Before starting a new project or making changes to your property, you may need a planning permit to ensure it aligns with local zoning and land use regulations.
It typically includes conditions and approved plans that must be adhered to throughout the development process.
In the Alpine Shire, we review and make decisions on all planning permit applications to ensure they align with community goals and land use policies.
What is the difference between planning and building?
A planning permit and a building permit serve different purposes, and depending on your project, you may need one, the other, or both.
Planning considers the way land is used and developed, and how this impacts the character and amenity or liveability of an area.
The Alpine Planning Scheme, approved by the Victorian Government, outlines objectives, policies and controls for the use, development and protection of land.
A planning permit is a legal document that gives you permission to use or develop land in a certain way. It usually includes conditions and approved plans which must be complied with.
Council is responsible for deciding on planning permit applications in Alpine Shire.
Planning decisions will take into account:
- how the development or land use will impact the environment
- how the development or land use will impact the neighbourhood and neighbours
Building is concerned with safe construction practices and considers whether the construction work and new uses conform to building regulations, relevant Australian standards, and the Australian Building Codes Board.
A building permit is a legal document, issued before construction commences, to ensure the building meets the minimum requirements for the health, safety and amenity of occupants and the public.
Building permits are issued by a private building surveyor.
If you need a building permit, head to our Building Services page.
If you need both a planning permit and a building permit, you must obtain the planning permit before applying for the building permit.
Keep in mind that an approved planning permit does not give you permission to begin construction - you still need to get a building permit before any work can start.
When do you need a planning permit?
When planning applications are submitted within the Alpine Shire municipality, they are processed by Statutory Planning Officers. The Alpine Planning Scheme consists of zones, overlays, and other provisions which determine whether a permit is required.
Overlays operate in addition to zones. An overlay may seek to achieve certain design and building standards for the land, including bushfire, environmental, flood, heritage, land management, and parking.
Not all land is subject to an overlay. If an overlay applies to a parcel of land, it may specify additional requirements in relation to subdivisions, buildings and works, vegetation removal, and other matters.
To check the zones and overlays affect your property, search for a planning property report by visiting the Department of Transport and Planning.
You should not assume that works, however small, do not require a permit.
Reasons to apply for a planning permit
A planning permit is required if you want to build a dwelling or extend an existing dwelling.
The majority of the Alpine Shire is in a bushfire management zone, which means that you need a planning permit to build a dwelling on your property. You will also need a permit if your property is in a:
- Significant Landscape Overlay (SLO);
- Heritage Overlay (HO);
- Bushfire Management Overlay (BMO); or
- Land Subject to Inundation Overlay (LSIO).
Information about covenants and restrictions appears on title documents and is not administered by Council.
Find out what controls apply to your property by visiting LANDATA.
You may need a planning permit if you are renovating or extending your dwelling.
This may include:
- adding an extra room;
- building a pergola or deck;
- building a front fence;
- installing a new driveway; or
- installing services like solar panels, a water tank, or an air conditioner.
You may not always need a planning permit for your renovation. It will depend on the zones, overlays, and planning permits that covers the property you want to renovate.
You always need a planning permit to build more than one dwelling on a lot. A dwelling includes a house, unit, or townhouse.
The number of dwellings you can build depends on the zoning of your land and the design of your development.
There is no formula of dwelling numbers per lot size. It's not about how many dwellings could fit on a lot, but whether or not the proposal meets the requirements of the Alpine Planning Scheme, including ResCode.
There are many factors that affect how many dwellings you can build, including:
- site orientation to the sun in relation to shadowing on neighbouring properties;
- car parking and space for cars to turn;
- windows on abutting land that are close to the boundary; and
- the slope of the land.
If you are looking to buy a property and would like to know what you may be able to build, you should talk to an experienced draftsperson or architect who understands the requirements of ResCode and can provide some advice.
Once you have a set of plans, you should request a pre-application meeting.
When assessing your plans, we will consider:
- the size of your development;
- how it fits into the neighbourhood (or, if in a zone for increased density development, whether it makes a positive contribution to the area);
- the impact it has on the rest of the neighbourhood;
- what car parking is needed; and
- the features of the site.
If you are a developer or owner builder, there are also important Commonwealth telecommunications rules you need to comply with. For more information about the Telecommunications in new developments (TIND) policy, visit the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts.
If you are dividing land or a building into two or more separate lots, this is called subdivision. Subdivision does require a planning permit.
In most instances, we can only offer speculative advice on the viability of a site for subdivision because of the complex nature of planning controls. If you are interested in subdividing your property, it is recommended that you engage the services of a planning consultant or land surveyor.
You can find a land surveyor through the Association of Consulting Surveyors Victoria. We are unable to recommend a land surveyor and must remain impartial as part of our duties in assessing your proposal.
If your property is in a farming zone, it is unlikely that a subdivision will be supported.
If you are subdividing your backyard or a vacant lot of land, we recommend that you submit a planning permit application for a multi-use development before you submit one for subdivision. This will make your subdivision application simpler.
As well as our planning process requirements, you will need to:
- make an open space contribution;
- complete any necessary public works;
- understand water sensitive urban design techniques to meet targets for stormwater quality and discharge; and
- create an owner's corporation. You can find out more about owner's corporations at the Consumer Affairs Victoria - Consumer Affairs Victoria.
An overlay is a planning control that allows us to regulate the types of development that occur in the Alpine Shire.
For information about the overlays contained within the Alpine Planning Scheme, visit our Planning Overlays page.
A planning permit is required if a property is under 500sqm in an urban area and the shed is over 100sqm in a rural area.
You are likely unable to build a shed if there is no existing dwelling on your property.
It is illegal to occupy a shed or garage for residential purposes. Any shed proposed for temporary accommodation will need to comply with the requirements of the Building Code for residential building, which require a higher standard of construction.
A dwelling proposal in a farming zone is unlikely to be supported unless a full planning justification, including an adequate farm plan, is presented. The farming zone and associated land use strategies are specifically designed to restrict residential development.
Farming zone lots larger than 40hA are subject to 'as of right' dwelling entitlements and are more likely to be supported.
The need for a planning permit depends on whether the dwelling in moveable or not.
If it is not a moveable dwelling, you will need a planning permit.
If it is a moveable dwelling, residing in a tiny house or caravan is considered camping. You may lawfully camp on a site for up to 28 days in one year.
A planning permit is often required if you are looking to remove trees or vegetation, including:
- Native vegetation on your land, including trees, grasses, bush, scrub, wetlands, rushes, and sedges;
- Non-native vegetation if the property is within a Heritage Overlay or Environmental Significance Overlay;
- The property is outside of a Bushfire Management Overlay (BMO) and you do not have exemptions to create or maintain defendable space in areas affected by a BMO; and
- If there are planning permit conditions or other restrictions or agreements on your property.
More information about native vegetation removal regulations can be found by visiting the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action.
There are exemptions from requiring a permit, which can also be found by visiting the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action.
You might need to apply for a planning permit if you are:
- starting a business;
- changing the layout or purpose of your business;
- changing the location of your business;
- adding a liquor license to your business; or
- displaying new signage.
New businesses may need other kinds of permits as well. The best way to find out the right information is through our Doing Business page.
If you are seeking to change your business or liquor license, you can apply to amend your planning permit. This includes changes to: the existing conditions of your planning permit, the use or development for which the planning permit was issued, the hours of operation recorded on your existing permit, and approved plans, including the red line area for your liquor licence.
To do so, you will need to provide revised plans via Greenlight - our planning application portal.
Please read the conditions on your existing planning permit to ensure that you are able to amend it.
The process for amending a planning permit is similar to applying for a new planning permit. We have the right to grant or refuse an amendment.
If you are running a business from home, you may require a planning permit.
You will need to apply for a planning permit for a home-based business if:
- there are more than two people who do not live in the home working at the business at the same time;
- the total floor area used for the business is more than 200 square metres, or more than one-third of the whole house; or
- more than one commercial vehicle is present on site.
There may be certain requirements that you will need to meet if you want to run a business from home.
If you believe that you need a planning permit, get started by visiting Greenlight - our planning application portal.