Glenfield Granny Flat Project

Granny FlatĀ – Glenfield NSW

Glenfield – The Doorway to Campbelltown

Glenfield is a lovely, leafy suburb which is literally the outermost suburb of Campbelltown from Sydney. It bounds Liverpool, Casula and the Holsworthy Army Base. Just beyond Glenfield lays Hammondville and Heathcote Road, which lead to the Sutherland Shire and some newer estates along the Georges River. Glenfield has a semi-rural feel with the prestigious Hurlstone Agricultural College boasting excellent facilities. The rail link from Glenfield also allows easy access to the Liverpool and the East Hills lines simultaneously. It’s also just two kilometres from the M5 Motorway. Whatā€™s not to like?

We really feel that Campbelltown is generally undervalued and not yet discovered as an excellent growth area for Sydney, both today and into the future.

Glenfield Property with Flooding

This Glenfield property is susceptible to high risk flooding from a nearby creek. The flooding constraint was listed in the client’s Section-10.7 Certificate. This is the very first thing we check when a prospective buyer comes to us for their granny flat or backyard cabin. The S10.7 listed the property as ‘flood prone land’. We then had to consult with the Flooding Engineer at Campbelltown City Council and we also ordered a Flooding Certificate from them. This Certificate detailed the level of flood affectation and the type of flooding present on the site. This site is affected by what is called ‘overland flow’ and it lies in the path of flood waters, which can occur once in every twenty five years. The various consultations we made and the research we undertook gave us the right information to best plan for mitigation of this burden.

We also needed to submit a Development Application instead of the faster (and much easier) Complying Development. The process is arduous and time consuming, but with the right expertise, the best solution can be found in most cases. The main requirement was that we ‘raise’ the granny flat above natural ground so that it can never be flooded. The other requirement was that we allow any future water flow to pass underneath the floor level without restriction. This meant building on piers at the correct AHD Level. AHD means ‘Australian Height datum, which is generally the level prescribed above mean sea level.

A Backyard Cabin on Piers

So, a raised backyard cabin on piers it was to be! We explained the situation to the clients and gave them some options on the type of piers we could build on. This included steel piers, concrete piers or brick piers which is what they decided on. Brick piers are a little more expensive than the other two options but generally look better when visually exposed as these had to be.

Campbelltown City Council only allow a 40 square meter ‘Garden Flat’ as they call it under their Local Environmental Plan. They do not allow 60 square meter granny flats if the property doesn’t meet the State SEPP legislation. This was unfortunate for the client since they really wanted to have 60 square metres, but we had no choice. We did manage to talk Council into allowing a raised patio in the front of the new dwelling, which almost made up the difference overall.

A Customised Granny Flat for You!

Whatever the restrictions on your land, we can work with you to come up with a granny flat design which is the most suitable for you, your family or your rental needs. We have been designing, approving granny flats since 2009 and have developed many ways to mitigate issues. This includes flooding, bushfire and heritage sites.

Feel free to peruse through our many granny flat design guides and building tips before you resume your search for the best Granny Flat Builder in Sydney.

Regards,
Granny Flats Sydney

See other Granny Flats nearby HERE