Planning controls
Council area, zone, overlays and whether the proposal follows an accepted or assessable pathway.
Property & council guide
Can I build a secondary dwelling on my property?
Possibly—but spare yard space is only one part of the answer. Council rules, zoning, overlays, dwelling size, siting, access, services and site conditions all affect what can be approved and built.
What shapes the answer
Four areas need to line up.
A generous-looking block can still have constraints, while a less obvious site may have a practical pathway. Every property needs an individual review.
Size and siting
The formal gross floor area, setbacks, building height, site cover and relationship to the main dwelling.
Site conditions
Slope, soil, retaining, bushfire, flood, landslide, vegetation and other property constraints.
Access and services
Construction access, parking, water, sewer or on-site wastewater, stormwater and electricity connections.
Council basics
The size limit is not the same everywhere.
These are useful starting points, not a property approval. The relevant planning scheme, zone, overlays and current council requirements still need to be checked.
Sunshine Coast60 m² GFA · 90 m² rural
The general maximum is 60 m² gross floor area. It increases to 90 m² in Rural and Rural Residential zones and reduces to 45 m² in the identified Moffat Beach, Shelly Beach and Dicky Beach area.
- Qualifying unenclosed decks, balconies and verandahs are excluded from the GFA calculation, whether roofed or not.
- A freestanding secondary dwelling is generally required within 20 metres of the primary dwelling.
- Shared services and vehicle access, an additional on-site parking space and other dwelling-house provisions apply.
- Building and plumbing approvals are still required even where a separate planning approval is not.
Noosa ShireMaximum 65 m² GFA
A secondary dwelling has a maximum gross floor area of 65 m². Qualifying unenclosed decks, balconies and verandahs are treated separately from the enclosed dwelling area.
- Zone-specific height, setback and site-cover requirements still apply.
- One additional on-site parking space is required, and the dwelling remains on the same title as the main home.
- Planning approval or council referral may be triggered by non-compliance or site constraints.
Gympie RegionMaximum 70 m² GFA
Gympie Regional Council's secondary-dwelling material identifies a maximum gross floor area of 70 m². The planning scheme, applicable zone, overlays and siting relationship with the primary dwelling must still be checked for the lot.
- The secondary dwelling must remain subordinate to the primary dwelling and on the same property.
- Access, services, wastewater, slope, hazards and other site constraints may affect the pathway.
- Confirm the current requirements with Council and the project certifier before relying on an outcome.
General information checked 15 September 2026. Planning rules, interpretations and approval pathways can change. Always confirm the current requirements for the specific property with the relevant council, a private building certifier or an appropriately qualified planning professional.
Understanding the measurements
Qualifying open outdoor areas sit outside GFA.
Council limits apply to gross floor area—not the complete roofed footprint. Under the planning-scheme definition, qualifying unenclosed decks, balconies and verandahs are excluded, whether roofed or not. A design can therefore have more than 60 m² of total covered space while its dwelling GFA remains below 60 m².
Our model cards lead with total covered area because it shows the complete home and outdoor-living footprint—similar to the way many new-home designs present their overall size. The plan-scheduled dwelling area and covered outdoor area are also shown separately. Final approval drawings and the project certifier confirm the formal GFA for the property.
How our range lines up
Eight designs, with practical options across our service area.
These comparisons use the dwelling areas scheduled on our current plans. They are a useful starting point; zoning, overlays, siting and the formal project GFA still need to be confirmed for each property.
Essential One and both one-bedroom Lifestyle designs are below the general limit. Our two-bedroom plans can be reduced by approximately 5 m² where a 60 m² version is required.
Every current design is below the higher headline GFA limit for these zones, subject to the property's other planning and building requirements.
Based on the plan-scheduled dwelling areas. Essential Two is 64.9 m², so its formal project GFA must be confirmed carefully.
Based on the plan-scheduled dwelling areas, with the relevant zone, overlays, siting, services and approval pathway still checked for the property.
Need a two-bedroom design for a 60 m² site?
The larger two-bedroom layouts can be adjusted by approximately 4.8–4.9 m². We can work with our draftsman to adapt the preferred plan and coordinate the revised drawings, engineering and property-specific approvals. Design changes are assessed and priced for the individual project.
Your first conversation
Tell us about the property and what you want it to do.
Share the address, preferred bedroom count, intended use, budget and anything you know about access, slope or services. We will review the details and explain whether the next step is a site conversation, feasibility review or paid planning phase.