Lockyer Valley Regional Council allows residents to let family, friends live in caravans on property without approval

As the state’s housing crisis continues, a southeast Queensland council has taken a bold step to relax caravan laws on people’s properties. Here’s how it works.

A southeast Queensland council will allow people to live on private properties in caravans without local government approval, in a major response to the state’s housing crisis.

The Lockyer Valley Regional Council this month amended its local laws to let a homeowner host a family member or friend in a caravan on their property for up to six months within a 12-month span.

The relaxation, which does come with conditions relating to public safety and access to a property with potable water, is a response to the Lockyer Valley’s rental vacancy of less than 1.5 per cent.

Lockyer Valley Regional Council candidate Cheryl Steinhardt.

Median house prices across the rural-based local government area, which have grown by as much as 54 per cent in parts, have correlated with a large influx of new residents to the area.

Councillor Cheryl Steinhardt said the changes were one way the LVRC could assist residents struggling with housing.

“Previously we had allowed people the use of caravans to live on a property while their home was being completed or for renovation purposes and that was the liveable standard of a caravan on a property,” she said.

“(Now) they don’t need to notify council but it is good if they are able to because that lets us know that there is a caravan on that particular premises and then council officers can ensure that the conditions are satisfied and they can respond to any queries or complaints or anything else that may arise.

“Of course there are a couple of restrictions there to do with neighbourhood amenity and public safety as well.

“(But) if we can just allow that temporary use of caravans we think it’s just a practical step for local governments to take to assist people in these times where we know the market is short.”

Ms Steinhardt believed the Lockyer Valley was one of the first local government areas in Queensland to make changes to laws around caravans.

“I’m sure that other councils are reviewing it, but we have taken the steps currently to do this, and personally I have not heard of any other ones currently, but I’m aware that some other councils are looking at it as well and how they may be able to help,” she said.

Amendments were also made to allow the use of a temporary home (not a Class 10a building) on a vacant lot for up to two weeks in any 52-week period without council approval.

Neighbouring councils in Toowoomba, Ipswich and Brisbane require residents to apply to the council for the use of a caravan as a home on a private property, and this is usually a shorter period of time.