As a Councillor, I am often approached by residents in our community who are curious about the differences between building and planning permits. You wouldn't be alone if you have felt confused and frustrated by the many and varied rules and requirements. Whether building a farm shed, your dream home or simply adding a new pool or deck, you should always check with Council to see what the requirements are and whether you need to obtain a planning and/or building permit.
In simple terms, planning permits decide what can be built on your land, while building permits decide how that work will take place. Planning permits are always dealt with by Council whereas building permits can be issued by Private Building Surveyors.
So where to start?
For planning permits, I would recommend going straight to the source. Council. If you are considering buying land, it can often be tempting to take at face value what the real estate advert says or to simply trust the views of agents, vendors and neighbours. Whilst they certainly have plenty of knowledge and are terrific resources, it is the Council planners that will give you unbiased, factual information and I urge you to use them as early in the process as possible to mitigate potential heartache. Covid has meant changes to the ways that Council gives advice, but I am assured you can still call any weekday and arrange to speak to someone in the planning team. Further, there is currently work being done to update the website to be more informative and user friendly. https://www.centralgoldfields.vic.gov.au/Home
When it comes to building permits, I acknowledge this can be a little trickier. Do you speak to Council, a builder or a private surveyor? The Council building team has had some staff shortages in recent times, as have many other regional councils. (Hot tip: If you know of any one starting or wanting to change career paths, tell them to become a private surveyor!) However, starting with Council for general information is a good first step. Once you have identified the requirements you can then look to private surveyors. Council has a comprehensive list of regional building surveyors to get you started, but feel free to use anyone you like.
There are no easy answers when it comes to planning and building, and unfortunately there will be times when what you are trying to achieve doesn't match up with the rules and regulations. My advice, before you shell out hard earned money on buying that piece of land, having plans drawn, or ordering that shed, talk to Council. They will work with you to help you understand what you need to do and give you an idea of how successful any application might be.
It is easier said than done but allowing yourself enough time to go through the process is worth doing. Due to its very nature, planning and building will always be changing, as it is largely dictated by the State Government and not always within Council's control. Getting informed on the details of your property is highly recommended and utilizing Council staff for knowledge will hopefully ease your experience with the planning or building process.
