They may be small, but granny flats and tiny homes may pack a big punch when it comes to helping to alleviate a chronic housing and land shortage in the bush.
And the State government has now made it easier to install these petite abodes by removing minimum lot size requirements for ancillary dwellings, including granny flats and tiny homes.
From this month there is no longer any planning approval required for compliant granny flats up to 70 square metres on residential zoned land.
Homeowners will just need a building permit.
The new exemptions to the Residential Design Codes (R-Codes) remove minimum lot size and the requirement for an extra car bay.
Granny flats no longer need to be compatible with the design of the existing dwelling.
They are permitted to be used for group dwellings and strata lots, but still need to meet setback requirements.
Planning Minister John Carey said the government was continuing to do everything it could to bolster housing supply throughout WA, including through nation-leading planning reforms that cut unnecessary red tape.
"The new exemptions for ancillary dwellings - or granny flats - offer a boost to housing diversity, choice and supply for residential areas in WA," Mr Carey said.
"This is just one of the major reforms to WA's planning system that aim to accelerate the delivery of diverse housing supply across the State.
"Our major planning reforms align with the National Planning Reform Blueprint agreed to by National Cabinet and complement our government's unprecedented $2.6 billion investment in housing and homelessness measures."
Summit Homes Group south west regional manager Justin Trewren said demand for the company's granny flats had climbed 48 per cent in the 12 months to February 2023 compared to the same period the previous year.
He said this had been driven by the general housing shortage in WA, the high cost of building and buying houses and anticipation of planning laws for ancillary dwellings being relaxed.
"It has particularly affected granny flats, tiny houses, developments, stratas and duplexes," Mr Trewren said.
"People are really looking for affordable options for housing - and granny flats and tiny houses fit the bill."
Mr Trewren said some granny flats and tiny houses in the South West were renting for $600 per week, which was another option for land owners.
"And these dwellings are not just appealing to seniors, but to a wider demographic," he said.
"Families, singles and people who are struggling to break into the housing market are making granny flats and tiny houses popular."
Mr Trewren said demand for granny flats and tiny houses in regional areas had almost doubled in the past 12 months.
He said they were quick to construct, with the average double brick granny flat taking about eight months to construct after the slab was laid and the average modular tiny house being installed within three months.
Mr Trewren said he expected demand for granny flats and tiny houses from regional areas to continue unabated, especially from government, providers of short-stay accommodation and those involved in emergency accommodation provision.
