Sunshine Coast · South East Queensland · DA statistics
Building a granny flat in Palmwoods: approval rates, timelines and costs
Real outcomes from 10 decided secondary dwelling (granny flat) applications on Palmwoods properties, drawn from Sunshine Coast council records. Data current as of 8 July 2026.
According to Casa Intelligence analysis of 10 decided applications in Sunshine Coast, 60% of granny flat and secondary dwelling applications in Palmwoods were approved, with a median decision time of 42 days.
60%
Approval rate
6 of 10 decided applications
42 days
Median decision time
Lodgement to decision (n=10)
10
Decided applications
Comparable secondary dwelling (granny flat) applications
5 Jan 2026
Latest decision
Most recent decided application in this cohort
What the numbers say about Palmwoods
Across 10 decided secondary dwelling (granny flat) applications on Palmwoods properties, 6 were approved — an approval rate of 60%. That reflects a noticeably tougher track record than most SEQ suburbs, so site selection and application quality matter more here. These are real, decided applications assessed by the Sunshine Coast council, not estimates or modelling.
The median time from lodgement to decision was 42 days (measured across the 10 applications in this cohort with both dates recorded). That is a comparatively fast assessment turnaround. Individual applications vary widely with information requests, referrals and the assessment pathway that applies to the specific site.
Based on 10 decided applications in Sunshine Coast, these figures describe how comparable proposals have actually fared — but every site is different. Zoning, overlays, lot dimensions and the assessment pathway for your specific parcel decide what is realistic for your project.
Recent decisions in Palmwoods
The most recent decided secondary dwelling (granny flat) applications in this cohort, cited by real council application number so you can verify each one yourself.
| Application | Decision | Decided | Days to decision |
|---|---|---|---|
| MCU25/0338 | Approved | 5 Jan 2026 | 42 days |
| MCU25/0132 | Approved | 25 June 2025 | 35 days |
| MCU24/0170 | Approved | 27 Nov 2024 | 149 days |
| MCU23/0108 | Approved | 23 July 2023 | 80 days |
| MCU22/0146 | Approved | 6 July 2022 | 65 days |
About this data
These statistics summarise decided development applications recorded against Palmwoods properties in Sunshine Coast council records, current as of 8 July 2026. Past decisions describe how comparable proposals have fared — they do not guarantee, and cannot predict, the outcome of any future application. Council assesses every application on its merits against the planning scheme that applies at the time. This page is general information, not planning or legal advice: what is achievable on a specific site depends on its zoning, overlays, lot dimensions and assessment pathway.
Own a block in Palmwoods? Check where it stands — free.
The statistics above describe the suburb. A free block check tells you about your address: Casa Score, zone and overlay position, in seconds.
Find out what these numbers mean for your site
Suburb statistics tell you the odds. A Preliminary Planning Report tells you where your address stands: approval likelihood, code vs impact pathway, constraints, costs and comparable approved DAs — prepared by a qualified development professional (Master of Architecture) and delivered in minutes.