Public Backs Proposal to Build Granny Flats: Over 1,300 Submissions Received

Addressing the urgent need to reduce housing costs, Minister Bishop highlighted that renters spend 40% of their income on housing.

More than 1,300 people have submitted feedback on the recent proposal to make it easier to build granny flats, announced RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk.

"The strong response shows how popular the proposal is and how hungry the public is for common sense changes to make it simpler and more affordable to build," said Minister Bishop.

Addressing the urgent need to reduce housing costs, Minister Bishop highlighted that renters spend 40% of their income on housing. "It shouldn't be controversial to state the obvious: housing is too expensive in New Zealand. This is holding us back and harming our economy. The Government is resolutely focused on increasing housing supply to bring down costs."

Recently, the Government announced a package of reforms, including changes to the Building Act and the resource consent system, allowing granny flats to be built without a consent.

Minister Penk emphasized broader ambitions for improving the planning and consenting system but noted that allowing Kiwis to more easily build small dwellings of up to 60 square metres is a quick win for unlocking growth opportunities and providing flexible living options.

"Our population is ageing, and the number of small families is also on the rise. There is more demand for smaller homes to cater to our changing population, and families need more housing options to support their lifestyles," Minister Penk said.

The fact that nearly 25,000 people have viewed the website to learn more about the granny flat proposal highlights the high demand and the reality that this type of housing is not just for seniors or retirees.

"We have received resoundingly positive feedback from the public and from builders who see the proposal as a sensible step in the right direction for increasing the supply of affordable housing," added Minister Penk.

"This initiative is part of the National-NZ First Coalition Agreement to amend the Building Act and the resource consent system to make it easier to build granny flats or other small structures up to 60m²."