Victoria · City of Boroondara
Your Melbourne eastern-suburbs council approval guide
The City of Boroondara covers Melbourne's prestigious east, Camberwell, Hawthorn, Kew, Balwyn, Canterbury, Surrey Hills and Ashburton. Heritage overlays are extensive and Boroondara maintains a formal heritage grading map (published on the council website). The 2026 to 27 Metropolitan Planning Levy threshold ($1,344,000) frequently applies to larger residential developments here.
Heritage grading map
Boroondara has an unusually detailed heritage GRADING map, properties are scored on significance. High-grade properties are effectively unrenovatable externally; check the map first.
Metropolitan Planning Levy
For 2026 to 27 the threshold is $1,344,000. Larger new builds in Boroondara commonly exceed this, you'll need a certificate from the SRO before council will accept your permit application.
Character precincts
Even outside formal heritage areas, Boroondara enforces character precinct guidelines. Camberwell Junction, Hawthorn Glenferrie, and Kew Junction all have specific rules.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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).
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.
Boroondara is one of the few Melbourne councils that publishes a formal heritage grading map, and the grade attached to your property matters more than the overlay itself. A property graded 'Individually Significant' is effectively unrenovatable externally without a compelling heritage argument. A 'Contributory' rating gives you room to modify the rear and side, but the streetscape presentation stays locked. If the property is 'Non-contributory' inside a Heritage Overlay area, most contemporary designs are approvable if they respect the neighbouring rhythm. Check the grade before you commission design work.
The threshold for 2026-27 is $1,344,000, and it applies to the total estimated cost of works, not the contract price. Larger new dwellings in Balwyn, Kew and Camberwell frequently exceed it because construction costs in these suburbs run 15 to 25 percent above metropolitan average. If you are anywhere near the threshold, get the certificate from the State Revenue Office before you lodge the planning permit. Council will not accept the application without it, and getting the certificate mid-lodgement adds four to six weeks.
Yes. Camberwell Junction, Hawthorn Glenferrie Road and Kew Junction each have activity-centre character provisions that dictate street-wall height, upper-level setbacks and podium treatment. These are enforced through a Design and Development Overlay rather than a Heritage Overlay, so they are easy to miss on a quick property search. Ask council for a Property Enquiry Report before you finalise design, or check the Boroondara Planning Scheme online property lookup.
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