​Brisbane City Council Media Statement
August 30, 2016

Lord Mayor Graham Quirk will implement new incentives to attract more inner suburban aged care facilities to meet the challenges of providing for an aging population and help secure the future of the city’s aging residents.

The new incentives include reducing development infrastructure charges by 33 per cent for a three year period similar to the successful measures that led to about 1,000 new hotel rooms and 5,000 new student accommodation beds in recent years.

An additional two storeys will be allowed in medium and high density locations where best practice design standards are met and Council will consider proposals in privately owned sport and recreation areas but only where a clear community benefit is incorporated into the facility.

Cr Quirk said the range of incentives included future amendments to City Plan 2014 that would offer a more streamlined approach to extending or upgrading existing aged care and retirement living, as well as providing greater opportunities and better design outcomes for new facilities.
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“The reality is we can’t just have our retirement villages and aged care facilities on the outskirts of the city – that’s not meeting the needs of our aging residents,” he said.

“It’s important that people should be able to retire and go into aged care in the areas they are familiar with, where they have their social structure and friendship, their shopping precincts and the medical and other professional services available to them.

“Many of our suburbs provide housing options for younger residents and families and we are looking to provide more accommodation options for our older local residents, so we are not left with the perverse situation where retirees do not have the facilities to stay in Brisbane.

“In the past six years there has been an average of less than 1,000 new aged care rooms and retirement units – over the next 12 years there is a forecast average annual increase of 3,600 persons that may require dedicated retirement or aged care accommodation.”

There were just 49 development approvals from 2010-2015 that delivered a combined 5,159 new aged care rooms, retirement units and aged care rooms. The current 70 plus population of Brisbane is 90,080 and projected to increase by 50 per cent to 2027.
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Cr Quirk said Council had already made planning changes to help aged residents stay in their neighbourhoods such as increasing the permitted size of granny flats, but would go further.

“There is a strategic and growing need for these facilities in our city to cater for an aging population. Revisions to the City Plan will include a new code specifically for assessing aged care and retirement living development applications, encouraging co-location with other uses such as churches and medical facilities and revising some levels of assessment,” he said.

“The industry will be expected to meet best practice design standards including stronger open space requirements and greater connectivity with the surrounding community.
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“These new incentives will allow Brisbane residents to remain in accommodation that is accessible to public transport, shops, healthcare and family.”

This week, Ipswich and Logan Granny Flats bring to you an inspirational article on how granny flats are becoming more and more stylish, modern and exciting. If you’re feeling like your granny flat needs a spruce up or renovation, check out what these savvy investors are doing to keep things comfortable and in-style!
Read and enjoy…

Aidan Devine | The Sunday Telegraph
October 15, 2016 

FORGET boxy backyard studios with a kitchenette — Sydney granny flats are growing ever more palatial as homebuyers sink big money into luxuries like walk-in wardrobes, hot tubs and alfresco dining areas.
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Construction data shows homeowners are currently embarking on more granny flat projects than at any time in the city’s history, with buyers shelling up to $300,000 on their backyard homes.
The big spending followed a record slump in house sales: there are 20 per cent less freestanding houses available across the city than there was a year ago and less than half the number listed in 2011, according to Core Logic.

Amid this low listing environment, building a granny flat has become a popular alternative to moving house or investing in additional properties because the flats are easier to attain, said Bungalow Homes director Chris Willougby.

Even with luxury trimmings, the homes tend to be cheaper than other options such as apartments, which can price from $600,000 to over $1 million in some suburbs.

“It’s a popular option for families with grown-up kids,” Mr Willoughby said.
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“A lot of parents are building granny flats hoping their children will live in them over their 20s. Some intend to eventually swap when grandkids come along. They’ll live in the granny flat and their kids will take the main house.”

Such strategies have been encouraged by affordable housing provisions set out in state planning policies in 2009. The provisions allow property owners to build granny flats bigger and better than before, without the lengthy council approval process required in other states.

“The way people think about granny flats has evolved,” Homeplusone founder Paul Rosasqui said.

“They are like mini-houses now and people want all the bells and whistles, like downlights, Caesarstone benches and big tiles.

“On some properties, the granny flat looks better than the primary house.”
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Granny flats also fulfill many people’s desire for a garden: Westpac’s Home Ownership 2016 Report, released Friday, revealed having some semblance of a backyard still remains a priority for more than half of Australian buyers.

Sue Parish, 54, typifies the flexible family living arrangements granny flats allow. She is moving into a granny flat she built out back of her sister’s Mona Vale home and said she is making the move to avoid living in an apartment.
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“I needed to move house, but after looking at the apartments available, I became certain they weren’t for me, so I paid for a granny flat,” she said.

Sophie Ly and husband Ben Bryant are putting the finishing touches to a granny flat on their Pendle Hill property after previously considering an investment property purchase.

Ms Ly said the couple decided a granny flat was less risky.
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“Everything is so expensive at the moment,” she said. “We want to see how the market goes and a granny flat seems like a safe way to park our money in the meantime.”