Merri Bek Council Vic

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Victoria · Merri-bek City Council

Building in Merri-bek City

Your Melbourne inner-north council approval guide

Overview

Merri-bek City Council (renamed from City of Moreland in 2022) covers Melbourne's inner-north, Brunswick, Brunswick East, Brunswick West, Coburg, Coburg North, Pascoe Vale, Pascoe Vale South, Fawkner, Glenroy, Hadfield and Oak Park. Significant heritage overlay coverage across older Victorian-era Brunswick and Coburg streets. Sydney Road and Lygon Street activity centres have strict discretionary height + built-form controls.

Suburbs covered

BrunswickBrunswick EastBrunswick WestCoburgCoburg NorthFawknerFitzroy North (part)GlenroyGowanbraeHadfieldMerlynstonOak ParkPascoe ValePascoe Vale South

Local considerations

Heritage Overlays across older streets

Roughly 40% of Brunswick, Brunswick East and Coburg residential streets sit under Heritage Overlays. Any external work needs a planning permit including demolition, painting, external alterations. Merri-bek is proactive on protecting Victorian and Edwardian character.

Sydney Road / Lygon Street activity centres

Strict discretionary height limits (usually 4-6 storeys) on both strips. Overshadowing, Rescode B21 (Overlooking) and B22 (Overlooking) trigger frequent VCAT reviews. Ground-floor commercial retention often required.

Character areas beyond heritage

Even outside heritage overlays, Merri-bek Neighbourhood Character policy shapes setbacks, height, roof form and materials. Warehouse conversion territory (Brunswick East) has different rules.

Merri-bek planning permit timeline

VicSmart minor works: 10-30 business days. Standard heritage-overlay planning permits: 3-8 months. Activity centre applications: 6-14 months. Neighbour objections + Heritage Victoria referrals routinely add 2-4 months.

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

What was the name change from Moreland to Merri-bek about?

In 2022 the council renamed itself from City of Moreland to Merri-bek City Council. "Moreland" carried historical associations with a Jamaican slave plantation of the same name. The council chose Merri-bek (meaning "rocky country" in Woiwurrung language) as a name respecting the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung traditional custodians. Planning schemes and building rules unchanged.

Can I demolish a Victorian terrace in Brunswick?

Rarely without significant resistance. If your terrace is under a Heritage Overlay (very common in Brunswick), demolition applications are refused about 75-85% of the time. Substantial internal renovation with rear extension is the pragmatic path. Book a heritage consultant BEFORE spending on plans.

How long does a Merri-bek heritage permit take?

VicSmart minor works: 10-30 business days. Standard heritage permits: 3-8 months (referrals to Heritage Victoria + neighbour notification drive the timeline). Activity centre applications (Sydney Rd/Lygon St): 6-14 months. Budget accordingly.

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