council's flood information portal and planning scheme mapping before you spend money.
Outside the residential and rural zones
If your lot is outside the zones listed, a secondary dwelling needs a building works planning application to council, which is separate from the building certifier's approval.
Everything is shared
Council requires the secondary dwelling to share the driveway, crossover, private open space and all service connections with the primary dwelling. Plan the site so one driveway and one set of connections serve both.
Who to ask in Lockyer Valley
- Council: council's information sheet and checklist and the duty planner
- Water authority: Queensland Urban Utilities (typically for the Lockyer Valley). Order a sewer service diagram early and ask about its build-over-asset process.
- Building certifier and builder: check licences on the QBCC register. See choosing a builder.
Other councils: Brisbane · Gold Coast · Sunshine Coast · Moreton Bay · Logan · Ipswich · Redland · Scenic Rim · Noosa · Toowoomba · Somerset. See the Queensland overview.
Sources
- Lockyer Valley Regional Council, Dwelling houses and secondary dwellings information sheet.
- Queensland Government, Changes to secondary dwellings.
General information only, not planning, legal or building advice. Council provisions change, so confirm the current version with council and check the review date above.
Frequently asked questions
How big can a granny flat be in the Lockyer Valley?
70 m² gross floor area in residential zones or the Township zone, and 100 m² elsewhere, with no more than two bedrooms, according to council's secondary dwelling information sheet.
Can I build a granny flat in a flood area in the Lockyer Valley?
Council's accepted-development requirements exclude the Low, Medium and High flood hazard areas. If you're only in the flood investigation area, council's latest modelling must show the land isn't flooded in the defined flood event. Otherwise a planning application is needed.
How many car spaces does a Lockyer Valley granny flat need?
Council requires three spaces in total for a dwelling house with a secondary dwelling. Tandem parking is allowed if it sits within the lot boundaries.
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