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There are a number of different factors that determine whether or not you need a planning permit. These include, but are not limited to:

• the types of works you want to do (renovations/a new house/two or more houses/a new cafe)
• where the property is located (what zone it's in)
• how big the property is
• whether the property is in an area that may possibly flood (is it in a land subject to inundation overlay?)
• whether your property is adjacent to a major road
• whether your property is in an area where heritage controls apply
• if you're wanting to run a business from home
• if you want to subdivide land.

If you want information confirmed in writing, you can apply for written advice.

When turning your ideas into reality consider the following:

• Download a Planning Property Report to identify the planning requirements including the zone and any overlays
• Look at the Ballarat Planning Scheme to confirm if you need a planning permit
• Determine if your proposal is eligible for a fast-track process through VicSmart
• View our checklists to confirm the information you might need to provide with an application
• Check the Bushire Prone Areas map and understand the implications of building in bushfire prone areas.
• Prepare initial plans for your proposal 
• Discuss plans with your neighbours
• Consider getting advice from a professional planning consultant. Note – Council cannot recommend a professional planning consultant.
• request a pre-application meeting with one of our planners
• Call 5320 5640 if you have any questions

When preparing to lodge your application:

• Order a copy of your Title from Landata
• Get your plans drawn up by a professional architect or draftsperson
• Create electronic versions of your paperwork as we prefer electronic lodgement

The purpose of a planning permit pre-application meeting is to discuss complex applications with planning officers before you submit your application.

Typically, pre-application meetings are reserved for larger-scale more complex applications. If you query relates to a smaller scale matter written advice, in the form of an email or letter response, can be issued. 

For more information on the pre-application process, please see our Pre-Applications Page for details.

Request written advice when you need to clarify whether a planning permit is required for your project.

Before applying, you'll need to ensure you have the following information:

• an electronic version of your plans
• a copy of your title including any relevant covenants and agreements
• the cost is outlined in our fee schedule.

Apply for written advice

To get copies of existing planning permits or endorsed plans, you'll need to apply. Before applying, you will need to have the following information:

• property address
• planning permit reference number

Request copy of planning permit

The cost of an application depends on what you're planning. The factors that influence your fee include:

• the type of permit (planning, subdivision, covenant removal)
• the cost of the development
• in some cases, the type of property (single dwelling or multi-dwelling)

A full list of planning related fees can be found in our fee schedule.

Do you have everything you need to apply for your Planning Permit? Make sure you have everything together by using one of our forms or checklists.

Planning application forms

Application for Planning Permit
Application for a VicSmart Planning Permit
Application to Amend a Planning Permit
Application for Amendment by Secondary Consent
Amendment to Planning Application
Extension of Time Request
Request To Endorse Plans Pursuant To Conditions Of Permit

Subdivision forms

Public Open Space Form
Bond and Fees Form
Discharging condition for 173 Agreement

Other forms

Application for Certificate of Compliance
Copy of Planning Permit and or Endorsed Documents

General planning permit application checklists

Checklist - Existing Use Rights
Checklist 1 - Construction and/or Extension of a Single Dwelling or Multi Dwellings on a Lot
Checklist 2 - Industrial
Checklist 3 - Business
Checklist 4 - Advertising Signage
Checklist 5 - Waiver of Car Parking
Checklist 6 - Subdivision
Checklist 7 - Applications for Works to Buildings in Heritage Areas
Checklist 8 - Applications for Demolition of a Building in a Heritage Area
Checklist 9 - Construction of a Water Tank
Checklist 10 - Vehicle Crossover in a Heritage Area
Checklist 11 - Solar Panels in a Heritage Area
Checklist 12 - Buildings & Works
Checklist 13 - Use of Land
Checklist 14 - Liquor Licence
Checklist 15 - Bushfire Management Overlay
Bushfire planning information
Checklist 16 - Applications within the Dowling Forest Precinct
Checklist 17 - Rural Subdivision
Checklist 18 - Rural Dwelling
Checklist 19 - Native Vegetation Removal

VicSmart permit application checklists

Checklist 1 - Realign a boundary between two lots
Checklist 2 - Subdivide land into lots each containing an existing building or car parking space
Checklist 3 - Subdivide land with an approved development into two lots
Checklist 4 - Construct a front fence in a residential zone
Checklist 5 - Construct a building or works in a Commercial, Industrial Zone or Mixed Use Zone
Checklist 6 - Construct a fence in an overlay
Checklist 7 - Remove, destroy or lop one tree
Checklist 8 - Minor subdivision, minor buildings and works, painting or tree lopping in a Heritage Overlay
Checklist 9 - Display a sign in a Commercial or Industrial Zone
Checklist 10 - Reduce a car parking requirement
Checklist 11 - Reduce or waive loading & unloading requirements
 

More Information

Please see our Pre-Applications Page for details. 

Reference documents under the Ballarat Planning Scheme

• 7 Cuthberts Road Alfredton Development Plan with special conditions
• Activity Centres Strategy 2012 part 1
• Activity Centres Strategy 2012 part 2
• Advertising Sign Guidelines 2013
• Alfredton West Precinct Structure Plan - Part 1
• Alfredton West Precinct Structure Plan - Part 2
• Amendment to Insignia Ballarat Development Plan
• Avenue Hill Residential Subdivision Cardigan Environmental Management Plan Part 1
• Avenue Hill Residential Subdivision Cardigan Environmental Management Plan Part 2
• Avenue Hill Residential Subdivision Cardigan Environmental Management Plan Part 3
• Ballarat West Employment Zone Development Plan
• Ballarat West Employment Zone Urban Design and Landscape Guidelines
• Ballarat West Employment Zone Master Plan 2012 - Part A
• Ballarat West Employment Zone Master Plan 2012 - Part B
• Ballarat West Growth Area Plan 2009
• Ballarat West Precinct Structure Plan part 1
• Ballarat West Precinct Structure Plan part 2
• Ballarat West Precinct Structure Plan part 3
• Ballarat West Precinct Structure Plan part 4
• Ballarat West Precinct Structure Plan part 5
• Canadian Valley Outline Development Plan 2005
• Car Parking Strategy 2007
• Dowling Forest Precinct Master Plan 2011
• Dowling Forest Precinct Master Plan 2011 (implementation)
• FedUni Technology Park Stage 2 Development Plan
• Former Ballarat Orphanage Development Plan Part 1
• Former Ballarat Orphanage Development Plan Part 2
• Former Ballarat Orphanage Development Plan Part 3
• Gaming Policy Framework 2011
• Health Precinct Study 2006
• Heritage Assessments Sebastopol 2013 (updated 2016)
• Heritage Precinct Study Part A 2006 - Part 1
• Heritage Precinct Study Part A 2006 - Part 2
• Heritage Precinct Study Part A 2006 - Part 3
• Heritage Study Stage 2 2003
• Koala Plan of Management 2006 - Part 1
• Koala Plan of Management 2006 - Part 2
• Lot 1, Learmonth Street Alfredton Development Plan
• Making Ballarat Central - The CBD Strategy 2011
• Miners Rest Township Plan
• Open Space Strategy 2008 - Volume 1
• Open Space Strategy 2008 - Volume 2
• Outline Development Plan for Buninyong Township 1993
• Rural Land Use Strategy 2010
• Stone Park Estate Delacombe Proposed Estate Plan
• Today, Tomorrow, Together - The Ballarat Strategy 2015
• Urban Character Study 1999
• Woodmans Hill Precinct Master Plan 2015

Local Incorporated Documents under the Ballarat Planning Scheme

View Local Incorporated Documents on Planning Victoria website.

Other planning documents

• Ballarat Entrances Strategy
• Landscape Design Manual
• Living with Koalas

There are a range of factors that determine how much you have to pay for a Planning Permit.

Calculating your fee

The cost of your application depends on what you’re doing. The key factors that influence your fee include:

• The type of permit (use, development, use and development, subdivision)
• The estimated cost of any development
• The type of proposal and/or property (VicSmart, single dwelling on a lot, multiple dwellings on a lot)

For a full list of Statutory Planning fees, view our fee schedule.

Request written advice when you need to clarify whether a planning permit is required for your project.

Before applying, you'll need to ensure you have the following information:

• An electronic version of your plans
• Copy of your title including any relevant covenants and agreements

Apply for written advice

To get copies of existing planning permits or endorsed plans, you'll need to apply. Before applying, you will need to have the following information:

• Property address
• Planning permit reference number

Please note: Copies are made available for the purposes of the Planning and Environment Act 1987 only. The information provided must not be used for any other purpose. By taking a copy of a document you acknowledge and agree that you will only use the document for the purpose specified above and that any dissemination, distribution or copying of a document is strictly prohibited.

Request copy of planning permit

Do you need to progress your building permit application but your registered building surveyor first needs report and consent for demolition under Section 29A of the Building Act? You will need to apply for a 29A Report and Consent for Demolition.

When a Section 29A request is received, we’ll determine whether a planning permit is required for the demolition, and if so, if a planning permit has been issued. If a planning permit has been issued for the demolition or no planning permit is required to demolish, we’ll issue consent.

A Section 29A consent request will be refused if a planning permit is required for demolition and no planning permit has been issued for the proposed demolition, or if the demolition proposed under the request differs from that extent of demolition approved in the planning permit.

The City of Ballarat can't issue Section 29A consents:

• where City of Ballarat is not the responsible authority for the land
• where a planning permit has been issued by the Minister for Planning
• for permits issued for properties on the Victorian Heritage Register under the Heritage Act 1995.

Before proceeding, make sure you have the following information:

• Planning and Building Permit application reference numbers
• A full and current (no older than 30 days) copy of your Certificate of Title including the Plan of Subdivision and correct ownership details. 
• A digital copy of your plans and any supporting documents
• Credit card details for payment of the application fee. 
• The cost is outlined in our fee schedule

Apply for Report and Consent for Demolition

Whether you have an existing plantation or are thinking of establishing a new plantation, you need to be aware of your responsibilities.

Native timber harvesting in Victoria’s state forests will end by 1 January 2024. If you’re considering establishing a new plantation, or harvesting an existing plantation, here’s what you need to know. 

In the Ballarat Planning Scheme, ‘Timber Production’ is a defined land use, and requires compliance with Clause 53.11 (Timber Production) of the Ballarat Planning Scheme. 

Clause 53.11-2 requires compliance with the ‘Code of Practice for Timber Production 2014 (as amended 2022)’, known as ‘the Code’. Some zones require planning permits in addition to compliance with the Code. The Code regulates timber harvesting in State forests, private native forests and plantations. It outlines environmental standards for planning and conducting commercial timber harvesting. 

Important values like biodiversity, recreation and cultural heritage are protected under the Code. Before establishing a plantation on private land, you must submit either a ‘Plantation Development Notice’ or a planning permit application to the City of Ballarat in accordance with section 4.1 of the Code. 

Before harvesting a plantation on private land, you must submit a ‘Timber Harvesting Plan’ to the City of Ballarat in accordance with section 4.5 of the Code. 

Blue gums are a popular plantation wood, and a favourite food and habitat for koalas. If you are considering establishing or harvesting a blue gum plantation, then koalas will likely be present and you are required to assess if they are present. For blue gum plantations, the Conservation Regulator requires owners and managers of blue gum plantations to hold an authorisation to disturb Koalas during plantation management operations, which would come in the form of a Koala Management Plan. 

Templates for both ‘Plantation Development Notice’, and ‘Timber Harvesting Plan’ is available in DELWP’s ‘Management Guidelines for private native forests and plantations’. 

A Koala Management Plan template and further information is available in the State Governments ‘Minimising impacts to Koalas in blue gum plantations – Regulatory Guide’. 

For more information, please contact the City of Ballarat on 5320 5500.

Before preparing an application, ensure you have all the documentation required.

We offer pre-application meetings, written advice, policies and strategies and checklists to ensure that you are better prepared before you lodge your application.

Lodge your application

• Lodge your application online, pay the application fee and we will shortly confirm the contact details of the planner working with you on your application

We will review your application and provide feedback

Through an initial assessment of your application we may:

• request further information
• refer your application to another authority
• suggest making changes to your application
• indicate we don't support your application in its current form

We may advertise your application

If required, we’ll advertise your application for at least 14 days. This can include:

• sending a letter to your neighbours
• placing a sign at the front of your property
• advertising your planning application online
• receiving objections to your application
• scheduling and attending a mediation meeting with objectors

We will make a decision about your application

We will make our decision based on:

• considering all submissions that we receive through advertising
• considering any referral comments from other authorities and departments of Council
• assessing planning scheme provisions
• preparing a report 

Depending on the type of application, a planning decision may be made:

• by a planning officer
• at a Planning Special Committee
• at an Ordinary Council Meeting

Our decision may be one of the following:

• approval of a planning permit or an amended permit
• notice of decision to grant or amend a planning permit
• notice of decision to refuse to grant a permit or an amendment to a permit

We will give a copy of the decision to the person who has applied for the planning permit and anyone who has provided a submission either supporting or objecting to the proposal.

We aim to process applications as quickly as possible. We aim to make a decision within 60 days of receiving your application. If we require further information, the 60 days starts from the date we receive that information. The more steps your application needs to go through, the longer the assessment will take.

When does a permit begin?

A permit operates from:

• the date it was issued
• the date of VCAT’s decision if no date is specified and the permit was issued at the direction of VCAT (in this case it will need to be backdated to the Tribunal decision date); or
• the date on which it was issued (where no date is specified).

A permit can expire in three ways:

• if the permit is not acted upon; or
• if the use is discontinued as set out in section 68 of the Act; or
• if a permit condition provides that a use may only be conducted until a certain time or that works must be removed after a certain time.

You can also change your approved planning permit, including extending the expiry date. 

VCAT may review your application

VCAT will only review your application if:

• the permit applicant appeals against conditions or refusal
• an objector appeals against a notice of decision to grant or amend a planning permit

Complying with conditions

After we’ve approved your planning permit, sometimes you need to submit further documentation to comply with your permit conditions.

After you submit your documents, we:

• assess your documents
• may seek views from other specialists
• advise you of our decision

After we approve your planning permit, you may need to apply for more permits such as:

• Building Permits
• Asset Protection Permits
• Vehicle Crossing Permits
• Food Business Permits
• Public Health and Wellbeing Permits
• Footpath Trading Permits

This is not an exhaustive list, so make sure that you check with Council and other regulatory services that you have all your approvals in place before you start.

For any queries regarding the process:

• Email: planninginfo@ballarat.vic.gov.au
• Phone: 53205500

The planning permit process can be complicated. The Ballarat planning scheme sets out the controls that govern all land within the Ballarat municipality. This includes the zoning of land as well as any applicable overlays. These controls establish a framework to guide the development of a site together with relevant state and local planning policies. 

The videos below provide an overview of the key aspects of the planning process. These processes may vary depending upon the nature and complexity of a particular case.

To start the application process, we recommend seeking preliminary advice from a planning professional or from the City of Ballarat’s Statutory Planning team. 

City of Ballarat Planners can confirm if a permit is required in response to your request for advice. A request for written advice or a pre-application meeting may be necessary. 

If you are ready to get started:

Submit a application for written advice on planning permit requirements

Submit a request for a pre-application meeting

To start, you must provide the following key documents relevant to your proposal:

1. ***Lodge a planning permit application***
   This instruction had said to 'provide a completed planning permit application' - would lodge a planning permit app sit here or earlier?
    
2. Current copy of the title for the land. Including copies of any covenants and agreements. This should be no older than 30 days. View more property and land titles information at land.vic.gov.au
3. Scaled and dimensioned drawings/plans. This should clearly document your proposed development, including a site plan, demolition plans, floor plans and elevations, as a minimum.
4. A written response to the relevant provisions of the Ballarat planning scheme.
5. The prescribed fee. Summary of planning and subdivision fees

Any relevant supporting technical documents, including but not limited to:

• a Heritage Impact Statement (HIS)
• a Cultural Heritage Management Plan (CHMP)
• Environmentally Sustainable Design (ESD) Statement, including a Built Environment Sustainable Scorecard (BESS) assessment
• Traffic Impact Assessment (TIA)
• Flood Impact Assessment
• Drainage/Stormwater Assessment
• Preliminary Site Investigation (PSI)
• Arboricultural Report
• Biodiversity Impact Assessment
• Noise Impact Assessment
• Written Consent of the Public Land Manager

Please note: Section 47 of the Planning and Environment Act 1987 states that where a permit is required to use or develop land, an application must be made to the Responsible Authority in accordance with the Planning and Environment Regulations 2015 (refer Regulation 13). Section 47 states an application must include (inter alia) advice regarding the estimated cost of the development (provision exists on the application form to input this amount) together with the prescribed fee and the information required by the Ballarat planning scheme. The documentation required by the Ballarat planning scheme is dependent upon the nature of the proposal.

View the City of Ballarat Summary of planning and subdivision fees

Planning fees are dependent upon the application type and nature of the proposal. Fees are updated on 1 July each year by the State government. The City of Ballarat is able to set its own fees in relation to certain application types.

Following the assessment process, the City of Ballarat will issue either:

• A planning permit, subject to conditions
• A Notice of Decision to Grant a Permit, subject to conditions
• A refusal to Grant a Planning Permit.

Where the permit applicant or a registered third party does not agree with the City of Ballarat’s decision, an ‘Application for Review’ may be lodged with VCAT, the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal. Visit vcat.vic.gov.au to learn more.

In accordance with the Planning and Environment Act 1987, a decision should be issued within 60 days of the receipt of an application.

Provisions exist to ‘stop the clock’ where further information is required and this can often delay the process:

• Delays may also be experienced waiting for referral comments
• Organising mediation meetings
• Negotiating improved outcomes.
• The complexity of a case may also cause delays, particularly if the resolution of certain issues requires the input of a variety of stakeholders, including other government agencies.

A fast-track planning approvals process also exists. This is known as the ‘VicSmart’ approval pathway and is reserved for smaller cases satisfying particular qualifying criteria. 

To apply you must submit:

1. A completed: Application for a VicSmart Planning Permit

Standard timeframe for these applications are within 10 business days. Provisions exist to ‘stop the clock’ where further information is required and this can often delay the process

Further information regarding VicSmart applications can be found in the relevant zone and overlay(s) that apply to a site and Clauses 59 and 71.06 of the Ballarat planning scheme.

All planning permits include conditions. Often these conditions require the submission of documents for further approval. Once submitted, these documents will be assessed and if in accordance with relevant conditions will then be endorsed to form part of the permit.

Sometimes documents need to be referred to other City of Ballarat departments and government agencies for further consideration. This can sometimes delay the approval process.

Documents submitted in accordance with planning permit conditions:

• Email: Statutory Planning Team, planninginfo@ballarat.vic.gov.au

To prevent delays, please clearly reference the planning permit number and the condition(s) in accordance with which the documents are being submitted in the subject line of your email.

Documents submitted in accordance with engineering conditions:

• Email: Development Engineering Team, engineering@ballarat.vic.gov.au

When these documents have been endorsed and the City of Ballarat Planning Permit Application Process is complete, it is good to consider what other permits may be required. These might include:

• Building Permits
• Asset Protection Permits
• Vehicle Crossing/Driveway Permits
• Application to Register a Food Premises
• Application to Register a Health Premises 
  (Accommodation and Beauty premises)
• Outdoor Trading Permits

For any queries regarding this process:

• Email: planninginfo@ballarat.vic.gov.au
• Phone: 53205500

View Advertised Planning Permit Applications.

Application consultation

Where it is considered that a proposed development may cause third parties material detriment, notice of an application is sent to adjoining properties and any other parties which Statutory Planning consider may be materially affected. This is typically by way of letters to neighbours, sign(s) on-site and, where necessary to reach a broader audience, notice in local newspapers.   

Applications are publicly advertised in order to better understand local views and conditions. During the public advertising period, application documents are available to view either online or in person at The Phoenix, 25 Armstrong Street South, Ballarat Central.

Whilst notice of an application is typically sent to adjoining properties and also by way of a sign(s) placed on site, in accordance with new assessment pathways introduced by the Victorian State government following the release of its 2023 Housing Statement, in certain cases third parties no longer benefit from the right to appeal decisions to the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT). Please speak with the assessing Officer to understand if third-party appeal rights exist in any case of interest to you.

Please note, application documents are only available for the purpose of considering a development proposal in accordance with the Planning and Environment Act 1987. Documents must not be used for any purpose which may breach copyright laws.

A submission may be an expression of support or objection.

Some applications are exempt from the notice requirements and review rights of the Planning and Environment Act 1987. These applications will not be advertised.

If you wish to make a submission in response to an advertised application: 

1. Go to eServices Advertised Planning Permit Applications;
2. Search and select the planning application you wish to respond to;
3. Review documentation, select the 'Submit Response' button at the bottom of the page;
4. Complete the application response, including uploading supporting attachments

Submission requirements

A submission must include your name and contact details (email address, postal address and/or telephone number). Without contact details we are unable to acknowledge your submission or provide you with future correspondence regarding the status of the application.

An objection must set out your reasons for opposing the development and how you might be affected. The most effective objections are those which include suggested alternatives. 

Submission considerations

Petitions are considered one submission only and all correspondence will be addressed to the lead signatory. Please be aware that as lead signatory, responsibility for advising other signatories of the progress of an application (including consultation meetings and Council meetings) rests with you.

The City of Ballarat can only consider representations based on planning grounds (property devaluation and commercial competition are not valid grounds upon which to base an objection).

All submissions will be made available to the permit applicant at the conclusion of the advertising period. Personal and identifying information will however be redacted in accordance with privacy legislation.

Submissions are accepted up until a decision is made. 

The post-objection consultation process provides both the permit applicant and submitters with an opportunity to better understand each other’s views.

Consultation meetings are solutions-focussed and are not a forum for parties to re-state their cases. The key issues generated by an application will be known by all parties prior to any meeting. Parties should attend with an open mind and willingness to negotiate.

Where objections have been received in response to an application, the assessing officer will first ask the applicant if they are willing to attend a meeting. To determine this the permit applicant should consider the value of any such meeting, including:

1. The content of the objections received;
2. The number of objections received; and
3. The potential outcomes of any meeting. Based on the content and number of objections received, is it likely that solutions can be found?

Post-objection consultation meetings are not a legislated element of the planning assessment process. Meetings are in addition to application notice requirements as set out in Section 52 of the Planning and Environment Act 1987 and rely upon the willingness of parties to engage in discussions.

The City of Ballarat’s consultation process is based upon the principles of procedural fairness. These principles reflect what Statutory Planning want all parties to experience when engaging in the planning process. These principles are: 

1. Transparent – The process is transparent and inclusive so that all parties have the relevant information to fairly articulate their opinions.
2. Voice – All parties have opportunities for genuine interaction and to raise concerns.
3. Fairness – Objectors experience a process that is fair, balanced, consistent, and provides reasonable opportunities for genuine engagement and consideration.
4. Education – Objectors and applicants should feel educated and informed throughout the process as to why outcomes were reached.

To view previously issued planning permits, search the Town Planning Public Register. Search by address or permit number.

Please note: Only redacted copies of permits and plans can be provided in accordance with Section 2.1 of the Privacy and Data Protection Act 2014. As such, documents accessible to third parties will not include the personal information of the permit applicant or parties associated with the preparation of documents.