Residential Drafting and Building Design in Victoria

Victoria has two separate approvals, and many homes need both.

• Planning permit. Required when your council's planning scheme says so, which depends on the zone, any overlays and the type of project. Your council is the responsible authority.
• Building permit. Needed for most building work. It is issued by a registered building surveyor, either private or at your council. A building permit cannot be issued until any planning permit you need is in place.

A planning permit does not replace a building permit. We check both early, starting with the zone and overlays on your title and planning property report.

A single house on a larger lot often needs only a building permit, unless an overlay such as heritage, flooding or bushfire applies. From September 2025, single dwellings and small second dwellings on lots under 300 m² in residential zones are assessed against updated Clause 54 standards, where meeting the standards means the design is deemed to comply. For a knock-down rebuild, demolition is part of the building permit, and larger demolitions are referred to council for its report and consent. Heritage controls can limit what may be removed.

Since December 2023, a small second dwelling of up to 60 m² can be built without a planning permit on most residential lots of 300 m² or more, as long as it is not in a flood or bushfire affected area. A building permit is still required, and the siting, design and amenity standards still apply. Councils also note that a small second dwelling cannot be subdivided or sold separately and must not connect to mains gas. Rural zones have different rules.

Two or more dwellings on a lot need a planning permit. From March 2025 these projects are assessed under the Townhouse and Low-Rise Code in Clause 55, which brought in a deemed to comply pathway: when a design meets a standard, the matching objective is met. That rewards a well-planned design, so we draft to the standards wherever the site allows.

Victoria adopted the NCC 2022 energy rules on 1 May 2024. New homes need at least 7 stars under NatHERS for the building shell, plus a whole-of-home energy budget for fixed appliances. New homes that need a planning permit must also be all-electric, a rule in place since January 2024. We coordinate the energy assessor so the drawings and the rating match.

We prepare concept plans, town planning drawings and building permit sets for houses, small second dwellings, dual occupancies and townhouses. We work Australia-wide with our own team in every state, and we can coordinate the whole project: surveyor, engineers, energy assessor, building surveyor and the hand-over to your builder. With 10+ years combined experience and 100+ residential projects, we know how to prepare a clear application.

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