Understand the Planning Permit Process

When preparing your application, it is best to seek planning advice early in the process to avoid delays in the approval process.

You -the applicant- might speak to or meet with a planner to help prepare effectively.

Planning Advice

Finalise and submit your application, making sure to include all required information to avoid delays.

An initial check of the planning application will be undertaken when it is submitted to Council which usually takes between 1-7 days. This check is to ensure that the application documents meet the minimum requirements needed before the application is lodged and allocated to a planning officer.

If the minimum requirements have not been met a letter will be sent to you detailing that your application is insufficient and will outline all outstanding requirements needed so that your application can be lodged.

Latrobe City Council offers a range of pre-planning resources and services to assist with planning advice enquiries for more information click the links below:

• Planning Support at Latrobe
• Planning application checklists
• Example Plans

The planning officer will undertake an initial assessment of the application and determine if your application needs to be referred to external authorities and/or internal departments.

Initial assessment and referrals usually take 7 to 28 days to complete. For applications that need referrals, the process may take up to four weeks to coordinate responses from internal and external departments.

The planning officer may request further information from you based on the completeness of 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 days to respond. If the requested information is not submitted within the provided time frame, the application will lapse.

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

Respond to Request for Further Information

If your planning permit application involves use or development of land that affects other houses, units or businesses, your application may be advertised. The application may be notified by a:

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

View plans and supporting documents online or in one of our service centres or libraries.

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 (Step 1) to reduce likelihood of advertising and / or objection later on. If advertising is not required, you will skip to step 7.

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

After a Planning Permit has been decided

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

Read more about VCAT appeals

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.

Read more about complying with permit conditions