Council’s building staff can assist with advice and technical information in regard to construction, alteration, extension, demolition or change of use for all types of buildings within the Council area in accordance with the Building Act 1993 and Regulations 2018.
Building permits can be obtained through a registered private building surveyor. To see if your works require a permit, please visit the Works Requiring a Permit page below.
Council will assess applications for proposed relaxation of building controls; such as reduced setbacks for new buildings or other dispensations. It will also approve temporary structures and work with event organisers to ensure they are compliant. More information on these matters can be found on the Special Approval page below.
If you have a complaint about building works in your area these can be reported to the Council for investigation by calling our Customer Service Team on (03) 5355 0200 during normal business hours or by emailing [email protected].
To find a private certifier you can visit the Victorian Building Authority website to search for a Building Surveyor.
We also recommend you talk to your building designer about their experiences with local service providers, or get referrals from friends/colleagues who have recently undertaken a project.
Your private certifier may also ask you to provide information on the building history of your site. Searches of this kind can be requested with the following form (see Property Inquiry Application Form Regulation 51 below) – be sure to check what information they need.
Building your own place can be a source of immense pleasure and potential frustration. For those wanting to take on the challenge you need to be aware that you have a number of obligations under the Building Act with which you must comply.
Owner-builders need to understand not only the technical aspects of building, but also the administrative, legal, Occupational Health & Safety (OH&S) and taxation requirements associated with building construction.
In Victoria, an owner-builder can only build or renovate one house every five years and must intend to live in the house once completed.
If the value of the domestic building work to be undertaken is more than $16,000 you must have a certificate of consent from the Victorian Building Authority to be an owner-builder.
Find out more information about becoming an Owner Builder on the Victorian Building Authority's website.
The Municipal Building Surveyor issues building permits and administers the building regulations under the Building Act. A building surveyor can be a privately registered person who is not otherwise employed by Council.
The Building Surveyor’s role is to:
- Issue Occupancy Permits for Places of Public Entertainment including temporary structure permits
- Provide information about previous building works at your property.
- Advise property owners about community safety issues such as swimming pools and smoke detectors.
- Respond to community complaints about building projects and illegal and dangerous building structures
The Building Regulatory Framework is managed by the Victorian Building Authority.
Please visit the Victorian Building Authority website for more information on Occupancy permits for Places of Public Entertainment, Swimming pool safety and Essential Safety Measures