The ACT Adaptable Housing Standard – What It Means for Your Granny Flat
If you’re planning to build a secondary residence—commonly called a granny flat—in the ACT, there’s a key design requirement you may not have come across: the Adaptable Housing Standard.
This standard is a planning tool that ensures new homes are designed with future accessibility in mind. And if you’re working with Acrow Granny Flats, you can rest easy knowing that we apply this standard from the start—helping you secure approval faster and avoid costly design changes later on.
What Is the ACT Adaptable Housing Standard?
The ACT Adaptable Housing Standard is based on the Australian Standard AS4299. It outlines features that make homes easier to use for people with limited mobility, including those who use wheelchairs, walking frames, or who want to age in place.
The Territory Plan applies this standard to various types of developments to ensure housing diversity and long-term accessibility. In practice, it means certain dwellings must be either built to meet the standard (compliant), or at the very least be designed to be easily modified to meet it in the future (adaptable).
Why Does It Exist?
As Canberra’s population grows and ages, accessible housing becomes more important. The ACT Government has introduced these requirements to:
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Provide greater housing choice
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Allow people to remain in their homes as their needs change
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Reduce the cost and disruption of future modifications
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Make communities more inclusive
Adaptable homes benefit not only those with mobility needs but also families with young children, carers, and people recovering from injury.
How Does This Apply to Granny Flats (Secondary Residences)?
If you’re planning a granny flat on a block over 500m², your design must either:
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Meet Class C of AS4299, meaning it includes all essential adaptable features from the start, or
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Be easily adaptable to meet those features in the future.
The ACT planning authority considers a granny flat to be “easily adaptable” if it includes all essential rooms (like the bedroom, bathroom, and living area) on the ground floor and can be modified without major structural changes.
Unlike larger developments, you don’t need a formal certification report from a third party—but you must submit floor plans that show how the home can be adapted after construction.
At Acrow, we prepare both the initial layout and the adapted (post-modification) plan with every granny flat application. That means you meet the ACT’s requirements from the start and avoid approval delays.
So What Are “Essential” Features?
The Australian Standard outlines 119 features, categorised as:
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Essential (must-have for Class C)
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Desirable
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First-priority desirable
For secondary dwellings, the essential features are the focus. These typically include:
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Wider doorways and hallways
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Step-free entry
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A ground-floor bedroom and bathroom
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Reinforcements in bathroom walls for future grab rails
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Kitchen and laundry layouts that can be adjusted
You don’t need to build with all the features immediately—but the home must be designed in a way that makes future adaptations simple and cost-effective. This might mean you don’t build a step free entry but the design is such that the steps can be removed and replaced with ramps or other step free access at a later date.
We Design with Adaptability in Mind—So You Can Build with Confidence
At Acrow Granny Flats, we’re experienced in meeting ACT planning rules and adaptable housing standards. When you work with us, we’ll:
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Ensure your design meets or exceeds Class C adaptability
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Provide the required post-adaptation plans for submission
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Eliminate the need for redesigns that can slow down your approval
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Help you build a granny flat that suits your needs today and into the future
By aligning your plans with the ACT Adaptable Housing Standard from the beginning, we keep your project moving—so you can get building sooner.
CHECKLIST – Adaptable Housing Standard
Essential Design Features – Required at Time of Build or Easily Adaptable
Access & Entry
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☐ Step-free path of travel from street or parking to entry door
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☐ Minimum 820mm clear opening at entry door
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☐ Thresholds at entry no higher than 5mm (or ramped where necessary)
Circulation Space
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☐ Hallways minimum 1000mm wide (preferably 1200mm)
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☐ Doors throughout with minimum 820mm clear opening
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☐ Circulation space of at least 1550mm diameter in key areas (bedroom, bathroom, living)
Bedroom (Ground Floor)
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☐ Located on ground level
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☐ Sufficient space for bed and wheelchair manoeuvring (1550mm beside bed)
Bathroom
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☐ Located on ground level
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☐ Step-free shower
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☐ Toilet with clear space beside (min 900mm width)
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☐ Reinforcement in walls for future grab rails
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☐ Sink with knee clearance and lever taps
Kitchen & Laundry (Optional for Secondary Dwellings – but ideally planned for adaptation)
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☐ Layout allows for future lowered benchtops or under-bench access
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☐ Lever taps or provision for later installation
General Design
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☐ Slip-resistant flooring throughout
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☐ Provision for future installation of handrails or stair lifts (if applicable)
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☐ Power points and switches within reach (900–1100mm above floor)
Post-Adaptation Planning Tip:
Even if not all features are installed from the outset, your floor plan must show that they can be added later without major renovation.
✔ Planning with Acrow?
We include these essential features—or pre-plan for them—so your design meets ACT Adaptable Housing requirements from day one.
