Planning Permit Process

If you’re not sure whether you need a planning permit, you can make an appointment with the Council to discuss your proposal. We can help you to ensure you are meeting your permit requirements and avoid any delays in your application.

Prelodgement

Find out exactly what planning controls apply to your property. You can discuss this with a Council Officer. If there's a chance your decisions might affect your neighbours, it’s usually a good idea to communicate with them at this stage.

Prepare and submit

You can prepare your planning permit application on your own or with professional advice. We can help with providing advice about the information you'll require to submit your application. It is essential that you include all the relevant information. 

The information you need to include will vary; however, you must generally include:

  • An application for a planning permit form
  • A lodgement fee
  • A description of the works you seek a permit to begin
  • Estimated cost of the works
  • A current Certificate of Title
  • Copies of proposed plans
  • After you have submitted your application, we will communicate with you to acknowledge receipt.

 

Confirmation and authorities

Once the planning permit is received, we may ask you clarifying questions or request further information. If we have all the information we need, we may refer your request to external agencies, known as referral authorities. If this is the case, the referral authority will have 28 days to respond to our referral request. 

If the information submitted with the application is inadequate or if some of the required information is missing, we will ask you to provide further information. If the requested information is not provided by the specified date, the application will lapse. An application that has lapsed cannot be recommenced and a new application must be lodged. To receive an extension to allow you to seek additional information, you must apply to the Council before the lapse date.

Public Notice

In some instances, your planning application will require notification to adjoining properties. In most cases, this involves sending notices to adjoining properties and erecting a sign on the frontage of the site. 

The notification period expires 14 days after the sign has been erected on the site. Additional fees apply for this service.

Decision

A decision can be made on the planning permit application after all of the other processes, including notifying referral authorities and adjoining properties, is complete. All decisions are subject to appeal rights and these vary depending on the decision that has been made. All appeals are made through the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT).

A decision should be made within 60 statutory days. You then have a right of review by the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) for failure to decide.