Granny flats in Tasmania will be allowed to grow from 60 to 90 square metres under planned changes to the state’s planning scheme.
Housing and Planning Minister Kerry Vincent said the move was aimed at increasing the supply of smaller homes across the state.
“There is significant demand for one and two-bedroom homes across the state and we need to make it easier to deliver this type of accommodation,” Vincent said.
The current 60-square-metre limit generally only allows for a one-bedroom layout.
The additional space would make two-bedroom designs feasible.
Secondary dwellings, as they are formally known, must be built on the same block as an existing home and share access, parking and utility connections with the main house.
Vincent said the change would help build medium-density housing stock.
“Having a small, self-contained dwelling located on existing blocks represents low-hanging fruit as we look to increase our medium-density housing stock,” he said.
Tasmania has the tightest rental market of any state, with Hobart recording a vacancy rate of 0.72% in January.
Rents have risen 43% since 2020 and more than 5,300 people are on the social housing waiting list.
The government has also flagged a 5% levy on short-stay accommodation platforms from July 1, tripled the first home owner grant to $30,000 and removed stamp duty on homes valued up to $750,000.
Vincent said the planning system had an important role to play in delivering more homes.
“By making considered tweaks just like this, we can continue to improve outcomes,” he said.
