Planning Permits

A planning permit is only required for certain uses and developments, while a building permit is required to construct any building or dwelling.

If required, a planning permit needs to be granted before a building permit can be issued.

Planning permits are generally only issued by Council, however building permits can be issued by any registered Building Surveyor under the Building Regulations Act 2006. Council’s Building Department or your own nominated private Building Surveyor can issue a building permit.

View more information about building permits.

You may need a planning permit to change how your property is used or to build on your property. Some common proposals that require a planning permit include:

• changing the way your land is used (i.e. residential, commercial or industrial)
• constructing an additional building on the land
• adding an extension or verandah to a building
• installing a satellite dish
• demolishing a structure. 

To find out if you require a planning permit, view the Hume Planning Scheme for zoning and overlays (including any restrictions they may cause).

You can obtain your own independent planning advice by discussing your project with a consulting Town Planner.  A list of consulting Town Planners can be found on the Planning Institute of Australia website.  Consulting Town Planners are not affiliated with Council and therefore fees may apply for their services.

You can also visit, call or email our Statutory Planning team if you have questions about the planning permit process.

If you would like advice or confirmation about a planning matter in writing, you will need to submit an Application for Information on Planning Controls(PDF, 57KB) with the relevant fee.  Please note that receiving written confirmation from Council can take up to 14 days. 

A Certificate of Title is a legal document relating to a particular parcel of land.

It details information such as the current owner of the land and any restrictions which may affect the land.

All planning permit applications and requests for information must be submitted with a full Certificate of Title that has been produced within the last three months.

Council does not hold Certificates of Title, and without one our planning officers cannot provide advice on any restrictions that may affect your property.

To get a copy of your Certificate of Title, visit the Land Titles Office's website, contact them on 8636 2831 or visit them in person at:

Land Information Centre
Level 10, 570 Bourke Street
Melbourne VIC 3000

If a planning permit is required, we recommend that you arrange a meeting to discuss your project before lodging your planning application.  This will help you understand what information you will need to provide, and can make the application process quicker and easier.

Having a pre-application meeting does not guarantee that your application will immediately be approved when it is lodged with Council, but it will help identify major issues or concerns with your proposal.

Please contact the Statutory Planning team by phone or email to arrange your pre-application meeting.

What to bring to the meeting

You will need to bring copies of:

• preliminary or concept plans (including information on the site and neighbourhood)
• a detailed explanation of your proposal, and
• a current Certificate of Title (including any covenants or additional agreements listed).

If you have been working with a consulting Town Planner, Architect or Draftsperson, we recommend that they also come to the pre-application meeting.

View the pre-application meeting fact sheet(PDF, 188KB)

You are not required to inform your neighbour/s of your application, however we strongly encourage you to consult with your immediate neighbours about your plans.

Council will advertise most planning applications to surrounding neighbours during the application process.  By talking with your neighbours beforehand, you may clarify any potential issues they have, meaning fewer delays through the planning process for you. 

Yes. Fees are generally determined by the State Government, based on the expected cost of the development or a use fee.

Planning fees are for the assessment of your proposal.  There is no refund if your application is refused.

View planning fees(PDF, 212KB).

The timeframe for Council to issue a planning permit depends on how complex the application is, whether neighbours need to be notified, how much information is provided with the application and other matters.  Once we have everything we need to assess the application, Council has 60 days to make a decision.

If your application is a VicSmart application, an assessment period of 10 business days applies.

If the permit is not issued within the 60 day period, you can apply for a review with the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal  (VCAT).

After you have submitted your planning documents to Council, a Town Planner will be assigned to manage your application.  Your nominated Town Planner can give you more information about the timeframes for making a decision on your application. 

For further information view the Decision Timelines for Planning Applications(PDF, 291KB) factsheet.

Yes.  A suitably qualified Architect or Design Consultant is required to prepare your design drawings.  It is also recommended that you speak to an independent consulting Town Planner if you have a more complex project in mind.

If a proposal could impact on the surrounding land owners or occupiers, your application may need to be advertised. This process is required for most applications, and the Town Planner assessing your application will confirm this.

Please note that an additional administrative fee applies to cover public advertising costs.

The advertising process may include:

• A public notice on the property
• Letters of notification sent to adjoining property owners, occupiers or beneficiaries, and/or
• A notice in the local newspaper.

 For further information, view the Understanding the advertising process of a planning application(PDF, 270KB) factsheet.

Yes. You can contest Council's decision to refuse your application or the conditions imposed on your planning permit.  To contest Council's decision, you can make an appeal through the Victorian Civil and  Administrative Tribunal. 

A permit applicant can appeal Council’s decision within 60 days of the decision being made. An objector has 21 days to appeal against Council’s decision.

If a decision has not been made on your application within the specified timeframe, you can appeal Council’s failure to determine the application.

An appeal application is lodged with the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT).

Once the matter has been taken to VCAT, we are not able to issue a decision on your application.  Approval or refusal of your application is determined by VCAT during an appeal hearing.

For further information you can view Council’s VCAT factsheet(PDF, 247KB).

Once issued, your planning permit will contain an expiry date.  You must start or complete your project before this expiry date.

If you wish to extend the expiry date of your planning permit, you will need to make an application to Council.  

A fee is required to apply for an extension to your planning permit.  View planning fees(PDF, 212KB).

A Town Planner will assess your application to extend the permit expiry date.  In most cases, your permit can be extended if the request is received:

• within six months of the permit expiry date, or
• within 12 months of the permit expiry date if your development has already started.

You can lodge you a request to extend your planning permit online using eHume.

General Factsheets on the Planning Process

General Planning Information Fact Sheet(PDF, 567KB)

Planning Permit Pre-Application Meeting Fact Sheet(PDF, 188KB)

How to Complete the Application For Planning Permit Form(PDF, 320KB)

Decision Timelines for Planning Applications(PDF, 291KB)

Understanding the Advertising Process of a Planning Permit Application(PDF, 270KB)

Appeals to Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) Fact Sheet(PDF, 247KB)

Can my Property Be Subdivided?(PDF, 316KB)

Changing the Use of a Building Fact Sheet(PDF, 123KB)

Boarding Houses and Rooming Houses Fact Sheet(PDF, 371KB)

Application Checklists

General Planning Application Checklist(PDF, 496KB)

Advertising Signage - Planning Application Checklist(PDF, 169KB)

Building Works (excluding dwellings) Planning Application Checklist(PDF, 349KB)

Change of Use Planning Application Checklist(PDF, 372KB)

Liquor License Application Checklist(PDF, 329KB)

Neighborhood and Site Description and Design Response Planning Application Checklist(PDF, 340KB)

New Dwellings or House Extensions in the Heritage Overlay(PDF, 530KB)

Rescode Checklist for Multiple Dwellings(PDF, 231KB)

Satellite Dish Planning Application Checklist(PDF, 414KB)

Single Dwelling on Lot under 300 Square Metres(PDF, 504KB)

Events on Private Land Fact Sheet(PDF, 599KB)

Use and Development Guidance and Information

Landscaping Guidelines for Commercial, Industrial and Residential Landscapes(PDF, 3MB)

Social Impact Assessment Planning Policy and Guidelines(PDF, 389KB)

Non-Standard Street Lighting Policy(PDF, 19KB)

Seabrook Reserve Fact Sheet(PDF, 3MB)

Permeable Pavement With a Lined and Drained Sub-base Fact Sheet 3(PDF, 537KB)

Raingardens with Linear and Subsoil Drainage Fact Sheet 2(PDF, 758KB)

Industrial Stormwater Code of Practice(PDF, 5MB)

Industrial Stormwater Code of Practice Fact Sheet Intro(PDF, 418KB)

Roxburgh Park Development Guidelines(PDF, 6MB)

Guidelines for Waste Collection from Multi-Unit Developments (MUD) Planning(PDF, 281KB)

Development Plan Guidelines 2010(PDF, 10MB)