Maribyrnong Council Vic

Building in City of Maribyrnong

Your Melbourne inner-west council approval guide

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

Overview

The City of Maribyrnong covers Melbourne's inner west, Footscray, Yarraville, Seddon, Maidstone, Braybrook and West Footscray. It is a redevelopment and knockdown-rebuild market rather than a greenfield one: Victorian and Edwardian cottages, warehouse-conversion pockets, and significant urban-renewal precincts around Footscray. Heritage and neighbourhood character controls drive most planning outcomes here, not growth-area levies.

Suburbs covered

FootscrayYarravilleSeddonMaidstoneBraybrookWest FootscrayKingsvilleMaribyrnongTottenham

Building in these suburbs

FootscrayYarravilleSeddon

Local considerations

Heritage + character streets

Yarraville and Seddon in particular carry Heritage Overlay and neighbourhood character controls; demolition or front alterations to a period cottage usually trigger a planning permit. Check VicPlan before you design.

Footscray urban renewal

Footscray has activity-centre and urban-renewal precincts with built-form and height controls; larger or multi-dwelling developments face discretionary height and overlooking assessment.

Industrial-legacy land

Parts of the inner west sit on former industrial land; a site may need environmental audit or contamination assessment before residential building.

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 building in Maribyrnong mostly knockdown rebuilds?

Largely yes. Maribyrnong is an established inner-west area, so new-home building usually means a knockdown rebuild or a substantial renovation on a period block, rather than a greenfield house-and-land package. Heritage and character controls often apply.

Do I need a planning permit to build in Yarraville or Seddon?

Often. Many Yarraville and Seddon streets carry Heritage Overlay or neighbourhood character controls, which trigger a planning permit for demolition and external changes. Confirm your property on VicPlan and check with the City of Maribyrnong before finalising design.

What locals know about City of Maribyrnong

Suburbs we have profiled here

Footscray

Problems that turn up in inspection reports here

Salt dampRestumping and reblockingReactive clay and cracked walls

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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