Last week the Victorian Government announced it will allow granny flats to be built as of right (without the need for an approval).
Victoria joins New South Wales and Queensland, meaning the three largest states in Australia now allow the construction of granny flats without an approval.
Premier Daniel Andrews announced an overhaul to the Victorian planning system with no permit required to build a granny flat or secondary small home where the granny flat or small home is less than 60m2.
I wrote about the benefits of granny flats and secondary dwellings earlier this year. It’s a fantastic and effective way to quickly provide affordable housing today.
It’s a great way for homeowners to offset their mortgage repayments, earn an income in retirement, and provide increased returns for property investors.
It is only a matter of time before every state in Australia allows granny flats and secondary dwellings to be built as of right.
Interestingly, the Victorian Government made some additional changes aimed at fast tracking the construction of new homes.
Any medium-to-high density projects in Melbourne with a cost of $50 million or more (i.e., 100 town homes or units in the one project) and projects in regional Victoria with a cost of $15 million or more (i.e., 40 town homes or units in the one project) will now be approved by the State Government, rather than councils in an effort to prevent entrenched NIMBY-ism throughout the state (and it’s not alone there).
At the other end of the spectrum, single homes on lots of 300m2 or more will no longer need planning permits and single homes on lots smaller than 300m2 will be approved within 10 days.
There will also be a streamlined process for approving and starting construction on four-and-five storey buildings.
What is clear is Australia is committed to growing our population via skilled migration. In fact, only last week there was speculation the Government will make it even easier and quicker for skilled migrants to enter Australia.
How Governments solve the housing of these migrants will determine upcoming elections.
Making it easier to build housing, and for that housing to be denser, is front and centre for every Government in Australia right now.
Watch this space, more to come.
