To determine whether you need a planning permit for your development, a good first step is to have a chat with one of Council's planning officers. To get in touch with a planning officer, email planning@murrindindi.vic.gov.au or phone 5772 0333.
If you do need a planning application for your development, we suggest booking in a phone or in-person pre-application meeting with a planning officer. While it's not compulsory to have a pre-application meeting, many people applying for a planning permit do find it a useful step in understanding their responsibilities and options, plus it helps our planning officers better get to know you and your plans.
VicSmart is a streamlined assessment process for straightforward planning permit applications. Classes of application are identified in the planning scheme as being VicSmart and have specified requirements for information, assessment processes and decision guidelines.
Key features of VicSmart include:
- A 10 day permit process
- Applications are not advertised
- Information to be submitted with an application and what council can consider is pre-set.
- The Chief Executive Officer of the Council or delegate decides the application
To find out important information about the application process go to https://www.planning.vic.gov.au/permits-and-applications/vicsmart.
To amend a planning permit, you must submit an Application to Amend a Planning Permit Murrindindi form(PDF, 576KB). (Help guide included)
Most planning permits are valid for two (2) years from the date of issue. If you require extra time on a planning permit to either complete works or enable you to meet the conditions required you can apply for an extension of time to your permit.
The request for the extension must be submitted in writing within the time frame specified in the expiry conditions on your planning permit.
Requests submitted after this time cannot be accepted and a new planning permit must be applied for.
To extend the length of time for a planning permit:
- Complete a request for extension to planning permit(DOCX, 168KB) or write a letter to Council quoting the permit reference number, reason/s you need extended time, the time required (i.e.1 or 2 years) and include information on any works you've undertaken so far.
- Submit the request with the appropriate payment. Click here(PDF, 213KB) to view the current fees for your request. If your request is not submitted with a fee, Council will send an invoice.
Once the request has been assessed by Council and the appropriate fee has been paid, you will receive a written response.
Notification:
If council believes your proposal may have an impact on other people there may be a requirement to notify the public of your proposal/application by one or more of the following methods:
- A notice sent to neighbours
- A notice placed on Council's website
- A notice placed on the property
- Advertising in the local paper.
We will advise you if your application is required to undertake public notification and in what form. Advertising normally applies for a period of 14 days and some fees may apply. Click here(PDF, 213KB) to view the current fees for this process.
Submissions:
In response to this notification, interested persons may lodge written objections or other submissions to the proposal. Objections must state how the objector believes they will be affected by the proposal.
All objections or submissions to the application will then become public documents, be made available for public viewing, and copies may be made for interested parties for the purposes of enabling consideration and review as part of the planning permit process.
In considering the application Council must take into account the concerns raised in the objections. Council may involve the applicant and the objectors in a mediation process to attempt to resolve concerns prior to determining the application.
A referral is when Council sends an application to another agency such as Goulburn Murray Water, VicRoads or the CFA for advice or direction to assist in the assessment of the application. In some cases the planning scheme states it to be a requirement that Council comply with the agency's response.
Applications will be decided on by either a delegated planning officer or by Council at a Council Meeting and a decision will depend on any objections received and the response from the referral authorities.
If applicants or objectors disagree with Council's decision, they can lodge an appeal with the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT).
If a permit is approved and the permit has not yet been issued:
- The applicant may appeal against any condition outlined in the permit within 60 days of it being issued.
- An objector may appeal against the permit within 21 days of it being issued.
If a permit is refused then the applicant may appeal to VCAT within 60 days of the permit refusal.
Appeals to VCAT must:
- be presented on a prescribed Notice of Appeal form - available from VCAT
- state the grounds upon which it is based
- be served on the responsible authority
- be given in writing to all other parties (i.e. an objector must give notice to the applicant and vice versa)
- have the applicable fee accompany the form
Additional information plus details of fees payable can be obtained from VCAT, Ph (03) 9628 9777, or visit www.vcat.vic.gov.au