Small build market is growing: Lockwood
Granny flats, holiday cabins, tiny homes, garden offices… it’s all about to get easier.
Big changes are afoot with the Government’s announced changes to their Building Consent Simplification Plan, most notably increasing the home size that will be permitted under the programme, from 60m2 to 70m2.
The Government has also confirmed that the Resource Management Act and Building Act will be updated by the end of this year. These changes will support greater flexibility in building materials and allow consent-free builds, including minor dwellings, on urban sites. This shift, along with rapidly growing demand for holiday homes in rural and coastal areas, is why Lockwood Homes has launched a series of new plans ranging from studios to small homes.
As popular holiday spots become more crowded and expensive, Lockwood’s John Stewart says they are seeing increased interest in more affordable land near Canterbury beaches, the bays between Ōamaru and Dunedin, the South Otago coast and Catlins, and along the Southland coastline from Riverton to Colac Bay and the West Coast.
“To meet both the Government’s new scheme and this lift in interest in small coastal enclaves, plus the ongoing demand for farm stay units, cycle trail and great walks accommodation, we’ve developed a new range of smaller permanent, holiday and tourist units plus studios from 24m2, along with an Alpine Chalet series,” says John.
“This enquiry is also looking for more compact and low-maintenance homes and cottages.”
