What is the Purpose of Town Planning
A Town Planning review is not required for all projects. Only some developments will trigger planning involvement, depending on the property’s zoning, overlays, or council- specific precinct controls.
The need for town planning will generally be determined either by the certifier - following their preliminary review, or by Realex Design early in the design process if notable zoning or overlay conditions are identified through council property searches.
Where required, town planning input ensures your project complies with your local Planning Scheme under the applicable Planning Acts, and identifies when a Development Application (DA) or council submission is needed to approve the design or construction outside of standard council provisions.
When Town Planning May Be Required
A Town Planner may need to be involved in your project if any of the following apply:
- The property is affected by a heritage overlay or character zoning, such as "Traditional Building Character" or "Neighbourhood Character" areas.
- The site sits within a special precinct, bushfire, flood, or environmental overlay.
- The proposed design varies from standard setbacks, building heights, site coverage, or private open space requirements.
- The development involves dual occupancy, secondary dwellings, or small lot housing under specific local controls.
- You intend to demolish or significantly alter a structure within a heritage or character area.
- Council requires a Material Change of Use (MCU) or Development Application (DA) to consider the proposal outside standard code requirements.
- The project proposes a subdivision of the lot
Engaging a town planner early can help identify whether these conditions apply and, if so, what pathway - code assessable, impact assessable, or exempt - is most appropriate.
How the Process Works
If planning involvement is required, your Town Planner will typically:
- Review the relevant zoning, overlays, and local planning codes.
- Prepare a Planning Report or Development Application for council submission.
- Liaise with council during assessment, providing justification and design rationale.
- Coordinate with your designer and certifier to ensure the planning outcome aligns with building compliance requirements or specific council requests to support the application.
This process is typically completed before engineering and energy reporting and is conducted following a preliminary assessment from a certifier.
Guidance from Realex Design
At Realex Design, we work closely with qualified town planners and certifiers to identify when planning input or council approval is required for your project.
We’ll review your property zoning, overlays, and design proposal early to flag potential planning triggers and, if necessary, can coordinate the town planning submission on your behalf. Following council and town planner feedback, we can implement their requirements into your documentation to proceed with building approval.
Our goal is to keep your project aligned with council requirements and requests and moving smoothly through the approval process without unnecessary surprises or setbacks.