Photo: 123rf
Homeowners will soon be able to build simple granny flats - up to 70 square metres - in their backyard without a building consent.
Legislation changing the Building Act passed its third and final reading in Parliament on Thursday morning with unanimous support from MPs.
The new exemption will come into effect early next year.
Homeowners will have to notify the council at the start and end of construction. As well, dwellings will still need to meet the Building Code and be built by authorised professionals.
The commitment was included in the National-NZ First coalition agreement.
Housing Minister Chris Bishop said increasing housing availability would directly translate to lower living costs.
"It's currently far too hard to build the homes New Zealanders need, with even the simplest dwellings requiring complicated and costly consent processes," he said.
"These simple dwellings have the potential to be part of the solution for providing families with more housing options."
NZ First MP and Cabinet minister Shane Jone said he had been advocating for such changes for two decades: "For whānau who live in extended family situations, this is an affordable option.
"Companies that provide accommodation for their staff, and for small communities such as the Chatham Islands, this legislation will have many practical applications."
Building Minister Chris Penk said it would also boost productivity in the construction sector.
"The exemption is expected to deliver roughly 13,000 more granny flats over the next decade, meaning we'll see more work for builders in the pipeline without local councils managing unnecessary consenting burdens for simple building work," Penk said.
"Local councils will be freed up to focus their attention on more complex building work where the need for an inspection and thorough consenting processes is much greater."
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