Do you actually need a planning permit? A Victorian guide

The single most common misconception we hear is that a backyard home under a certain size is automatically permit-exempt. In Victoria, that's only true in narrow circumstances — and overlays change the answer entirely.

Heritage overlays, vegetation protection overlays, and significant landscape overlays can all trigger a planning permit requirement regardless of dwelling size. A building permit is separate again, and required in effectively all cases.

Our site assessment includes a full overlay check against the relevant planning scheme before we quote — because the approval pathway changes both the cost and the program.