Apply for a planning permit
Before you apply:
- Consult with neighbours: Discussing your proposal with your neighbours may save time down the track if you can address any concerns prior to submitting your application.
- Consider seeking professional advice: Professional advice, from a private planning consultant or similar, in the early stages can help you navigate the complexities of the planning process.
- Complete the relevant checklist:
- Application in a residential area(DOCX, 28KB)
- Multiple dwellings on a lot(DOC, 90KB)
- Application in a rural area(DOC, 74KB)
- Application in an industrial/commercial area(DOC, 82KB)
- Subdivision(DOC, 76KB)
- Advertising sign(DOC, 60KB)
- Vegetation removal(DOC, 61KB)
- Dam(DOCX, 25KB)
- Liquor license(DOCX, 23KB)
- Remove or vary a restriction on a land title(DOCX, 23KB)
- Place of assembly(DOCX, 397KB)
Apply now
Development Permit
Development Permit may include any of the following activities, Building and Works, Earthworks, Vegetation Removal, Signage, more than one dwelling and Industrial Development.
Start your application for a Development Permit
Subdivision Permit
Subdivision Permit may include any of the following activities, multi-lot subdivision, subdivision of buildings and/or realignment of a common boundary or to consolidate two lots or more.
Start your application for a Subdivision Permit
Use only Permit
Use may include an application to waiver car parking requirements, medical centres, offices, motor vehicle repairs. Liquor Licence may include a new licence or variation or change of category to a liquor licence etc.
Start your application for a Use only Permit
Removal of Restrictive Covenant
Removal of Restrictive Covenant - to remove a restriction (within the meaning of the Subdivision Act 1988) over land if the land has been used or developed for more than two years before the date of the application in a manner which would be lawful under the Act but for the existence of the restriction.
Start your application for a Removal of a Restrictive Covenant
Other Applications
For the other types of applications listed below, visit Planning forms and fees for the relevant application form.
- Amend a Planning Permit
- Amend an undecided application
- Extend a planning permit
- Miscellaneous Planning Consent
- Secondary Consent
- Submit Plans to comply with permit conditions
- Copy of Planning Permit or Plans
- Request for planning advice
- Certificate of compliance
- Amend or end a section 173
After You Apply
Lodgement
Once we receive your application documents and fee we will lodge your application. We will email the nominated contact person for the application an acknowledgement letter with the application number and contact details for the allocated Planning Officer.
Request for further information (RFI)
If the Planning Officer requires additional information in order to properly assess your application, they will send you a RFI. The RFI letter will list the information required, and may specify a date by which the information must be provided.
Referrals
If required, the Planning Officer will refer your application internally (e.g. to Council's Environment Unit) and/or externally (e.g. to water or power authorities). Some referrals are required by the Macedon Ranges Planning Scheme and we must allow 28 days for a response. A referral authority may object to your application, consent, or consent with conditions to be included if a permit is granted. In some cases, we are legally required to follow their determination.
Public notice (advertising)
If you are required to give public notice of your application we will send you an 'Advertising Instructions' letter. This letter will specify the required notice, which may include:
- registered letters sent to specified addresses
- a sign/s on the site; and/or
- a notice/s in a local newspaper.
Your application documents will also be made available on our website. Any person who feels they will be affected by the grant of the permit can object to your application.
Councillor list
Some applications must be placed on a fortnightly list for the Councillors to review. If your application is "called-in" from this list by Councillors, the Planning Officer will no longer have the authority to issue or refuse your permit. Your application will instead be considered and decided by the Council, usually at the monthly Planning Delegated Committee meetings. Your Planning Officer will discuss this with you in more detail if applicable.
Decision
Once the Planning Officer, or the Council, has decided your application we will issue one of the following:
- Planning permit: If the application is approved, and there are no objections, we will issue a planning permit. This will include conditions that need to be complied with. It may be issued with a set of endorsed (stamped) plans, or it may have a condition requiring modified plans be submitted to us for endorsement.
- Notice of decision to grant a permit: If approval is supported, but there are objections, we will first issue a Notice of Decision to Grant a Permit. This outlines all the conditions that will apply to the permit if it is issued, and is sent to you as well as all objectors. The objectors then have 28 days to apply for a review of the decision to the Victorian Civil & Administrative Tribunal. If no application for review is lodged within this time, the permit will then be issued.
- Notice of decision to refuse to grant a permit: If the application is refused, you will be sent a notice outlining the reasons why. This notice will also be sent to any objectors to the application. You may apply for a review of the decision to the Victorian Civil & Administrative Tribunal within 60 days. More information: VCAT Reviews