Victoria · City of Port Phillip
Your Melbourne bayside inner-south council approval guide
The City of Port Phillip stretches along Port Phillip Bay from Port Melbourne through Albert Park, Middle Park, St Kilda, Elwood and Balaclava. Extensive heritage overlays and character areas apply, the Port Phillip Planning Scheme (last updated 25 June 2026) requires developments to be sympathetic to and respectful of heritage places.
Heritage overlays throughout
Extensive heritage overlays across almost all suburbs. Use the Planning Ahead interactive map for a specific property report.
Bayside character policy
Overlooking, overshadowing and setback controls are strictly applied along foreshore streets. Middle Park and Albert Park have particularly tight rules.
St Kilda entertainment precincts
Fitzroy Street / Acland Street have specific built-form controls to protect the character of the Esplanade.
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.
The Environmental Significance Overlay along the Port Phillip Bay foreshore adds two things most people miss. First, planning notification is broader than usual: neighbours further from the site can object because view lines and foreshore character are considered public assets. Second, colour palettes and roof forms get scrutinised in a way inner suburbs do not experience. If your block sits within roughly 200 metres of the beach, budget an extra six to eight weeks compared with a standard heritage-overlay job further inland.
The Activity Centre Zone controls in Fitzroy Street, Acland Street and along the Esplanade have specific built-form provisions that override the general residential rules. Height, setback and street-wall treatment are dictated by a Development Contributions Plan Overlay rather than the standard ResCode. This makes some projects easier because there is a clearer template, but it also makes non-conforming designs almost impossible to negotiate. Read the Fitzroy Street or Acland Street Structure Plan before your architect starts.
Technically yes, though the trip through council is more involved than in a growth corridor. Middle Park sits inside a Heritage Overlay for most streets, so demolition of anything pre-1940s triggers a full planning permit including a Heritage Impact Statement. The narrow blocks (often just 6 to 7 metres wide) also mean overlooking, overshadowing and side setback controls hit harder than usual. Expect nine to fourteen months from concept to keys, and a design that respects the existing streetscape rhythm.
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