Short answer: We design new homes, extensions, dual occupancies and multi-unit developments across South-East Melbourne: Kingston, Monash, Frankston, Mornington Peninsula, Casey and Greater Dandenong. From flood overlays near the bay to growth area estates and Green Wedge land, each council has its own rules, so every project starts with a check of the planning scheme for that site.
Our South-East Melbourne Projects
Real projects, real sites, across South-East Melbourne.
Hillside Residence
Frankston South · City of Frankston
715 m² site · 13 m fall
Planning permit approved
View project →
Three Units
Langwarrin · City of Frankston
3 dwellings · 976 m² site
Planning permit approved
View project →
Family Residence
Seaford · City of Frankston
4 bedrooms · 470 m² site
Planning permit approved
View project →
The councils we cover
City of Kingston
- Two or more dwellings in a residential zone always need a planning permit, assessed under Clause 55 (the Townhouse and Low-Rise Code). If every standard is met, neighbours have no right to appeal to VCAT.
- Parts of Kingston sit in flood overlays: the Land Subject to Inundation Overlay, where Melbourne Water sets flood and floor levels, and the Special Building Overlay for overland flow. A building permit there needs a Report and Consent first.
- The Green Wedge covers about 23% of Kingston, across parts of Heatherton, Clarinda, Dingley Village and Braeside.
Planning scheme · Residential development · Flooding · Housing Strategy
City of Monash
- A single house, extension or alteration needs only a building permit, unless the lot is under 300 m² or in a Heritage Overlay. Two or more dwellings need a planning permit.
- The Residential Development and Character Policy (Clause 15.01-5L) protects the garden city character, with precincts such as Garden City Suburbs, Creek Environs and the Dandenong Valley Escarpment.
- Local schedules set deeper rear setbacks and lower site coverage, especially along Damper, Scotchmans and Gardiners creeks. We check the current schedule for each site.
Planning scheme · Do I need a permit? · Neighbourhood character
Frankston City
- Most residential land is in the General Residential Zone. Design and Development Overlays along the coast and in Frankston South set lower height limits than the zone.
- Significant Landscape Overlays cover Frankston South, including the Sweetwater Creek area, and the Carrum Downs, Sandhurst and Skye hinterland. Works near substantial native trees can need a permit.
- Local character policy still rests on the 2002 Neighbourhood Character Study. The new Housing Strategy is on hold pending direction from the Victorian Government.
Planning scheme · Do I need a permit? · Neighbourhood character
Mornington Peninsula Shire
- Much of the Shire is Green Wedge. There a permit is usually needed for a new dwelling, two or more dwellings are not allowed, and most lots have no sewer connection.
- Design and Development Overlays control height and lot size in townships, bayside and village areas. Many sites are also in the Bushfire Management Overlay, which can trigger a planning permit.
- Amendment C219morn (Housing for the Peninsula) was adopted by Council in August 2024 and sent to the Minister. It is not yet approved, so the current controls apply.
City of Casey
- Casey has 16 growth area Precinct Structure Plans, including Clyde North, Clyde, Cranbourne East and Cranbourne West. In new estates the house design also goes to the estate’s Design Assessment Panel.
- A Community Infrastructure Levy applies to each new dwelling in development contribution areas and is paid before the building permit is issued. Extensions and replacement dwellings are exempt.
- The Housing Strategy (2019) sets three levels of change: substantial, incremental and minimal, with minimal change in areas of established heritage and character.
City of Greater Dandenong
- The Housing Strategy sets three change areas: substantial change in the Residential Growth Zone around the Dandenong, Noble Park and Springvale centres, incremental change in the General Residential Zone, and limited change in the Neighbourhood Residential Zone.
- A small second dwelling of 60 m² or less usually needs no planning permit on lots over 300 m², unless an overlay or title restriction applies.
- Green Wedge covers about 29% of the city, as part of the South East Green Wedge.
Planning scheme · Do I need a permit? · Small second dwelling
Every site is different
- Zones, schedules and overlays change from street to street
- We check the planning scheme, title and local policy for your site before design starts
- Send us the address and we tell you what applies
Local planning information checked against council and Planning Victoria sources. Last reviewed November 2026.
How We Work in South-East Melbourne
Designed for the street. Built for how you live.
South-East Melbourne covers very different sites: bayside suburbs with flood overlays, established garden suburbs in Monash, sloping blocks and landscape controls around Frankston, coastal townships on the Peninsula and new estates in Casey. A good design here starts with the site and its controls, then fits the brief inside what Council, or the estate panel, looks for, so the application moves through with fewer surprises.
We check the zone, overlays and character guidelines before we draw, then take the project from concept and 3D visualisation through to planning and building permit documentation. We prepare and lodge the applications; Council and your building surveyor issue the permits.
Free consultation
Planning to build or extend in South-East Melbourne?
Tell us about your site and we’ll check the zone and overlays before you commit.
Book a free consultationFrankston South: a 13 metre fall to a protected creek
The site falls 13 metres to a creek at the back, in a heavily vegetated area protected for its flora and fauna. A drainage easement beside the house carries the suburb’s stormwater down to the creek, so Melbourne Water had to consent. Council granted the planning permit.
- House stepped down the slope and cut into the ground to stay within the height limit
- Reduced front setback approved to keep the house back from the creek and the protected vegetation
- Designed around the drainage easement beside the building
- Permit conditions included a site environmental management plan, fauna identification, salvage and relocation, and measures to stop weeds spreading to or from the creek
Project facts
Langwarrin: three detached homes around protected trees
Three detached townhouses, each with three bedrooms, a study and a double garage, so the footprint had to be maximised. Three large trees on the neighbouring school’s land had tree protection zones reaching well into the site. Council granted the planning permit.
- Dwellings built within the tree protection zones, with no cut or fill around the trees
- Arborist supervision for all works near the protected trees
- Homes kept at the right height without changing ground levels in the protection zones
Project facts
Seaford: one house, two independent titles
The block started with one house. We subdivided it into a front lot and a battle-axe rear lot, with a new family home at the rear. Council granted the planning permit.
- New carport and new crossover for the existing house
- The rear lot kept the existing crossover as its own independent access
- Two separate titles with no carriageway easement, shared driveway or shared services
Project facts
Local Rules, Considered Design
South-East Melbourne FAQs
Yes. Two or more dwellings on a lot in a residential zone need a planning permit, assessed under Clause 55. Since VC288 (October 2025), a two-dwelling proposal that meets the required Clause 55 standards can go through VicSmart, which sets a 10 business day assessment timeframe; overlays such as heritage or flooding can make a site ineligible. Larger developments go through the standard permit process. We prepare the drawings and reports and lodge the application with your council for you.
A free Planning Property Report from VicPlan lists the zone and every overlay on your lot. We check this as part of our free site investigation, before any design work begins.
If Council advertises the application, neighbours can make an objection. VicSmart applications are not advertised, neighbours are not notified, and objectors have no right of review at VCAT. If a proposal does not qualify for VicSmart, it goes through the standard permit process, where it may be advertised. For two or more dwellings under the Townhouse and Low-Rise Code, if the design meets all the applicable standards there is no objector right of appeal to VCAT, which is why we aim to meet them from the start.
All of them. Kingston: Cheltenham, Mentone, Parkdale, Mordialloc, Aspendale, Edithvale, Chelsea, Carrum, Patterson Lakes and Dingley Village. Monash: Glen Waverley, Mount Waverley, Wheelers Hill, Mulgrave, Clayton, Oakleigh, Oakleigh East, Ashwood and Notting Hill. Frankston: Frankston, Frankston South, Frankston North, Seaford, Langwarrin, Carrum Downs, Skye and Sandhurst. Mornington Peninsula: Mornington, Mount Eliza, Mount Martha, Dromana, Rosebud, Rye, Sorrento, Hastings and Somerville. Casey: Berwick, Narre Warren, Cranbourne, Clyde North, Clyde, Hampton Park and Lynbrook. Greater Dandenong: Dandenong, Noble Park, Springvale and Keysborough. See Areas We Work In for the other regions we cover.
General information only, not advice for your property. Planning and building rules, zone schedules and overlays differ from site to site and change over time, so check the current controls for your land with your local council before you rely on them, or contact us for a free consultation.
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