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Pre-application advice for planning permits

Talk to a planning officer before you submit your planning permit application.

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Planning advice is specific to the land and the proposed use or development.  As a minimum, the planner needs to know the address of the property for your enquiry and a general outline of what you want to do.

 

Types of advice we offer

If your project fits into one of the categories below, call or email us for advice.

  • Extensions or alterations to existing buildings, unless in a Heritage Overlay
  • Minor amendments to planning permits
  • Liquor license
  • Signage
  • Minor buildings and works (<$100k)
  • Outbuildings associated with dwellings, e.g. sheds, garages, pergolas
  • 2-lot subdivisions
  • Small-scale vegetation removal
  • VicSmart applications
  • Title related applications (vary covenants/restrictions)
  • Single dwelling applications, unless in Rural Conservation Zone/Farming Zone/Heritage Overlay
  • Dwellings in a bushfire management overlay
  • Condition 1 plans
  • Miscellaneous consent or satisfaction matters

Contact Planning

Submit a planning enquiry online or phone us to request a call-back.

We need to know the address of the property for your query and a general outline of what you want to do. 

A duty planner will research your enquiry and get back to you Monday to Friday between 8.30am-4.30pm.

Submit a planning enquiry online

 

 

Need Planning advice in writing?

Planning Information Request (PIR)

If you need planning information confirmed in writing, you can apply for written advice using our Planning Information Request (PIR) service.  Two levels of information are available: 

Basic
A basic response lists the relevant planning controls and provisions that impact the land, general information and whether a planning permit is required. 

Detailed
A detailed response has the addition of tailored advice about application requirements, policy or Planning Scheme requirements, a planning permit history or involves significant research. Please specify the additional information you require in a cover letter with your application.  

You will need to submit supporting documentation such as site plans, elevations and a current copy of title.

See our fee schedule for the applicable fees

Pre-application meeting

For larger or more complex developments, a planning pre-application meeting can help to identify any planning issues prior to lodging an application and understand the information you need to include in your planning application. It provides all parties with a better understanding of the Planning Scheme requirements, Council policies and Planning officers' views. Following discussions, the Planning officer will share the advice and next steps with you in writing.

There are three types of pre-application meeting service offered by the Planning unit: Basic, Intermediate and Detailed.

Recommended for Basic pre-applications
  • Rural subdivisions
  • Small subdivisions (3-15 lots)
  • New commercial/industrial development <$3M
Recommended for Intermediate pre-applications
  • Single dwelling in a Rural Conservation Zone or Farming Zone
  • Multi-unit development
  • Mixed use development
  • Medium subdivisions (15-100 lots)
  • Land use applications (Section 2/discretionary use)
  • Childcare or medical centres
  • Medium-large projects ($3M-$15M)
  • All Heritage Overlay applications
  • Amendments to permits which were decided by Council or VCAT
Recommended for Detailed pre-applications
  • Applications with high potential for environmental or amenity impact
  • Significant community interest
  • Place of Assembly applications
  • Applications on Public Land
  • Large projects (over $15M)

Please note, after reviewing your request, the Planning unit may recommend a different type of pre-application service depending on the complexity of your proposal.

Request a pre-application meeting

Complete the planning pre-application meeting request form and provide:

  • A clear description of what you are proposing
  • Location/site plan
  • Plans of the proposal
  • Photos of the site and surrounds (this is helpful, but not mandatory)

You may request to meet in person, or via an online method.

Submit your request and all supporting documentation to [email protected] and we will email you an invoice.

Please note, if you have not provided any of the documents above with your request, we will be unable to schedule the pre-application meeting. The Planning unit will contact you and tell you what’s missing. You will be given 7 days to provide the documents. If you can't meet this timeline, please contact us as your request will lapse.

Next steps

When payment has been made a planner will contact you within 3-5 business days of payment to offer a meeting date. If the meeting is to be held online, we will send you an invitation with a link. If relevant, officers such as a Heritage Advisor or a Traffic Engineer may be invited to the meeting. 

The planner will compile and share the meeting notes with you within 3-5 business days of the meeting. 

A pre-application meeting does not guarantee that a planning permit application will be approved. 

Please note, if your proposal looks straightforward the next step may just involve a planner contacting you by phone or email to discuss. If this occurs and you have paid a fee for a pre-application meeting or written advice, you will receive a refund.

Planning fees schedule