Surf Coast Shire Council is conducting a new trial in 2023 to understand whether domestic use of tiny houses on wheels might help resolve a shortage of affordable housing and worker accommodation.
The move follows Council’s targeted review of parts of its Community Amenity Local Law 2021.
Council resolved at its December 2022 meeting to support a trial to better understand complex issues surrounding the use of tiny houses on wheels before reaching a formal local law position.
A proposed two-year trial will allow further community consultation, development of criteria and an application, permit and monitoring process – and assessment of impact on Council resources.
Under the trial, which is likely to start in 2023 (a specific date is yet to be confirmed), people will be able to apply to Council for a permit to temporarily live in a tiny house on private property.
Through this pilot Council has clarified that it is not:
- Providing land to potential tiny house on wheel owners
- Supplying land owner details – tiny house owners will need to make their own rental arrangements with land owners
- Building a tiny house village on Council land or private property
The many considerations around regulation of mobile tiny homes will include:
- Wastewater management
- Building regulations
- Appropriate locations, consideration of bushfire risk, emergency management
- Vegetation removal
- Impact on neighbourhood amenity
Tiny houses on wheels currently do not feature in Council’s Local Law and their temporary use falls between the planning scheme and the camping provisions of the Local Law.
