Hon Chris Bishop
Minister of Housing
Minister Responsible for RMA Reforms
Hon Shane Jones
Associate Minister of Finance
Hon Chris Penk
Minister for Building and Construction

New Zealanders are a step closer to being able to build a granny flat of up to 70 square metres in their backyard following the successful first reading of the Building and Construction (Small Standalone Dwellings) Bill in Parliament.

“It’s currently far too hard to build the homes New Zealanders need, with even the simplest dwellings requiring time-consuming and costly consent processes,” RMA Reform and Housing Minister Chris Bishop says.

“We know increasing housing availability directly translates to lower living costs for our communities. That’s why the coalition Government is committed to making it faster and more affordable to build granny flats. These simple dwellings have the potential to be part of the solution for providing families with more housing options, particularly for grandparents, people with disabilities, young adults and workers in the rural sector.

“Following public consultation which received huge support, the Government agreed earlier this year to allow granny flats of up to 70 square metres to be built without resource or building consents.

“We’re removing the requirement for a resource consent through our updated package of National Direction under the Resource Management Act which will be in place by the end of this year, and today’s first reading of the Building and Construction (Small Standalone Dwellings) Bill ensures we’ll remove the requirement for a building consent at around the same time.”

Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says removing consent requirements for granny flats will boost productivity in the building sector.

“Tradies will be able to get on with the job without being bogged down by costly and time-consuming paperwork, while homeowners can have confidence their granny flat project won’t be hit by unexpected costs from delays waiting for council inspections.

“The consent exemption is expected to deliver about 13,000 more granny flats over the next ten years. That’s thousands of homes built faster and more affordably, and more consistent work for builders – without frustrating hold-ups.”

The legislation delivers on a New Zealand First–National coalition commitment to reform the building and resource consent system to simplify granny flat construction.

Associate Finance Minister Shane Jones says the changes will help lift living standards and support multigenerational living.

“This will allow older New Zealanders to maintain their independence while staying close to whānau. It’s also a practical solution for young adults, especially in rural areas where housing options are limited.

“I look forward to seeing this Bill passed by the end of the year, so families can start building these much-needed homes without delay.”

• The Bill will exempt granny flats of up to 70 square metres from needing a building consent if:
• The granny flat meets the requirements of being a simple design and meets the Building Code
• Building work is carried out by authorised building professionals
• Homeowners notify their local council before they commence building and once it is completed.
• To support local infrastructure in growing communities, councils will charge development contributions for granny flats when issuing a Project Information Memorandum (PIM).
• The proposed consent exemption will not apply to any building work currently in progress or existing structures that fit the specifications of a granny flat under the final exemption criteria. It will apply only to granny flats built after the exemption is in force.
• Anyone who is unsure whether their building work needs a building or resource consent should check with their local council.

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