Western Sydney Granny Flat Ban Lifted: Check Eligible Land

The Western Sydney granny flat ban lifted for eligible lower-noise land under the May 2026 announcement. Higher-noise areas remain restricted. Check the actual lot before treating the announcement as permission to commission a building.

The NSW Government announcement of 19 May 2026 describes secondary dwellings up to 85 square metres on eligible ANEC 20–25 land, with aircraft noise attenuation. It names parts of Wollondilly, Camden, Fairfield, Liverpool and Penrith. This is targeted permission, not an approval for every property in those council areas.

What changed, and what remains to be checked?

The announcement changes the starting point for owners whose proposed secondary dwelling was affected by airport planning restrictions. It doesn’t establish the buildable footprint, approve a particular floor plan or resolve the site’s service connections.

Ask the planner to identify the current provision that applies to your address and proposed use. If you have an old refusal or preliminary advice, provide it with the enquiry so the practitioner can explain which issue the change addresses and which issues remain.

Don’t decide eligibility from a suburb name

A suburb can contain properties with different mapped constraints. We have removed earlier blanket statements that entire named suburbs were excluded because the government announcement supports a land-based check, not that shortcut.

Use the lot and deposited plan details from the title. A screenshot from a property advertisement can help locate the land, but it shouldn’t replace current official mapping or written advice about the applicable controls.

Bring a specific brief to the first enquiry

Describe whether the proposal is detached, attached or a conversion, its intended floor area and who will occupy it. Include a site sketch showing existing buildings, access and known services. You’ll get a more useful response than asking whether “granny flats are allowed” without an address or design.

If the practitioner identifies an acoustic assessment or other report, ask what the report must address before commissioning it. The aim is to test feasibility before committing to a supplier’s standard layout.

Questions to resolve before proceeding

Does the announcement approve my design?

No. Obtain advice on the current rules and the proposed building for your property. The announcement explains the policy change; it isn’t a site approval or a construction specification.

Where should I start?

Read our NSW approval overview, then take your address, title details and project brief to the relevant practitioner. Ask for the source and date of the rules used in their assessment.

By The Granny Flat Guide Team. Last updated October 2026. About our research · Project budget calculator