Master Builders Association lead outcry over proposed changes to garage sizes in SA planning laws

Proposed planning laws that require new homes to have bigger garages would price South Aussies out of owning a home – adding “tens of thousands” to the cost, the industry haswarned.

Master Builders SA chief executive Will Frogley fears the changes will stop South Australians from entering the property market. Picture: NewsWire / Roy VanDerVegt

• Plan to make new home garages bigger

Planning laws that require bigger garages and more off-street parking would be a “nail in the coffin” for many homeowners, building and development leaders have warned.

The state government on Monday unveiled proposed planning laws that would make it mandatory for garages to have a minimum size of at least 6m in length and 3.5 in width.

The change, which is being released for public consultation, would also force homeowners to have at least two car spaces for homes with two or more bedrooms and one space for one-bedroom dwellings.

It is hoped the changes would help get parked cars off suburban streets across the state.

Master Builders Association chief executive Will Frogley said the proposed changes would price South Australians out of owning a home.

“It’s quite frustrating when we are desperate to build more homes in the middle of a housing crisis,” Mr Frogley said.

“This completely changes what can be developed in infill sites around Adelaide, it’s the nail in the coffin.

“It’s reckless pandering to stakeholders who don’t want infill.”

Recent modelling revealed homebuyers would have to fork out $60,000 more for bigger garages in single-storey houses and up to $110,000 in two-storey houses.

Industry experts told The Advertiser the requirement to have two dedicated off-street carparks in homes with two or more bedrooms would add “tens of thousands” to the bill.

“You either have to pay more or reduce the size of the house on the footprint,” Mr Frogley said.

“At the end of the day, we’re in a housing crisis and we don’t want to make that more expensive and more complex.

“We are jeopardising Adelaide being the 20-minute city, which is a huge competitive advantage over other states.

“We are going to have to build further and further north if these changes come in.”

He said popular cars, like a Toyota RAV4, easily fit in within the current minimum guidelines for garages.

The proposed laws would apply to all residential developments within Greater Adelaide, with some key areas – like the CBD and North Adelaide – exempt.

Developers who ignore the rules would be forced to pay up to $45,000 per garage into a taxpayer fund, which would be used for public parking infrastructure.

Urban Development Institute SA chief executive Liam Golding said the proposal wouldn’t stop overcrowding on suburban streets. Picture: Andrew Beveridge

Urban Development Institute SA chief executive Liam Golding said the proposal would not fix on-street parking issues.

“We need to be doing everything we can to make sure we’re encouraging more housing construction, rather than make it more difficult,” Mr Golding said.

“I think this is something that will have a huge impact on people making the leap into the housing market.

“It won’t necessarily fix the problem, it will just give people more space for their home gym or storage.

“We firmly believe the government should be working with stakeholders in those key problem areas, rather than enforcing a blanket ban.”

Originally published as Master Builders Association lead outcry over proposed changes to garage sizes in SA planning laws