What is a permit?

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Town planning is a process of ensuring orderly development, be it residential, commercial, industrial or rural development. The planning permit process aims to protect and grow elements of our physical environment eg. productive agricultural land, amenity values such as heritage qualities and public infrastructure.

At a local level planning is concerned with the use and development of land. Some regulation of land uses is essential to avoid conflicts that can occur if everyone did as they pleased.

The planning scheme is the means of a communitys expectations being considered through a public process. The permit application process is described in the Planning and Environment Act 1987.

A planning permit application is required to contain a specific set of minimum information, for example:

• a completed application form
• the application fee
• a current copy of title (and any registered covenants or Sec. 173 agreements)
• details such as plans and any reports that may assist Council, and where appropriate the community, to understand the proposal.

The planning scheme may also require specific information be provided to address certain elements of the planning schemes requirements.

Once a planning permit has been issued, it forms a legal document. This document is linked to the title of a piece of land and allows for the described use and or development. A permit is normally subject to a set of conditions and also needs to be read in conjunction with any endorsed plans and or documents. Also, any building permit issued must be consistent with the detail of a planning permit.

Only Council can amend a planning permit and or endorsed plans, please contact Statutory Planning about this process.