If you think you may be affected detrimentally by the work proposed in a planning application, you can object.
Finding out about a planning application
If the owner of a property near you proposes building works, we may require that they give notice of their plans. The application is advertised to adjoining owners and occupiers in the form of a notice by mail, a public notice is placed on the site and sometimes an ad is placed in the paper.
You can view the associated plans and documents through our online register.
What can I object to?
Objections can only be based on legitimate planning grounds. Objections based on moral grounds or private and commercial competition cannot be considered as they are not within the scope of the Planning and Environment Act 1987.
Common grounds for objection may include:
- Overshadowing
- Overlooking/loss of privacy
- Car parking or traffic congestion
- Loss of significant vegetation
- Visual bulk of building
- Drainage
- Noise
- Negative changes to the amenity of the area
Issues that cannot be considered may include:
- Loss of property value
- Direct or indirect commercial advantage
- Too many units in the area
- Type of residents that may occupy new dwellings
- Loss of view
Letters or forms can be emailed to [email protected] or by post to Planning unit, City of Greater Bendigo, PO Box 733, Bendigo 3552.
Privacy notice
The personal information collected is for the purposes of the planning process as set out in the Planning & Environment Act 1987. The City must make objections or submissions available for public viewing, for the period up until a decision is made on the application.
Petitions
An objection can also be in the form of a petition. The petition must identify a contact person who informs all of the other petitioners about the process of the application and who will receive a copy of the final decision.
A petition is considered to be one submission and must explain how the people that sign it are affected by the application.