Should small stand-alone dwellings up to 70 square metres be allowed to be built without a building consent if they meet set conditions?
This omnibus bill amends the Building Act to exempt new single-storey stand-alone dwellings of 70 square metres or less ("granny flats") from needing a building consent, provided they meet specified design, professional, and notification conditions.
⚡ Taken under urgency
Parliament advanced this bill under urgency (first reading) — moving it through faster than usual, with less time than normal for public submissions.
MPs’ arguments for and against the bill
Why support it
Supporters argued that building consents add thousands of dollars and significant delay to simple builds, and that removing this requirement would make granny flats faster and more affordable to construct.
Supporters said the change would increase housing options for groups such as grandparents, people with disabilities, young adults, and rural workers, and help lower living costs by expanding supply.
Supporters argued safeguards remain because work must meet the Building Code, be carried out or supervised by licensed professionals, and councils must be notified before and after construction, with lasting records of work provided.
Why oppose it
Opponents raised concerns that removing the building consent removes a layer of oversight on quality, pointing to the history of leaky buildings and questioning who is accountable and whether structures will be insurable when things go wrong.
Opponents questioned applying the same sign-off model to plumbers and gasfitters, noting these trades operate in higher-risk, below-ground or gas contexts where the consenting check previously helped prevent failures.
Opponents asked how cumulative effects on shared infrastructure—such as reticulated water systems and stormwater management in denser developments—would be managed without council planning oversight.
These are claims MPs made in Parliament’s debate — not verified facts.
Full bill summary & link to official bill page
This bill amends the Building Act 2004 to let small, simple stand-alone homes — “granny flats” of up to 70 square metres, single-storey and newly built — be constructed without first obtaining a building consent. The work must still meet the Building Code and be carried out or supervised by authorised, licensed building professionals, with the owner notifying the council before work starts and once it is finished. The aim is to cut the time and cost — consent fees average several thousand dollars — of adding a small secondary dwelling. It affects homeowners, builders and councils.
It implements a coalition commitment to make it easier to build granny flats. The argument for is that it lowers cost and red tape, speeds up much-needed extra housing, and helps families add space for relatives or rental income. The argument against is that removing independent consent oversight shifts risk onto professional licensing and liability settings; critics worry about build quality, defects, and thinner council records if problems emerge later.