granny flat on the front of the block

[ali]

Hi all,
I am new to this forum and to investing in property, so any help would be appreciated.
We are thinking of buying an investment property where the existing brick house is at the back of the block and want to use the front of the block to build a 'secondary dwelling' or granny flat to rent out.
As you are all no doubt aware, the NSW Government has introduced a new SEPP to encourage the building of more affordable rental properties and have made it easier to get planning permission for granny flats.
My question (finally!) is: has anyone else looked into building a granny flat on the front of a block in NSW and if so, have you come up against any problems?
From what I can see there is nothing in the SEPP to prevent it. I have tried ringing the NSW planning department but was not able to get my question answered satisfactorily. The front of the block is big enough to take a granny flat with the necessary set-backs, etc.
Thanks! Ali

 

[Propertunity]

The only thing that I can find that might thwart your plans, in http://www.planning.nsw.gov.au/plansforaction/pdf/Affordable Housing_Fact_Granny Flats.pdf it says

Granny flat attached or detached to an existing
house or garage where external alterations are
made such as:
a. a new wing to the house
b. new floor added to the house
c. new floor on top of the garage
d. a cabin or studio in the back or side yard.

So it mentions back or side yard.

Perhaps your next port of call would be a private certifier who would tell you for sure, since they are the ones getting a 10 day approval.

 

[ali]

Thanks Propertunity, good advice. I will contact a private certifier as my next step - it beats trying to make sense of the legislation myself.
Cheers Ali

 

[RumpledElf]

If you're building a nice, small HOUSE in the front yard, yeah maybe. But if you're building a little transportable cabin with no character, you've got no chance of getting it approved, regardless of setbacks.

Really depends on how big is big, when you're discussing your front yard