Another granny flat build

[Savanna100]

I've had clarification on this. Apparently in November changes were passed banning dual occupancies- secondary dwellings are still allowed. If I had lodged an application before November a full house may have been allowable, but no longer. A secondary dwelling may be up to one third the size of the main house, or 60M2- our place is 155m2.

There was also a chance the granny flat may have been disallowed as there are a number of significant trees which have to be removed. There is a possibility this will still be a problem- but also a possibility that I have to plant as many trees as I remove. This was something I would have done anyway, to give screening.

Is this info coming from Council? under the old LEP 1998, your site was zone 2(a) which is single res only, no dual occs and you are near the scenic proctection area. I dont have the latest zoning map for LEP 2012 but I would be surprised if a second dwelling (other than a granny flat) would have been previously allowed but I stand to be corrected. I'm really hapy to help if you need it, particlarly with interpreting what the planners are telling you

 

[geoffw]

Is this info coming from Council? under the old LEP 1998, your site was zone 2(a) which is single res only, no dual occs and you are near the scenic proctection area. I dont have the latest zoning map for LEP 2012 but I would be surprised if a second dwelling (other than a granny flat) would have been previously allowed but I stand to be corrected. I'm really hapy to help if you need it, particlarly with interpreting what the planners are telling you

This came from the planner at council yesterday.

I'm not sure what the regs use to be. I know it could never be subdivided but I had a feeling a dual occ was ok- but it's a moot point now. But on the site next door we used to have a bush block. All the trees were bulldozed, and two large houses were built, and all outside space reconcreted. And I may have to replant just four trees which need to be cut down.

And tha is for your offer. We'll see how it goes.

 

[geoffw]

Council gave us approval just over a week ago. We're just looking at builders now.

 

[geoffw]

We have a builder and have signed contracts. We're hoping for completion by November- Christmas at the absolute latest.

 

[geoffw]

We have a builder and have signed contracts. We're hoping for completion by November- Christmas at the absolute latest.

I thought we had signed contracts. We had an appointment to sign, but I had a question mark about the builder.

It appears the builder doesn't have a current licence- for his last job he "borrowed" a relative's licence number. It's being project managed by a third party, and this guy hadn't checked the licence for this or the previous licence.

It's a bit of a problem in Canberra- there's a lot of builders with ACT licences but who can't build across the builder here in Queanbeyan.

So almost two weeks after we were supposed to have signed a contract, we're still up in the air.

 

[rohan22no]

Hey Geoff,
great to hear your doing another development. Who's the builder you're considering? I've had good and bad experiences over the last year and would be happy to recommend someone. Give me a shout via PM.

Cheers
Rohan

 

[geoffw]

Contracts have now been signed with the project manager- well, they were before- but he has a new builder.

The land has been cleared and ready to go, but we require a variation to the plan before any excavation work can start. The builder recommended a wood floor instead of a slab, and submitted a variation- that was approved, but he forgot that the height of the building would have to also change. Another variation is waiting for approval.

Edit: This approval will now take 4-8 weeks.

 

[geoffw]

We didn't get immediate approval- a variation was required to the plan. The "Private open space" (minimum 16sqm) wasn't available at the front door level. So it's back with council again, with only a very slight change.

So excavation has not yet commenced- the builder may start excavation though as that is not going to change.

In the meantime, windows and glass front sliding door have been delivered, as they were ordered some weeks ago.

So the very first thing I was given, before any construction whatsoever, was the key to the front door- which is normally the very last thing I would get.

 

[brazen]

Hey Geoff,

How did you go with Council after the last amendent?

Serge.

 

[rohan22no]

Hey Geoff,
really looking forward to updates on this one - Can you please share the quote for the entire job and tell us what it includes exactly? Super interested in this! I'd also love to come around and have a sticky beak IRL (I'm only a few suburbs away)

R

 

[geoffw]

Hey Geoff,

How did you go with Council after the last amendent?

We're still waiting.

We thought it was going to be just a rubber stamp but it didn't happen like that.