Town Planners in Melbourne: Getting a Permit Approved
A building permit is not the same as a planning permit. Many Melbourne sites, especially established suburbs and anything with an overlay, need a planning permit first, and a town planner is who gets it through council.
Gets you
Planning permit
before building permit
Fast track
VicSmart
for simple applications
Rules
ResCode
residential standards
Appeals
VCAT
if refused or objected
Planning permit vs building permit
A planning permit is council approval that you can use the land for what you propose, assessed against the planning scheme, ResCode and any overlays. A building permit, issued later by a building surveyor, is approval that the construction meets the building code. Many Melbourne projects need both, in that order.
A single new home on a standard block in a growth corridor often needs no planning permit. But established suburbs, dual occupancies, subdivisions, and any block with an overlay usually do, and that is where a planner earns their fee.
Overlays and ResCode
Melbourne blocks frequently carry overlays: Heritage, Bushfire Management (BMO), Significant Landscape, Special Building, or flood-related overlays. Each adds requirements and can trigger a planning permit even for works that would otherwise be exempt. A planner identifies what applies and designs the application to satisfy it.
For residential development, the planner tests the proposal against ResCode (the state residential development standards) on matters like setbacks, overlooking, overshadowing and garden area, and shapes the design so it meets them before lodgement.
Objections, VicSmart and VCAT
Straightforward proposals may qualify for VicSmart, a faster assessment track with set timeframes and no public notice. More complex applications can attract objections from neighbours, which the planner helps you respond to, and if council refuses or imposes conditions you disagree with, the matter can go to VCAT.
Engaging a planner early, before design locks in, is the single biggest thing that keeps a tricky Melbourne site on track. BuildPilot does not provide planning services; we help you find an experienced town planner.
Official Victorian sources referenced
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Watch full episodeFrequently asked
Do I need a planning permit to build a house in Melbourne?+
Often not for a single new home on a standard block in a growth corridor. But established suburbs, dual occupancies, subdivisions and any block with an overlay usually require a planning permit before you can get a building permit.
What is the difference between a planning permit and a building permit?+
A planning permit is council approval for the proposed use and development against the planning scheme and ResCode. A building permit, issued later by a building surveyor, approves the construction against the building code. Many projects need both, planning first.
What is VicSmart?+
A streamlined planning permit process for simpler applications, with set assessment timeframes and generally no public notice or objections. A planner can tell you whether your proposal qualifies.
What happens if council refuses my application?+
You can apply to the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) to review the decision. A town planner helps prepare and present the case, which is why getting the application right first time is far cheaper.
Note: the stories below are Adelaide-based clients - the underlying builder-matching process is identical for Melbourne buyers.
How our process runs - real client stories
Federuzzi Development
Two double-garage homes squeezed onto an odd-shaped subdivision block in Ingle Farm, with the equity earmarked to fund the next development.
Read the case studySterai Residence
A practical, well-planned knockdown rebuild on a tricky triangular block in Ingle Farm.
Read the case studyBuilding in Adelaide instead?
See our Adelaide town planners guideCompare the options
The material and system choices that move your Melbourne build budget most, weighed up in plain English for Victoria.
Sources
Last verified June 2026- Victorian Government, planning permits link
- VicSmart applications link
- Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) link
Cost ranges are planning estimates cross-checked against the sources above, not quotes. Prices move with materials, labour, site conditions and council rules. Always confirm against a written, fixed-price quote for your own block.