Granny flat approval in Redland

The floor area limit depends on the lot: smaller under a set area, larger above it, and larger again on big rural land. That single step can decide whether a design stays with the certifier or goes to the council, so the lot area is the first number to confirm.

Precincts in the low density residential zone change the rest. Some ask for deep setbacks on every side, and several hold site cover well below what suburban lots usually allow, which can leave little room for a flat beside an existing house. Where a boundary adjoins a canal wall, revetment wall or artificial water body, buildings stand well back from it. On a corner lot, height limits inside the corner truncation can rule out the obvious spot for a flat or its fence.

Redland maps bushfire, flood, heritage and landslide, and the state adds vegetation. A risk overlay can take the work out of the certifier's hands and to the council, as can a referral for a siting variation. Flood usually means information on levels and flow paths, and bushfire a bushfire attack level assessment that sets the construction.

Redland Water decides build-over. The site plan shows the flat's footprint and floor area, whether it is attached, each boundary, the lot's site cover, any water body setback and the sewer.

What catches people out in Redland

• A flat just over the size limit for its lot becomes a referral to the council.
• A canal or revetment wall takes a deep strip out of the buildable area.
• Low site cover in some precincts can be used up by the existing house and shed.
• On a corner lot, keep the flat and any fence out of the truncation.

What a site plan for a granny flat looks like