How about keeping the framework of the enclosed patio and the wall but opening it up... so pull off the roofing but keep the trusses... and grow some vines like a bouganvillea on a trellis over the area. It would protect your privacy and not waste the infrastructure of what has been built, but it would give the spot some beauty and street appeal. Bouganvillea or a similar brightly coloured vine would look amazing. Maybe a combination of vines so that you have maximum flowering... so some autumn leaf colour, summer flowers, spring flowers... think romantic like wisteria, jasmine, clematis, rose... or bold and tropical bouganivillea and mandevilla. You can paint the trellis a contrasting colour to add some appeal while the plant is growing up. Pulling off the roof will bring better air flow and light back into the living area.

Update. I now have a very happy and content cat who has independent access to a side garden which already had secure, dog-proof fencing. I found CatWorks in the Mornington Peninsula who were prepared to travel an hour to custom design and install a cat-proof roof. It does not look like a prison but actually enhances the veranda which was installed a couple of years ago. The veranda has black, powder-coated, aluminium balustrades and the fine, black, roof netting and black, metal frame complements the veranda with its forest backdrop. Amazing! CatWorks even created viewing posts/ladder on the central, supportive post and a massive climbing rope. The dog took a while getting used to the idea that the cat was going to be using his garden, too, but now they can both come and go in and out of the house. Added bonus: I have a shed in that garden where I do pottery and ceramics and I no longer limit my visits there as I no longer need to ensure all doors are securely closed behind me or isolate myself. We all come and go as we like. Freedom!

Hi @Puddle, there are many good comments and ideas for you to consider in this thread, i have been in the process of renovating a 1976 model on the southside of Canberra. I have lived with my wife in Canberra for 6 years and have been in denial of our climate until recent years. It is alpine cold in winter and insanely hot in summer. The things i recommend spending money on are Windows - Get the best you can afford, double glazed glass in uninsulated frames, or double glazed window units with high air penetration should be illegal. Good windows keep winter heat in and summer heat out, its also very peaceful in a house that is well sealed. Solar panels - This was the first thing we had installed when we moved in, we are lucky to have a north facing roof space, wife works at home most days and is a high energy user. We enjoy a fully electric home, heating/cooling, cooking, hot water. Gyprock is cheap, Insulate your walls, floor and ceiling! strip all external walls and insulate, it is also easier to do windows if the wall linings are being removed. Once complete it makes life inside much nicer. Unless already renovated the wardrobes in bed 1 and 3 are likely chipboard, not sealed or insulated and a massive heat gain/loss depending on season. Building a comfortable, functional and energy efficient home in Canberra is much more than wall locations and paint colours, initially spending money on getting the "building envelop" to a high quality, (well sealed from air transfer and insulated) will allow you to install ensuites and move kitchens with the remainder of the budget. I have a problem with people saying there is a "Canberra tax", i am a professional tradesman and there are many other professionals in Canberra getting paid more than other capital cities, This includes the public service and its "consultants". Canberra has a high cost for all services underpinned by the public sector. Everybody deserves to get paid appropriately for their work. A client should always feel comfortable with the tradesperson they are dealing with, if not keep looking until you find the right fit. Enjoy the process!

Council approval requirements can vary for every state and council in Australia. So contact YOUR council. Contact your councils planning and building permit department, and before you do that go online and look at YOUR council regulations. This will help in understanding the conversation with the council planning person. Council approvals are necessary for any structure on your property. You can buy all the sunroom building products, but if you have not received council approval, you can not erect that structure. So contact your council and get the correct information for your land. The tradesman erecting the structure is not the one that needs to get the approval, it is the land owner. If you contract a patio/sunroom company, to install the structure, they can get the necessary approvals on your behalf.