Planning Permits in Melbourne: What Triggers One (and How Long It Takes)

Most single-storey renovations that stay within your home's existing footprint don't need a planning permit. Extensions, second storeys, properties in a heritage or vegetation overlay, and anything close to a boundary usually do. Once lodged, a straightforward Melbourne planning permit typically takes two to four months — longer if a neighbour objects.

It's one of the first questions we get asked in an initial consultation, and for good reason: a permit can add months to a project timeline and thousands to a budget if it isn't planned for early. Knowing whether your project needs one — and what's involved if it does — changes how you approach the design from day one.

What actually triggers a planning permit

Whether you need a permit comes down to your council's planning scheme, not just what you're building. The most common triggers are:

•   Adding a second storey, or building above your council's discretionary height limit

•  Sitting within a heritage overlay, significant landscape overlay, or vegetation protection overlay

• Reducing setbacks below what ResCode (Clauses 54–55) allows for your zone

•  Overlooking or overshadowing a neighbouring property beyond the allowable limit

• Subdividing land, or adding a second dwelling to the block

Overlays vary street by street, not just council by council — two houses on the same road can have different requirements. Stonnington, Boroondara, and Yarra in particular carry a high concentration of heritage overlays, which catches a lot of homeowners by surprise when they start planning a renovation. It's not unusual for a client to assume their home isn't heritage-listed simply because it doesn't look Victorian, when in fact the overlay covers the whole streetscape rather than individual architectural style.

Planning permit vs. building permit: what's the difference

These two get confused constantly, and they're not interchangeable. A planning permit deals with land use and the impact of your project on the streetscape and neighbours — height, setbacks, overshadowing, heritage character. A building permit deals with structural and safety compliance under the National Construction Code, and almost every renovation needs one of these regardless of scale.

You can't apply for a building permit until any required planning permit is finalised, which is why planning approval sits at the front of the project timeline rather than running alongside construction documentation.

How long the process actually takes

Once an application is lodged, councils have a statutory 60 business days to decide — but that clock resets every time they request further information, which is common on incomplete applications. In practice, most straightforward permits land somewhere between two and four months.

• Notification (letters to neighbours), if required, adds a minimum 14-day objection window

• If a neighbour objects and the matter proceeds to VCAT, that can add six to twelve months

• Incomplete or poorly documented applications are the single biggest cause of delay

A useful rule of thumb: the more your design departs from what's typical for the street — height, setbacks, or material palette — the more likely notification becomes, and the longer you should expect the process to run.

How to avoid unnecessary delays

• Get overlay requirements identified at the feasibility stage, before design work begins

• Submit a complete, well-documented application the first time

• Talk to affected neighbours before lodging, where it's likely to reduce objection risk

This is where having an architect manage the process pays for itself. Beyond design, the day-to-day work of a permit — responding to council RFIs, tracking timelines, and knowing which overlays actually apply to your specific block — is what keeps a project moving instead of stalling in council queues. It also means you're not the one on the phone to the council trying to interpret planning-scheme language while also managing a renovation.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a planning permit for a kitchen renovation?

Usually not, if the work stays within the existing walls and doesn't change the building's height or footprint.

How do I know if my property is in a heritage overlay?

Check your council's planning scheme map online, or ask your architect to confirm it during a feasibility check.

How long does VCAT take if a neighbour objects?

Typically six to twelve months from lodgement of the appeal to a decision.

Can I start construction while my planning permit is still being decided?

No — a building permit can't be issued until any required planning permit has been granted, so construction can't legally begin beforehand.

If you're planning a renovation or extension and want to know what your permit pathway looks like before you commit to a design, book a consultation with our team.