Bayside Council Vic

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Victoria · City of Bayside

Building in City of Bayside

Your Melbourne bayside council approval guide

Overview

The City of Bayside covers Melbourne's premium bay-coast, Brighton, Sandringham, Hampton, Beaumaris, Black Rock, Cheltenham (part) and Highett. Coastal setback controls, Special Building Overlays (foreshore erosion + storm surge), and heritage overlays make Bayside one of the more complex councils for new builds.

Suburbs covered

BrightonBrighton EastSandringhamHamptonHampton EastBeaumarisBlack RockCheltenham (part)Highett

Local considerations

Coastal setback + foreshore controls

Streets fronting Beach Road / The Esplanade have specific setback, height and visibility controls to protect bay views.

Special Building Overlays

Parts of Sandringham and Black Rock have Special Building Overlays for erosion + storm surge, additional engineering documentation required.

Council does NOT issue building permits

Bayside explicitly does not provide building permit services. You MUST engage a private Relevant Building Surveyor for structural works.

Building Permit Process (Victoria)

Victoria separates planning permits (about land use, from your council) and building permits (about construction methods, from a Relevant Building Surveyor). You usually need the planning permit FIRST, then the building permit.

  1. Check zoning + overlays

    Use VicPlan (planning-schemes.app.planning.vic.gov.au) or your council's interactive map to identify the zone, any heritage overlay, character area, environmental overlay or growth area zone that applies to your block.

  2. Planning permit (if required)

    If your project needs a planning permit (most heritage / character-area / larger developments do), lodge with your council. VicSmart is a fast-tracked pathway available for some minor applications.

  3. Appoint a Relevant Building Surveyor (RBS)

    The RBS must be appointed by the OWNER (not the builder). Choose either a municipal or private building surveyor. This is a legal requirement in VIC.

  4. Building Permit Number (BPN) via BAMS

    Your RBS applies for a 13-digit BPN through the Building Activity Management System (BAMS). Since 26 November 2025 a new formula for the Calculated Cost of Works (CoW) applies. New BAMS reporting fields (including mandatory architect status) took effect 20 March 2026.

  5. Building Permit Levy

    Required for works costing over $10,000. Rate: 0.00064 general levy + 0.00064 DBDRV levy of the CoW. Pay via the BPC secure portal (BPAY or card). Your RBS cannot issue the permit until the BPN is received.

  6. Construction, inspections + occupancy

    Build proceeds under RBS inspection at prescribed stages. On completion, the RBS issues an Occupancy Permit (or Certificate of Final Inspection for extensions).

State Building Fees (VIC 2026-27)

These are STATE fees, identical across every Melbourne council. Your council may charge additional planning-permit application fees on top, see per-council notes below.

Building Permit Levy, general0.00064 × CoW (works > $10,000)
Building Permit Levy, DBDRV0.00064 × CoW (works > $10,000)
Metropolitan Planning Levy (larger dev only)$1,344,000 threshold (2026-27); pay to SRO
Owner-builder Certificate of Consent (works > $16,000)BPC application; approx. 45 business days processing

Typical Timelines (Melbourne average)

Straightforward planning permit (VicSmart)10 to 30 business days
Standard planning permit (no objections)60 to 90 days
Complex / heritage / notified planning permit3 to 8 months
Building permit (once planning approved)2 to 4 weeks
Owner-builder Certificate of Consent~45 business days

Frequently asked questions

How close to the beach can I actually build in Brighton or Sandringham?

The distance depends on which of the coastal overlays applies. Streets fronting Beach Road and The Esplanade sit under a Design and Development Overlay that prescribes minimum front setbacks (typically 6 to 9 metres from the beach-side property boundary) plus height limits and glazing controls to protect bay views. Some parcels also have an Environmental Significance Overlay adding tree and vegetation protection. Ask council for a Property Report before you buy, because a promising block can become uneconomical once the overlays get applied to your intended design.

What is a Special Building Overlay and does it apply to my Sandringham block?

The Special Building Overlay in Bayside relates to overland flow and stormwater in specific low-lying pockets of Sandringham, Black Rock and Hampton. If your site is affected, the planning permit application must include a stormwater management plan certified by a civil engineer, and any habitable floor level typically needs to be set at least 300mm above the designed flood level. It adds around $3,000 to $6,000 to consultant fees and can shape floor plans in unexpected ways. Check the council map before you finalise architectural drawings.

Why does Bayside not issue building permits directly?

It is a council policy call rather than a legal requirement. Bayside stopped offering the Municipal Building Surveyor service so it could focus resources on planning assessment, where the workload is heavier. For you, it means you must appoint a private Relevant Building Surveyor for the building permit stage. Choose one experienced with coastal setback overlays and stormwater engineering, because Bayside jobs consistently need more inspection touch-points than an inland site.

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