Do I need a planning permit?
Not every proposal will need a planning permit. It depends on the planning controls – the zones, overlays and restrictions – that may apply to your property.
To view the relevant zoning and overlays applicable to your property visit Vic Plan. This will provide you with links to Surf Coast Planning Scheme.
You may need a planning permit to construct or alter a building, remove a feature or change how land is being used.
Common proposals that need a planning permit:
Building a new house, adding a deck or extension or constructing a shed
An application for the construction or extension of a dwelling should be accompanied by the following information.
Required for ALL applications
- Certificate of Title from Landata
- VicPlan Planning Property Report
- Fully dimensioned plans at a scale of 1:100:
- site plans
- floor plans (as applicable)
- elevation plans (as applicable)
- Any supporting documents and images (e.g. reports and photographs) (as applicable)
- Report of selected materials, colours and finishes (as applicable)
- Payment of application fee
Required for THIS application
- Plans of existing conditions
- site plan
- elevation plan
- neighbourhood description
- Plans for proposed development
- site plan, floor plan and elevation plans drawn to scale
- Landscape concept plan
For a complete review of the permit application requirements, see our guide Construction or extension of a dwelling
Removing trees or native vegetation
An application for the removal of native vegetation should be accompanied by the following information.
Required for ALL applications
- Certificate of Title from Landata
- VicPlan Planning Property Report
- Fully dimensioned plans at a scale of 1:100:
- Any supporting documents and images (e.g. reports and photographs) (as applicable)
- Payment of application fee
Required for THIS application
- Written description of the vegetation to be removed
- Photographs of existing conditions
For a complete review of the permit application requirements, see our guide on Removal of native vegetation
Subdivisions
An application for the subdivision of land should be accompanied by the following information.
Required for ALL applications
- Certificate of Title from Landata
- VicPlan Planning Property Report
- Fully dimensioned plans at a scale of 1:100:
- Any supporting documents and images (e.g. reports and photographs) (as applicable)
- Payment of application fee
Required for THIS application
- Site and context plan drawn to scale
- Plan of subdivision
- Land Capability Assessment if reticulated sewerage is not available to the site
For a complete review of the permit application requirements, see our guides:
Changing land use to commercial or industrial usage
An application for the change of land use to commercial or industrial usage should be accompanied by the following information:
Required for ALL applications
- Certificate of Title from Landata
- VicPlan Planning Property Report
- Fully dimensioned plans at a scale of 1:100:
- site plans
- floor plans (as applicable)
- elevation plans (as applicable)
- Any supporting documents and images (e.g. reports and photographs) (as applicable)
- Report of selected materials, colours and finishes (as applicable)
- Payment of application fee
Required for THIS application
- Site and context plan drawn to scale, including:
- bicycle facilities
- car parking assessment
- loading bays
- Complete details of the proposed use, including if a liquor licence is required
- Acoustic report or other land-use assessments
For a complete review of permit application requirements, see our guide on Commercial or industrial development
Starting a business
Depending on the type of business you are starting, you may need one or more permits.
Our Business Concierge is the first point of contact for anyone wanting to start a business but is not sure where to start.
Advertising signage
An application for advertising signage should be accompanied by the following information.
Required for ALL applications
- Certificate of Title from Landata
- VicPlan Planning Property Report
- Fully dimensioned plans at a scale of 1:100:
- site plans
- floor plans (as applicable)
- elevation plans (as applicable)
- Any supporting documents and images (e.g. reports and photographs) (as applicable)
- Report of selected materials, colours and finishes (as applicable)
- Payment of application fee
Required for THIS application
- Site and elevation plans drawn to scale
- Sign plan, including:
- content
- illumination details
- dimensions
- height of the sign from ground level
- distance of the sign from the property boundaries
- how the sign will be displayed on the site (e.g. fixed to wall, freestanding structure, etc.)
- recent images of the proposed sign location
- recent images of the area surrounding the sign
For a complete review of permit application requirements, see our guide Advertising signage
Each property is different, which means each planning permit application and decision will be different. Understanding the planning permit process(PDF, 706KB) will help you to understand the steps we take to make decisions on applications.
It is your responsibility to find out if you need a planning permit but we are here to help you through the process.
Step 1. Define your proposal
You should understand what your proposal will look like when completed, and how it will affect your property and the neighbourhood.
To work out the impact of a proposal on your property, take photographs and measurements of the site, and draft out a site and/or floor plan.
This will help you ‘see’ the proposal, and how it interacts with the land and features around it.
If your proposal makes a change that could impact your neighbours, have a chat with them and see what they think of your plans.
Example
Do you have space on your property to add an extension to your house? Would it require a tree to be removed? Will the extension be visible from the road? These changes could impact your neighbours.
Tips
- You can usually take measurements yourself for simple proposals (e.g. fences) but for larger proposals (e.g. a first-story extension), you might need to engage a draftsperson or surveyor.
- Draft plans can be simple – they do not need to be professionally produced. However, the more details on the plans, the less questions may be asked by Council or neighbours.
- You can sketch them out by hand or use digital tools to create drawings, or edit and annotate photos and images files.
Step 2. Identify any planning restrictions or conditions
Some proposals may seem straightforward but can be complicated by planning controls.
To find out if your proposal is viable – and if you need a planning permit, you need to check if there are any restrictions or conditions on your land.
Planning controls
VicPlan and the Surf Coast Planning Scheme help us to plan and regulate land use and development in our community, including zones and overlays.
- Zones determine how a site can be used (e.g. residential, commercial or business).
- Overlays protect sites (e.g. heritage and neighbourhood character) or manage risks (e.g. flooding or bushfires).
Your Certificate of Title may include conditions that could restrict development on your property, such as restrictive covenants, Section 173 agreements and easements.
How to check
1. Download a VicPlan Planning Property Report
VicPlan is a helpful map tool that summarises the planning information for your property, including the zone and overlays
2. Check the Surf Coast Planning Scheme
Check the zones and overlays identified in your VicPlan Planning Property Report in the planning scheme.
If it looks like your proposal is viable, obtain the Certificate of Title to make sure there are no other conditions or restrictions on your property.
3. Obtain a Certificate of Title
The Certificate of Title can be obtained from Landata. Fees will apply.
You will need to supply a current Certificate of Title (within the past 3 months) when you apply for your planning permit.
The certificate includes:
If it looks like your proposal is viable and a planning permit is required, consider if you need professional support to prepare your proposal and the planning permit application.
Next step - Lodge an application
Do you need professional advice?
If your proposal is complex, or you are having difficulty meeting the application requirements, we strongly recommend that you obtain professional support (e.g. from an architect, draftsperson, town planner or surveyor) to prepare your application.
You can also request written planning advice(PDF, 237KB) to confirm if a planning permit is required for a proposed use, change of use or development, or to obtain further advice.
Our planning team offers free professional advice to guide you through the planning permit process.
Pre-application meetings
For some proposals, we may recommend that you book a pre-application meeting with a planning officer to review your application in detail to ensure it is ready for submission.
Contact us for advice
We are here to provide advice and support throughout the planning process. We can help you refine your plans and your permit application.
Our planning team is available by phone, email and in person.
Call 5261 0800
Email planningapps@surfcoast.vic.gov.au
Visit Our planning counter is open between 8.30am and 5pm weekdays at 1 Merrijig Drive, Torquay