Do You Need a Planning Permit in Victoria?

What Is a Planning Permit Check?

Before you engage an architect, spend money on drawings, or fall in love with a design that council will never approve, it pays to understand the planning controls on your site.

A Planning Snapshot gives you a clear, concise picture of your property's zoning, overlays, planning permit requirements, and key risks, prepared by a registered architect who works with Victorian planning schemes every day. It is not a generic zoning printout. It is a researched, site-specific document that tells you what you are actually working with and what questions to ask council before you go any further.

Delivered as a PDF to your inbox within two business days. $660 incl. GST.

Get a Planning Check

What's Included in Your Planning Snapshot

Your Planning Snapshot covers six areas:

Site identifiers — address, council (LGA), estimated lot size and frontage, existing dwelling description, and street orientation.

Planning controls — zone and schedule, all overlays (heritage, design and development, vegetation protection, flood, bushfire), and any relevant local policies. Each control is rated Confirmed, Likely, or TBC so you know exactly what has been verified and what still needs a council call.

Permit pathway assessment — a plain-English explanation of whether a planning permit is required for your proposed scope, which planning scheme clauses apply (Clause 54 or 55), and indicative permit timelines.

Key risk flags — a traffic-light table covering heritage, lot size, multi-dwelling potential, neighbourhood character, vegetation, and flood risk. Red means talk to a specialist before proceeding. Green means no issue identified.

Council pre-application checklist — exactly what to prepare for a pre-application meeting with your council planning department, tailored to your site and scope.

Questions to confirm with council — a ready-to-send list of specific questions for your council planning officer, written for your address and proposed works..

How it works

Complete payment of $660 incl. GST via the secure link.
Fill in the form below with your address, proposed scope, and contact details.
We research your site across VicPlan, the Melbourne Planning Scheme, real estate databases, and council sources.
Your Planning Snapshot PDF is emailed to you within two business days.
If you decide to proceed to a full Feasibility Report or Concept Design, the $440 is credited in full against our next fee.

Who is this For and Do You Need a Planning Permit?

A Planning Snapshot is useful at any of these moments:

— You have just purchased or are about to purchase a property and want to know what you can build before signing a contract.

— You have a project in mind (rear extension, granny flat, duplex, new home) and want to understand the planning constraints before spending money on drawings or a full feasibility study.

— You are a vendor, conveyancer, or buyer's advocate who needs a fast, readable summary of a site's development potential for a client.

— Want to understand whether a planning permit applies before spending money on drawings.

Get a Planning Check

Pricing

$660 incl. GST — delivered within two business days.

If you proceed to engage Dadirri Architects for a full Feasibility Report or Concept Design, this fee is credited in full against your next invoice. The Snapshot pays for itself if it saves you one ill-advised permit application.

Frequently Asked Questions

No. A VicPlan report lists the zoning and overlays but does not interpret what they mean for your proposed scope, assess your permit pathway, flag site-specific risks, or tell you what to ask council. That interpretation is what you are paying for. VicPlan report doesn't tell you whether a planning permit is needed.
Currently we cover properties across Victoria. If your property is in regional Victoria or NSW, get in touch via the contact form and we will let you know whether we can assist.
If your question is straightforward (for example, "is this address in a heritage overlay?") you are welcome to contact us first and we will let you know whether a Snapshot is the right tool or whether a quick conversation will answer it.
We research each Snapshot from primary sources and rate every finding as Confirmed, Likely, or TBC. All planning information should be verified with your council and through VicPlan before any design or development proceeds. This document is not formal planning advice or legal advice.
Yes, and this is one of the best uses of a Snapshot. Understanding the planning controls before you sign a contract can significantly affect whether a site stacks up for your intended use.