Building a granny flat in Ipswich: Rules and Regulations

Building a granny flat on your section can be a complicated process. But it might be easier than you think to build a secondary dwelling on your property, without the need for Council approval. Below we’ve listed the key regulations for Ipswich.

Live somewhere else in Queensland? We have similar guides for the Gold Coast, Brisbane, and Logan.

While we’re knowledgeable about the development requirements around granny flats and secondary dwellings, we’re not town planners. If you feel like you need planning advice, let us know and we can put you in touch with someone.

​Check the Council map

The Ipswich Planning Scheme sets out the requirements for building granny flats in Ipswich. 

To find out if you can build a granny flat on your section, the first step is to check key information about your property on the Ipswich City Planning Scheme Map. Providing you don’t have any designations on your property, you should be able to build a granny flat as per the below information. If you’re not sure whether the below applies to you, get in touch with the Council or a planning specialist. 

Do you need approval for a granny flat in Ipswich?

Of all the Queensland Councils, Ipswich has a more complicated system in place for approving granny flats. So, while not difficult, there are strict requirements on the size and use of a granny flat. 

The Council defines a small granny flat as an ‘Auxiliary Unit’, meaning a building under 50m2 used as a secondary residence which is attached to or associated with a house on the same section. 

If you want to build something more than 50m2 in floor area, then you’ll be building what the Council call a ‘Dual Occupancy’ dwelling, which means two houses on one section. 

All granny flat projects require permission from Ipswich Council, so you’ll need to get in touch with them if you do want to build. 

There are different requirements and restrictions for each type of granny flat. We cover both options below to help you work out the best option for you. Remember that we’re not planning professionals, so if you feel like you need further planning advice, let us know and we can put you in touch with someone.​

Requirements for an auxiliary unit

All applications for Auxiliary Units need planning permission from the Council and will be assessed against the Ipswich City Planning Scheme. Key considerations are: 

Size of the unit

Auxiliary units must be no more than 50m2 in gross floor area and have no more than one bedroom. 

If you want something larger or need more than one bedroom, you will need to apply for a Dual Occupancy, covered below. 

Siting of the house

The units can be located adjoining, below, above, or at the side of the main house. If you’re planning to have it attached to or above another structure, you’ll need to comply with the Fire Resistant Construction requirements of the Building Code of Australia.

Units can be built above garages and attached to and/or above the main house.

Use of the house

The auxiliary unit must remain subservient to the main house, so should be intended to house a relative or an aged or infirm person who is under the care of someone in the main house. 

The Council doesn’t appear to place any restriction on the ability to rent the unit out to a boarder for supplementary income. 

Numbering your property

Ipswich have strict requirements on the numbering of properties, and any granny flat will need to comply with this. Simply, the numbering system is 1/27 and 2/27, where at number 27 on a street, 1/27 would likely be the main dwelling and 2/27 would be the unit.

Other things to note

Auxiliary Units usually won’t be subject to infrastructure contributions, such as public parks infrastructure, local community facilities, and water, sewerage, and roadworks infrastructure. 

Requirements for Dual Occupancy

All applications for Dual Occupancy need planning permission from the Council and will be assessed against the Ipswich City Planning Scheme. Some things to consider include: 

• There’s no restriction on size of the dwelling or number of bedrooms

• If the house is intended to be occupied by a relative or aged/infirm person, then a statutory declaration can be provided to make the Dual Occupancy permission easier to obtain.

• When the use by the relative or aged/infirm person ends, the house can be converted to a Dual Occupancy (unrestricted) providing it meets conditions set out in the Planning Scheme. 

I want to build a granny flat, what are my next steps?

Ipswich Council is one of the few in Queensland where we recommend speaking to a planning professional if you’re serious about building a granny flat. The Council have strict requirements, and most granny flats will need planning permission before they can be built. Get in touch and we can put you in touch with someone that can help. 

Compact Homes have homes that will meet the Ipswich Council requirements. We’re are also experts in all things tiny homes, secondary dwellings in Queensland and NSW so if you’re thinking about building a granny flat, contact us Here!