by Rowland Hill, Noosa resident
Stephen Miles’s decision to encourage granny flat development to ease rental pressures has opened a loophole that’s making a mockery of Noosa Council’s commitment to no more SSL approvals in low density residential zones.
In September last year, the State Government eased Granny Flat regulations for the next three years to expand low-cost rental stock. But in Noosa it has opened a loophole enabling garden sheds or garages to be converted into ancillary dwellings, often without council approval. These conversions mean off-street parking is lost and, when the shed is occupied, visitors’ vehicles add further to the on-street parking congestion caused by the conversions.
In other cases, property owners live temporarily in the converted shed while making their main
dwelling available for Short Stay Let accommodation – a practice dubbed ‘accommodation
switching’.
Where sheds have been converted to dwellings, neighbours are infuriated. They are also offended by the Council suggestion to open an “Activity Diary” to track any accommodation switches by owners – a dob-a-neighbour response.
In the past granny flats had to meet size and setback requirements and could be occupied only by direct members of the family living in the main building on the property, limiting their appeal to most property owners.
The extent to which the loophole has been exploited by property owners is probably known only to neighbours. Some have raised their concerns directly with Councillors and council staff, but to discourage exploitation of this loophole have not spoken publicly.
Now the practice will be boosted by wide publication of a report detailing the potential financial rewards of granny flat conversions, offering online assessments of the suitability of properties for such conversions, and detailing development steps and funding options.
No Councillor has commented on the breach to their SSL commitment to no new approvals in low density residential zones. Or their intention to extend this prohibition to medium density zones. And none has explained what will happen to these temporary arrangements when the State Government exemption expires in September 2025.
An academic study by Professor Nicole Gurran and colleagues at the University of Sydney examined granny flat development in Sydney – a practice they termed ‘calculated informality’ – and found fewer than half complied with planning and building controls, such as insulation, proximity to boundaries, fire rating, and natural light access. They were critical of the lack of specified use beingpart of the local government approval process for such developments in Sydney.
As Professor Gurran observed the reality is the market will always respond where there's a buck to be made.
Now affected residents are asking that to meet its ‘no further approvals’ commitment Noosa Council should urgently make known its opposition to this loophole and introduce a ‘use amendment’ to the SSL to close it.
They also want Council to commit now to reverting in September 2025 to the Local Law provisions that operated prior to the State Government temporary granny flat exemption.
Editor's Note:
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