This article continues our discussion on the rules and regulations for granny flats and dual occupancy developments in each Council throughout southeast Queensland and northern New South Wales. Our team at Granny and Co have been working closely with Marc Joyce Town Planning to provide this information and will update this section again in the near future but in the meantime call us if you need clarification.

(Last updated: October 14, 2021)

Ipswich City Council’s requirements for granny flats are set out in the Ipswich Planning Scheme (they also reference to the Queensland Development Code). 

If you’re in the Ipswich catchment then there are 2 options for developing your backyard: a secondary dwelling or dual occupancy. The good news is that granny flats can be rented-out! Many other Councils in Queensland charge landowners a levy for the privilege, Ipswich however, has been quite progressive in this regard, they’ve permitted granny flat rentals for many years.

The flipside is that granny flats (secondary dwellings) must have a GFA of 50m2 or less, excluding decks, patios, etc… This leaves you with options such as a large studio, a comfortable 1-bedroom solution or a creative and efficient2-bedroom solution. We recommend oversizing the deck or patio for granny flats in Ipswich, they make a small home more liveable. 

If you need something bigger than 50m2 or if you want to position the granny flat more than 20m away from your house then dual occupancy approval is required… and this will trigger a levy that must be paid to Council.

Here’s a link to a checklist on Council’s website that helps to clarify the rules and regulations for building on properties within Ipswich’s catchment… but to make things easier we’ve summarised the main points below. 

GRANNY FLAT CHECKLIST (ICC)

• Granny flat definition: “auxiliary dwelling”
• Permitted land zone: All residential zones
• Self-assessible? Yes, provided there aren’t any significant development constraints
• Maximum size: 50m2 GFA with a maximum of 1 bedroom. There is no minimum lot size. GFA is measured around the outside of the granny flat walls… excludes Patios, Decks, Carports, etc.
• Maximum overall site coverage / footprint on your site? 50%
• Maximum distance from the primary dwelling: typically 20m
• Does it need to be located behind the primary dwelling? Yes
• Is there a minimum lot size (frontage)? No
• What are the required boundary setbacks? As per the Queensland Development Code
• What are the total number of car spaces required (house + granny flat)? 2+1
• Can I rent out my granny flat to someone outside of my household group? Yes
• Do infrastructure contributions / levies apply? Not for auxiliary dwellings (yes for dual occupancy)

DUAL OCCUPANCY CHECKLIST: (ICC)

• Granny flat / house definition: “dual occupancy”
• Permitted land zones: All residential zones
• Self-assessible? No, it’s code assessible which means you’ll need development approval (DA)
• Maximum size of granny flat: N/A
• Maximum overall site coverage / footprint on your site? 50%
• Maximum distance from the primary dwelling: N/A
• Does it need to be located behind the primary dwelling? N/A
• Is there a minimum lot size (frontage)?  800m2
• What are the required boundary setbacks? As per the Queensland Development Code
• What are the total number of car spaces required (house + dual occ)? 2+2
• Can I rent out my granny flat to someone outside of my household group? Yes
• Do infrastructure contributions / levies apply? Yes

Source: Ipswich Planning Scheme

Keep in mind that these are only applicable to properties within the Ipswich City Council’s catchment, so make sure to double-check your Council’s rules and regulations if your property falls outside of this catchment.