Development (planning) application – what requires approval

A development application is an application made under the City’s Local Planning Scheme No. 3 (LPS3), and is required for most forms of development. If approval is required, it must be obtained before starting any work.

The purpose of lodging an application for development approval is for the City to assess your proposal to ensure that it meets the requirements of Local Planning Scheme No. 3, and any applicable activity centre plans, structure plans, local development plans, and state and local planning policies.

In addition to an application for development approval, a building permit or environmental health approval may also be required.

Residential development

• Some minor structures to a single house and grouped dwelling development may require approval, depending on where it is to be built. Further information on approval requirements for specific building types is available:
  • Patio
  • Outbuilding (shed)
  • Carport
  • Retaining walls
  • Street walls and fences
  • Garages
  • Ancillary dwellings (granny flats)
• A single house (a newhouse or building works on green title lot or strata lot with no common property) requires approval where the development meets the planning requirements of LPS3, deemed-to-comply provisions of the Residential Design Codes or the replacement requirements of the City’s Residential Development Local Planning Policy, Development in Housing Opportunity Areas Local Planning Policy, a requirement of an applicable structure plan or other local planning policy.
• Grouped dwelling (house on a strata lot with common property, or more than one house on a lot) or associated development requires approval where the development is:
  • a new grouped dwelling(s);
  • a carport, garage, boundary wall/fence, retaining wall, pergola, veranda, or external fixture associated with an existing grouped dwelling that does not satisfy the LPS3, deemed-to-comply provisions of the R-Codes, the City’s Residential Development Local Planning Policy, Development in Housing Opportunity Areas Local Planning Policy, or a requirement of an applicable structure plan or other local planning policy; or
  • is located in a bushfire prone area.
• Multiple dwellings (apartments) and any associated development requires approval.

Commercial development

A development (planning) application is required for most types of commercial development including:

• Construction of and additions to non-residential buildings.
• Home Business
• Short-term Accommodation, including bed and breakfast, holiday house and other holiday accommodation.
• External signage where it does not meet the requirements of the City’s Advertisements Local Planning Policy.
• Alfresco activities in public land where it does not meet the requirements of the City’s Alfresco Activities Local Planning Policy.
• Changing a land use of a commercial building or tenancy, except where:
  • the land use is Permitted (P) in the zone where the building or tenancy is located; or
  • the land uses listed in the table below is Discretionary (D) in a commercial, mixed use or centre zone, meets the corresponding conditions, and there are no externa building works proposed that otherwise requires development approval.