A practical guide for homeowners in Brisbane, Moreton Bay, Ipswich, Logan and Redland.
Quick Facts – At a Glance
Character controls protect an area’s appearance; a heritage listing protects identified significance.
A rear granny flat can still need assessment, even if the main house stays.
Check local heritage, state heritage and any neighbouring listed place.
Demolition, relocation, tree removal and driveway work can have separate controls.
A report or exemption does not automatically replace all other approvals.
Character and heritage are different
Character controls generally protect the appearance and established building style of an area. A formal heritage listing identifies a place with cultural heritage significance. The property may be affected by one, both or neither.
A granny flat may still be possible. Its position, size, roof shape, materials and relationship to the existing home may need a considered design. Keeping the main house does not by itself remove the approval requirements.
Check the whole proposal
Review the new dwelling together with the driveway, parking, fences, service trenches, trees and any changes to the main house. Associated work can affect protected features even when the new building is hidden from the street.
Do not assume an old house, garage or shed can be demolished or moved. The construction date and type of protection can determine the assessment. A town planner can identify the route; a heritage consultant may assess significance and the effect of the design.
Local and state approvals
Council manages local heritage and character controls. A place on the Queensland Heritage Register has a separate state heritage framework. Work near a state heritage place can also need checking.
Some minor work may qualify for an exemption certificate, but the conditions must fit the actual work. A maintenance exemption is not general permission to build a new dwelling. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural heritage duties operate separately and can apply even where no historic building is mapped.
What to check in all five council areas
For every council, check the character or heritage map, local register and Queensland Heritage Register; the relevant construction date; demolition and associated works; the permitted design response; and whether a report, exemption or planning application is required.
Brisbane
Use City Plan and Council’s heritage tools. Brisbane distinguishes the Heritage overlay from Traditional building character, Pre-1911 and Commercial character controls. Its traditional character framework includes pre-1947 streetscape considerations.
Confirm the building’s age, protected features, demolition rules and effect of the new granny flat on the street and existing home. Ask whether a heritage exemption or planning application applies.
Moreton Bay
Check the Heritage and landscape character overlay. It can cover significant buildings, places, objects, landscapes and trees, so the protected feature may be more than the house.
Use the applicable code and planning-scheme policy to establish design limits and whether a cultural heritage impact report or other evidence is required. Check demolition and associated works before relying on an exemption.
Ipswich
Use City Plan 2025’s Character Places and Areas mapping and fact sheet, alongside local and state heritage information. Identify the actual protected place or area rather than relying on the suburb’s age.
Confirm demolition controls, location and scale of the granny flat, materials and any report or approval required. A compliant secondary-dwelling floor area does not remove character or heritage assessment.
Logan
Check Logan PD Hub, the Heritage overlay and the local heritage register in Planning Scheme Policy 4. Check the state register separately.
Identify what is significant, including any garden, landscape or grave-site feature where relevant. Confirm the design, associated works, report requirements and whether an exemption or planning application applies.
Redland
Check City Plan’s Heritage overlay and heritage schedule, and the Queensland Heritage Register. Council has a General Exemption Certificate for specified minor work on local heritage places.
Confirm that any exemption actually covers the proposed work. A new granny flat needs its own assessment. Redland also offers a heritage advisory service for owners of local heritage places; ask whether it can help scope the next step.
Design choices that may simplify the project
A rear location, lower roof, smaller footprint or revised driveway can reduce effects on the protected setting. A compatible design does not necessarily need to imitate the old house, but it must respond to the applicable code and significance.
For example, retaining an important tree or avoiding changes to an original verandah may be more useful than choosing imitation period details for the granny flat. Resolve the design approach before paying for full working drawings.
Indicative costs to allow for
All amounts below are in Australian dollars and exclude GST. Add 10% where GST applies. These are preliminary budgeting estimates for this guide, not quotations, fixed Hive charges or council fee schedules. Not every project needs every item, and complex work can exceed the ranges.
Possible cost
Budget estimate excluding GST
What it covers
Brief heritage advice or letter
A$1,200–A$2,000
Preliminary allowance for limited, straightforward advice where accepted.
Heritage impact assessment
A$2,400–A$5,000
Preliminary allowance for research and assessment of a defined proposal; complex work can cost more.
Additional planning work and design changes
Obtain a scoped quote
Check whether included in the consultant’s report fee or a separate service.
A$2,000–A$5,000 excluding GST can be a useful early allowance for a defined heritage assessment package, but do not add every report row together automatically. They describe different possible scopes. Council fees, historical investigations, restoration work and construction changes are separate unless expressly included.
Council fees and construction costs are separate. Consultant fees depend mainly on the scope and site, so the same budgeting approach can be used across all five council areas. Obtain a current, itemised quote for the actual property and check what is already included in your design or approval package.
Before you proceed
Confirm the constraint at the proposed building position, identify the reports and approvals actually needed, and have any design changes priced before committing to the final scope. A report supports assessment; it does not guarantee approval.
Request Your Free Site Assessment Report
Start with Hive Small Homes’ Free Site Assessment Report. This preliminary desktop review checks available information for likely setbacks, mapped underground infrastructure and easements, overlays and feasibility issues, subject to verification. It helps identify the next checks before detailed design. It is not a survey, on-site service location, specialist report or formal approval.
Click here to request your Free Site Assessment Report
Hive coordinates feasibility, design, consultants and the approval process. Construction is contracted directly between the homeowner and an independent QBCC-licensed builder.
Related Articles
Understanding Granny Flat Environmental Areas
Understanding Granny Flat Town Planning Approval
Understanding Granny Flat Vegetation Protection, Koalas Overlay and Tree Clearing
Granny Flat in Front Yard or Side Yard
Important Information
This article is general information, not building, planning, energy assessment, engineering or legal advice. Eligibility, floor area, approval pathways, specifications and pricing must be confirmed for each project by the relevant professionals. Published October 2026.
Official Sources
Brisbane heritage and character properties
Moreton Bay overlay maps and their purpose
Ipswich City Plan 2025 overlay fact sheets
Redland local heritage places and exemptions
Queensland heritage information
Cost References
Published service examples help establish the order of cost; they are not quotes for a Hive project or identical SEQ services. The ranges in this guide are budgeting estimates. Check the provider’s location, scope and GST treatment when comparing quotations.
Published heritage letter and impact statement starting fees
