Brimbank Council Vic

Building in Brimbank

Your Melbourne western-suburbs council approval guide

George Giannakakis, Founder, BuildPilot
By George Giannakakis · Founder
B.Arch.Studies · M.Arch (UniSA) · RLA300580 · Reviewed

Overview

Brimbank City Council is Melbourne's largest western-suburbs council, covering Sunshine, St Albans, Deer Park, Sydenham, Taylors Lakes, Delahey, Cairnlea, Keilor and Kings Park. It mixes established post-war suburbs ripe for knockdown rebuilds and dual occupancies with newer estate pockets, plus major urban renewal around the Sunshine National Employment and Innovation Cluster.

Suburbs covered

SunshineSt AlbansDeer ParkSydenhamTaylors LakesDelaheyCairnleaKeilorKings ParkAlbion

Building in these suburbs

SunshineSt AlbansTaylors Lakes

Local considerations

Rebuild + dual-occ market

Established lots across St Albans, Sunshine and Deer Park suit knockdown rebuilds and dual occupancies; ResCode and the Townhouse and Low-Rise Code apply, with the garden area rule on lots 400sqm and over.

Sunshine urban renewal

Sunshine is a designated priority precinct with activity-centre built-form and height controls; larger and mixed-use projects face discretionary assessment.

Flooding + older land

Low-lying land near Kororoit Creek and the Maribyrnong can carry inundation overlays; some parcels carry legacy industrial considerations. Check VicPlan early.

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

Is Brimbank good for a knockdown rebuild or dual occupancy?

Yes. Established suburbs such as St Albans, Sunshine and Deer Park have generous older lots that suit knockdown rebuilds and dual occupancies. Two or more dwellings need a planning permit under Clause 55 and the Townhouse and Low-Rise Code, and the garden area rule applies on lots 400sqm and over.

Do I need a planning permit to build in Brimbank?

A single dwelling on a standard lot with no overlay usually needs only a building permit. Dual occupancies, overlays (flooding near Kororoit Creek, heritage) and the Sunshine renewal precinct can trigger a planning permit. Check VicPlan and confirm with Brimbank City Council.

What locals know about Brimbank City Council

Famous for

Sunshine's future airport-rail station. Height limits near the station are rising, and the old Harvester Works land comes with a contamination file.

Every council's quirk

Suburbs we have profiled here

Sunshine

Statewide rules people blame on council

  • •New residential gas connections banned from 2024. Replacements on existing gas are still allowed.
  • •Pools and spas must be registered with council and certified every 4 years.
  • •Sheds, carports and verandahs over 10m² generally need a building permit; some also need a planning permit depending on the zone and overlays.

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