Apply

It is recommended that you seek the advice of a Planning Consultant to ensure you are fully informed and prepared. You can also contact Council for either informal or written advice once you have a clear proposal and related plans to help with the discussion. 

Before you submit your application, we recommend fully exploring the information available in the Planning sections of the website to ensure you have everything required for the application and assessment process.

Share your project and resolve challenges where you can prior to applying to Council.

If you prefer to submit a paper form, complete an Application for a Planning Permit(PDF, 295KB) and return it to any of our service centres or mail to Hindmarsh Shire Council, PO Box 250 Nhill VIC 3418.

You will need to include:

• Completed application form
• Cover Letter detailing the proposal
• Plans drawn to scale and fully dimensioned including:
  • Existing Site Plan
  • Proposed Site Plans
  • Proposed Elevation and Floor Plans
• Copy of Title and any restrictions (produced in the last 90 days)

You need to confirm with Council if your application qualifies for the Fast Track VicSmart application stream. If so, Council will direct your application through the VicSmart process. You must then complete an Application for a VicSmart Planning Permit(PDF, 405KB).

A complete Planning Permit application must include the property address, a detailed and clear proposal, property owner’s details, cost of the development and any required signed declarations.

How-to-complete-a-application-for-plannig-permit.pdf(PDF, 263KB) 

A current copy of the Certificate of Title (less than three months old), including the registered search statement, plan of subdivision and any restrictions that apply to the land, such as covenants or Section 173 agreements.

You can purchase a copy of your current Certificate of Title from www.landata.vic.gov.au.

One copy of the site, elevations and floor plans. Plans must be to scale (1:100 or 1:200).

Site plans

A site plan is a bird's-eye view which shows your existing and proposed development, and the set-back to boundaries and neighbouring properties/developments.

It must show all structures on the site and any other features, such as vegetation, car parks, driveways, and crossovers. The plans should distinguish clearly between the existing structures and features and those that are being proposed.

A short, written summary should be provided detailing the site coverage, floor area, number of parking spaces, the area proposed for landscaping and any other relevant details. 

Floor plans

A floor plan is a bird's-eye view of the existing and proposed structures in your development. It should show the layout of the building, the location and dimension of walls, windows and doors, and the use of each room and area within the building. 

Elevation plans

Elevation plans are side-on views of your proposed development. Elevations of all four sides (north, south, east, west) should accompany your application.

All plans should show/include:

• details of construction materials and colours (ie: Basalt Colourbond)
• the height and length of walls, including to the apex of the building from natural ground level
• the slab or footing details
• the dimensions of windows and their height above natural ground level

The planning officer will assess the application and determine if your application needs to be referred to external authorities and/or internal departments.

Assessment and referrals take 7 to 28 days to complete. For applications that require referrals, the process may take up to a further four weeks to coordinate responses from internal and external departments.

The planning officer may request further information from you based on the detail provided in your application. You can minimise your chance of receiving a request for further information by following any pre-application advice.

Once the planning officer issues a request for further information, applicants usually have 30-60 days to respond. If the requested information is not submitted within the prescribed time frame, the application will lapse.

The planning officer typically takes 7-14 days to assess the response to the further information request. For applications that need re-referrals, the process may take up to four weeks to coordinate responses from internal and external departments.

If your Planning Permit application involves use or development of land that affects other properties, your application may be advertised. The application may be notified by a:

• Mailout to surrounding owners and occupiers
• Notices on site
• Newspaper notes
• Combination of the above

Plans and supporting documents are advertised on Council’s website and hardcopies can be made available to view by appointment.
Other people in the community may lodge an objection to your planning application.

In some instances, your planning officer may encourage early public engagement at the pre-application stage to reduce likelihood objections. 

If objections are received, you may be asked to provide a response to the concerns raised by the objector or make changes to the proposal.

Your application is formally assessed and a decision is made. There are 3 types of decisions that can be made on a Planning Permit application, these are:

• Issue a Permit
• Issue a notice of decision to grant a Permit
• Refusal to grant a Permit

An applicant or objector can appeal a decision at the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT). 

Once a planning permit is issued, it is your responsibility to make sure that the land use or development is consistent with the permit conditions.

More information relating to permit conditions is available in the Post Assessment section for Planning.

Once you have lodged a complete application with Council, the assessment will follow the Statutory Planning process. The time it takes to assess will be dependent on the complexity of the proposal, the applicant’s response to any request Council makes for further information, and times may also be impacted if the application needs to be advertised to surrounding properties or referred to external authorities.

You can contact Council for guidance on the level of complexity and the expected timelines once your application has been formally lodged.

It is recommended in most instances that you seek the assistance of a professional Planning consultant, architect, or draftsperson for the application. Council has limited resources in the Planning team; however, the wesbite resources will help ensure you include all the necessary documentation prior to lodging.

Please be aware that Council officers cannot assess a Planning application prior to lodgement or provide guarantees of approval prior to formal assessment.

Planning Permit application fees are statutory fees made under the Planning and Environment (fees) regulations - these fees are not set by Council. The fee must be paid to Council, as the responsible authority, for consideration of a Planning Permit application. Payment of this fee does not guarantee you will be granted a Planning Permit.