Moreton Bay residents hoping to build a granny flat on their property are facing stricter planning rules after the City of Moreton Bay introduced tighter controls on secondary dwellings. The new measures, part of the council’s Better Housing Amendment, are designed to manage rapid population growth and preserve neighbourhood character across the expanding region.

The updated planning scheme set clearer boundaries on how and where smaller, self-contained homes can be built. According to the Moreton Bay Regional Council, homeowners must now comply with limits on dwelling size, setbacks from property boundaries, and access arrangements. 

Some zones—such as rural and rural-residential areas—retain slightly more flexibility, but most suburban lots now require more detailed planning approvals than before.

Council explained that the amendment aims to address concerns about housing density and infrastructure pressure, while ensuring that new developments fit the character of existing neighbourhoods. Before the rule change, property owners could often build secondary dwellings with minimal red tape, provided they met basic standards. That has now changed, with applications requiring closer assessment and, in some cases, additional reports on design, parking, and service connections.

These align with a broader conversation happening at the state level. A 2024 ABC News report highlighted the Queensland Government’s efforts to create a uniform Secondary Dwelling Code to simplify the approval process across the state’s 77 councils. 

Industry groups said that inconsistent local rules were making small-scale housing projects slow and expensive. The state’s draft code, still under review, proposes faster and cheaper approval processes while maintaining council oversight.

The City of Moreton Bay’s own consultation process, shared through its Better Housing Amendment portal, showed a split community response. Many residents supported tighter controls to avoid overcrowding. In contrast, others warned the new restrictions could discourage affordable housing options and make it harder for families to support relatives on the same property.

For residents, timing proved crucial. Those who lodged applications before the 30 October 2025 deadline were allowed to continue under the previous, more lenient standards. Anyone applying after that date must comply with the revised conditions, which the council says are necessary to maintain sustainable growth.

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