Can I build a granny flat in Sunshine Coast?
Short answer: on the Sunshine Coast, secondary dwelling rules sit in the Sunshine Coast Planning Scheme 2014 and its dwelling house provisions. Council publishes a secondary dwelling information sheet, a dwelling house information sheet and a dwelling house guide. Read those for the current size and siting requirements in your zone, because they decide whether you need an application.
Sunshine Coast secondary dwelling rules at a glance
| Where the rules are | Sunshine Coast Planning Scheme 2014, dwelling house provisions |
|---|---|
| Council guidance | Secondary dwelling information sheet, dwelling house information sheet and dwelling house guide, all linked from council's planning scheme help page |
| Tiny homes | Council publishes a separate tiny house information sheet |
| Planning scheme status | A new planning scheme has been reported as in draft, so check which version is current before relying on older advice |
| Water authority | Unitywater |
| 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. |
What we could and couldn't confirm
Council's help page links its information sheets but doesn't state the numbers on the page itself, and we couldn't retrieve the sheet contents. Rather than quote figures that circulate online, we recommend opening the secondary dwelling information sheet directly. It sets out the size, distance and approval requirements that apply.
Siting matters
Siting provisions, including setbacks and where the secondary dwelling sits relative to the main house, are part of the dwelling house provisions. A secondary dwelling siting proposal on the Sunshine Coast has been refused over its road-boundary setback and went to appeal. A designer or certifier should test your layout against the current provisions before you commit.
Tiny homes on the Sunshine Coast
Council publishes a tiny house information sheet, and caravan and temporary home rules sit in local laws rather than the planning scheme. See our Queensland tiny home guide for the wheels-versus-fixed distinction.
Who to ask in Sunshine Coast
- Council: use council's planning scheme help page and ask the duty planner
- Water authority: Unitywater (typically for the Sunshine Coast). 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 · Moreton Bay · Logan · Ipswich · Redland · Scenic Rim · Lockyer Valley · Noosa · Toowoomba · Somerset. See the Queensland overview.
Sources
- Sunshine Coast Council, Help with the planning scheme (secondary dwelling and dwelling house information sheets).
- Queensland Government, Changes to secondary dwellings.
- Queensland Government, Building and development appeal 25-17 (siting of a secondary dwelling, Sunshine Coast Planning Scheme 2014).
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
What are the granny flat rules on the Sunshine Coast?
They're in the Sunshine Coast Planning Scheme 2014. Council publishes a secondary dwelling information sheet and a dwelling house guide with the size, siting and approval requirements. Check the version that's current for your zone.
Do I need approval for a granny flat on the Sunshine Coast?
You always need building approval and plumbing approval. Planning approval depends on whether your secondary dwelling meets the accepted development requirements in the planning scheme and no overlay lifts the assessment level.
Who supplies water and sewer on the Sunshine Coast?
Unitywater. Ask it for a sewer service diagram and about its build-over-asset process before you design.
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