‘Granny Flats’ Are the proposed Government changes going to make it easier?

Written By Alison Francis

The New Zealand Government has proposed changes to make it easier to build secondary dwellings, commonly known as 'granny flats' or minor units/supplementary dwellings, as part of broader housing density reforms. Key aspects include:

  • Reducing consenting requirements for secondary dwellings that meet certain size and height requirements

  • Allowing secondary dwellings to be built as of right in most residential zones

  • Simplifying the building consent process for prefabricated units and standardized designs

  • Removing minimum parking requirements for secondary dwellings

  • Enabling property owners to build up to three dwellings of up to three storeys on most residential sites without requiring resource consent

 

While many of the changes are focused on the Building Consent process and the Building Act 2004, there are some suggested changes that Council’s will implement in their District Plans to streamline the building of minor residential units.

So, is this necessary? Here in the Hawke’s Bay it is already quite easy to build a minor residential unit/supplementary dwelling as a permitted activity under the District Plans, some quick checklists against our District Plans:

 

Hastings District Council

  • Supplementary dwelling provisions in the Hastings District Plan include:

  • Maximum floor area of 80m² for supplementary dwellings

  • Must share access with the primary dwelling

  • One supplementary dwelling per site in residential zones

  • Must comply with relevant height, setback, and site coverage requirements

  • Must be located on the same site as the principal dwelling

  • Some zones require the placement of the dwelling to be within a certain distance of the primary dwelling, generally 25m.

 

Napier City Council

  • The Operative Napier City District Plan allows for supplementary units under these conditions:

  • Maximum gross floor area of 80m²

  • One bedroom only

  • Must be on the same site as the main residential unit

  • Required to comply with all other relevant zone standards including height and setbacks

  • One supplementary unit per site

  • Cannot be subdivided from the main dwelling

 

Central Hawke's Bay District Council

  • The Central Hawke's Bay District Plan provides for minor residential units with these requirements:

  • Maximum gross floor area of 100m²

  • Must be located on the same site as the principal residential unit

  • Required to share vehicle access with the primary dwelling

  • Must comply with all other relevant zone standards

  • One minor unit per site permitted

 

Wairoa District Council

No specific requirements around minor residential units, must comply with the relevant performance standards and minimum freeboard levels for flood risk.

 

General Considerations Across All Councils

Common themes all the Hawke’s Bay Council’s District Plans:

  • The secondary dwelling must be smaller than the primary dwelling

  • Requirements for shared infrastructure and access

  • Restrictions on future subdivision

  • Need to comply with district plan requirements for the zone

  • Consideration of impact on neighbouring properties

  • Building consent requirements still apply

     

How Bay Planning Can Help

Bay Planning specializes in resource consent matters and can provide expert guidance on the planning aspects of your secondary dwelling project. We offer important insights regarding the government's proposed changes and can help you navigate the resource consent process under current District Plan provisions.

It's worth noting that the government's proposed changes may have limited practical impact, as the current District Plans already provide for ‘granny flats’ with reasonable requirements. There's no need to wait for these government changes to proceed with your secondary dwelling project - you can move forward now under the existing framework.

The government's response appears to address a problem that doesn't exist in many districts, as current plans already enable these developments. While the resource consent requirements might be reduced under the proposed changes, we think that building consent requirements will remain largely unchanged, as councils will continue to require proper oversight of habitable buildings to ensure safety and compliance.

Be in touch with Bay Planning today for any questions you may have about a ‘granny flat’, a minor residential unit or a supplementary residential dwelling, you may be surprised to find that you are already able to proceed with your development without waiting for any Government changes.

 

Questions about the Building Consent process?

Bay Planning's expertise is specifically focused on resource consent matters - we do not provide building consent advice. However, we work with trusted partners who can assist with building consent matters, and we're happy to refer you to these professionals for that aspect of your project. This collaborative approach ensures you receive comprehensive support across both resource and building consent requirements for your secondary dwelling project.

Our trusted design partners include:

Spearhead Architecture: https://spearheadarchitecture.co.nz/

 ArchInt: https://www.archint.co.nz/

Beyond Design: https://www.beyonddesign.nz/

Alison Francis
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