Assessing planning permit applications

Understand what Council considers when making a decision on a planning permit application.

Decisions on planning permit applications

Council considers many things before approving, approving subject to conditions requiring further amendments or refusing your planning permit application.

When submitting your application, consider:

  • Is the proposal consistent with the purpose of the zone where the land is?
  • Does your proposal or development maintain or enhance the character of the neighbourhood? This is especially important if the site is within a Heritage Overlay.
  • Are the amenity impacts to adjoining and nearby properties acceptable? This means that the changes you plan to will not unreasonably impact neighbouring properties.

Amenity impacts could include:

  • daylight into existing habitable room windows
  • overshadowing to neighbour's backyard
  • overlooking and privacy impacts
  • traffic and car parking.

We will help you talk to anyone who has concerns with your application. This could help you resolve the concerns during the approval process.

Two ways for approval

There are two different ways that you can get approval, and this depends on how complicated the application is and the number of objections received.

Approval by delegation

Approval by delegation means a Council planning officer can approve or refuse the application. They make the decision to approve or refuse the permit.

Approval by the Planning Committee

If a Council officer is not able to approve, this will get passed to the Council's Planning committee. They will decide whether to approve or refuse the permits

Planning Committee meetings are usually at St Kilda Town Hall on the fourth Thursday of every month at 6:30 pm (except for January). Please take a look at the Council Meetings Timetable for more information.

Council sends a letter to the person who is applying and anyone who wants to object. They send the letter 14 days before the meeting with the Planning Committee. The letter will have important information about what you need to speak at the meeting. Find out more about requesting to speak.

The relevant Council Planning Officer will be at the meeting to answer questions from the Committee.

Questions can be about:

  • planning controls
  • the application
  • the Council Officer’s report
  • the recommendation.

The Committee will vote to approve or refuse the application at the meeting, and this will be the final decision.

Help and support

If you have any questions or need help, please contact us:

Online: My Port Phillip online services
Phone: 03 9209 6424
In person: visit the Planning & Building Counter at St Kilda Town Hall during opening hours (8:30 am to 5 pm, Monday to Friday)

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