For new homes, multi-unit developments, extensions and changes of use where the planning scheme requires a permit. We prepare the design and documentation and manage the application through to council's decision.
Good to know
Documents
Consultants always needed
Consultants depending on your site
The last three mostly apply in rural areas or areas with dense vegetation. We tell you at the start which consultants your project needs, then brief and coordinate them.
Site visit, zone, overlays, local policy, underground services and the permits your project needs.
Concept design and design development, prepared to respond to the planning policy from the start.
Planning drawings and consultant reports, coordinated into one complete application.
We lodge, answer further information requests, and manage advertising and objections with the council planner.
Council grants a permit, issues a Notice of Decision, or refuses. We explain the next step either way.
A planning permit approves the design, not the construction. Before building work can start, the permit conditions must be met, the plans endorsed by council, and a building permit issued.
The permit often asks for amended plans and further reports, such as a drainage design, a final landscape plan or a tree protection plan.
We prepare the amended plans, coordinate the consultants named in the conditions, and lodge everything with council.
Once council is satisfied, it endorses the plans. Any later change needs an amendment or secondary consent, which we can prepare.
Detailed drawings and specifications in line with the endorsed plans, coordinated with the engineers and the energy rating certifier.
A full set issued for tender, so every builder quotes on the same information. We can also manage the tender process and pre-contract administration.
Lodged with your building surveyor, who issues the building permit. See Building Permits.
It depends on the zone and overlays that apply to your property and the type of works. We check the planning scheme at the start and tell you which permits and consents your project needs.
Both can prepare and manage a planning application. For single homes, dual occupancies and smaller developments of up to about eight dwellings, the Building Designer who designed the project is usually the better choice. They know every design decision, the design has been prepared to respond to the planning policy, and they can negotiate with the council planner or redesign quickly when changes are needed.
For larger and more complex developments, typically ten or more dwellings, an experienced town planner is better placed to lead the application. On these projects we work alongside a town planner, who prepares the planning report and leads the negotiations, while we look after the design and drawings.
Council has 60 statutory days to decide a standard application, but the count stops while council waits for further information, and advertising adds time, so most applications take 3 to 6 months. VicSmart provides for a 10 business day assessment for eligible proposals. Applications with objections usually take longer.
No. The decision belongs to council, so no one can guarantee the outcome. Our job is to make sure your application is complete, compliant and clearly presented, which gives it the best chance.
You can apply to VCAT for a review within 60 days of the refusal. For a review we work with experienced town planners and specialist consultants, such as heritage advisers, to prepare and present your case.
We design smart, strategic land subdivisions, from knock-down rebuilds to multi-unit and mixed-use developments. Maximising potential, value, and approvals through expert planning and tailored building design solutions.
We create tailored, cost-effective building designs that reflect your lifestyle and investment goals. From early ideas to final approvals, we guide you through a clear and collaborative process, ensuring your future home, development, or holiday retreat is thoughtfully designed, functional, and ready to build.
We craft interiors that balance beauty and function, designed with purpose, tailored for lasting comfort and style, and elevated through thoughtful, precise detailing and material selection.
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