How Long Does it Take to Get a Granny Flat Approved?

For many homeowners, a granny flat is a practical way to support growing families, generate rental income or maximise land use. One of the most common questions we get as town planners in NSW is how long the approval process takes.

The short answer is: it depends on how you apply, where your property is located and how well your documents are prepared. Getting the right planning advice early makes a big difference.

There are two main approval pathways for granny flats in NSW - Complying Development Certificate (CDC) and Development Application (DA).

If your property meets all the criteria under the State Environmental Planning Policy (SEPP), a CDC can be issued by a private certifier in as little as 10 days. This is the fastest option, but only if your site is eligible.

A planning consultant can assess your site and confirm if CDC is possible, or if you’ll need to lodge a development application with council.

If a DA is required, the process usually takes longer. On average, council approval can take 6 to 12 weeks, depending on the complexity of the site and the quality of your submission. A well-prepared DA with a detailed site plan, shadow diagrams, and a clear statement of environmental effects for NSW DA can help avoid delays.

We recently assisted a client in Wollongong with a granny flat DA. Thanks to careful site planning and early consultation with council, approval was granted in just under eight weeks.

Some properties may also be affected by heritage controls, bushfire risk, or flood zoning. In those cases, additional documents like a heritage impact statement or bushfire assessment may be required.

As town planners with experience in NSW planning, we prepare supporting reports and manage referrals so clients avoid unnecessary back-and-forth. In a recent project near Blacktown, a bushfire-prone site required expert help with Clause 4.6 variation request NSW to proceed with the build.

Other common causes of delay include missing documents, non-compliant designs or objections from neighbours. Our planning advice for granny flats focuses on preventing those problems before they happen.

We also assist with council submission for secondary dwelling NSW to ensure the application meets all DCP requirements. For clients who ask how to get a DA approved in NSW, the answer is to work with professionals who understand both local controls and the practical side of the process.

Whether you’re preparing for a DA or trying to fast-track approval through a CDC, timeframes will always depend on the quality of your planning submission.

A NSW town planning consultant for subdivision approval or dual occupancy is also well-placed to support granny flat developments. Engaging the right town planner near me specialising in NSW DCP can save you weeks of delay and give your project the best chance of success.