The Ins And Outs Of Town Planning: Part 2

In our last blog, ‘The Ins and Outs of Town Planning: Part 1’, we looked at town planning basics and they key elements of a town planning application. 

In Part 2, we’ll go through the process of lodging your application and look at the next steps in achieving a successful outcome for town planning.

Lodging The Application

We’ll assume you’ve completed the steps outlined in Part 1 of this guide, and are ready to lodge your town planning application with your local council. You can download an application form from their website, along with an application checklist that will help ensure you have all the necessary supporting documentation. 

As well as the design drawings and reports that your consultants have prepared, you will need to supply a recent copy of the Certificate of Title for your property, a completed application form and pay the application fees. The fees vary according to the type of application and the estimated cost of works of your project, so you will need to have an idea of how much it will cost to build your plans. The Schedule of current fees can also be found on the Council’s website. 

Your commercial or residential architect or designer can assist you with the lodgement process – they will be familiar with the requirements, having done this many times before. 

How The Process Works

Allow Plenty Of Time

The process of obtaining town planning approval can take up to 6 months or longer so allow plenty of time for this. Time varies council to council.

Application Complete

Once Council receive your application and are satisfied that you have provided all the necessary information, the application will be advertised to the neighbouring properties and anyone who may be impacted by the proposal.

Application Advertised

This can take the form of the familiar yellow sign displayed on your property for two weeks, as well as letters sent to the immediately affected neighbouring properties. This may include residents as well as owners of properties and if there are multi-unit dwellings nearby it will include every dwelling in the building.

Objections Lodged

Advertising gives people a chance to have their say about your proposed design and lodge an objection if they feel that it will have an adverse impact on their amenity or enjoyment of their own property. Be prepared for at least a handful of objectors if you are in an area of minimal change. 

How The Process Completes

The Council review process will potentially involve requests for further information from the town planning department, and they may request amendments to the design. 

They may in addition ask you to attend meetings with objectors with the aim to reach a compromise and resolve disagreements between parties. 

If a resolution cannot be reached the application can go to a Council meeting and potentially on to VCAT, before a permit can be issued (or refused), which can further prolong the decision-making process. 

As well as an assessment by the town planning team your application will need to be referred internally to the Council landscape, traffic and drainage departments for sign-off before a planning permit can be issued. If you are within a Heritage overlay the Council Heritage advisor will also become involved.

After Permit Is Issued

Once you permit has been issued there will be a number of ‘conditions’ attached to the permit, which must be adhered to. 

Updated plans must be submitted and ‘endorsed’ (stamped) before you can proceed with a Building Permit or start building the works. The endorsed plans show exactly what you are permitted to build, and may differ from the original plans you submitted if changes have been required by council on request (to appease objectors), or additional requirements (relating to planning controls) are contained in the ‘conditions’ of the permit. 

For example, you may have had a large window overlooking your neighbours garden on the original plans, which now is required to be screened or have obscure glass. The new screening or glass has to be indicated on the endorsed plans. 

How To Prepare Better Town Planning Applications

Local Smarts

The town planning process requires clear assessment of the applicable controls and rational analysis of how they affect your project. 

There are many variables and it is necessary to consider interests other than your own. 

You are more likely to achieve planning permission for a design that achieves your objectives if you work with trusted professionals who understand the complexities, pitfalls and opportunities based on deep local knowledge and experience.

Creative Collaboration

You will produce a better town planning application in less time and with less effort if you adopt a collaborative approach during the planning phase. 

A good architect who knows your Council, knows what the town planners want, understands the full range of possibilities and constraints, and makes good use of local specialists is likely to be best-placed to help you achieve your objectives without wasting time and effort on unnecessary work.

As one of the Bayside area’s leading residential and commercial architecture firms, JDA Architects is uniquely positioned to access town planning insights specific to Melbourne’s south east suburbs.

If you have questions about town planning, please phone us on 0439991887 or email me, Harriet Lammin at hl@jdaarchitects.com.au – we will do the best we can to help you with your enquiry.