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Decisions and appeals

Find out about planning permit decisions and VCAT appeals. Understand how we respond to objections and the role of the Planning Decisions Committee (PDC).

Who makes the decision?

Depending on the nature of the application, and the number of objections received, a decision is made by: 

  • A senior council planner under delegation The Development Approvals Panel (a committee of senior planning officers), or
  • The Planning Decisions Committee (formerly called the Internal Development Approvals Committee)

Appeal a planning decision

Before you start

  • Depending on the type of application, and the number of objections received, a decision is made by:
    • a senior council planner (under delegation), or
    • the Development Approvals Panel (a committee of senior planning officers), or
    • the Planning Decisions Committee (formerly called the Internal Development Approvals Committee)
       
  • The instrument of delegation requires, amongst other things, that an application for a planning permit is referred to the Planning Decisions Committee (PDC) when we receive 15 or more objections to the application from different properties
  • The Planning Decisions Committee (PDC) has the delegated authority to make a decision on all applications for planning permits that are referred to it. You can learn about what happens at a PDC meeting.
  • In all cases, we'll write a report to explain why we think a project should go ahead or not.

If we have approved or rejected a planning application and you’re not happy with our decision, you can appeal it. 

What you can expect

We can decide to approve a planning application if there are no objections.

If you’re unhappy about conditions on your planning permit, you can ask the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) to review it.

If we want to approve the application, but there are objections, we must issue a Notice of Decision to Grant a Permit (NOD). All submitters are sent a copy of the NOD notice and will have 28 days to lodge an application for review at VCAT. If no objectors lodge a review with VCAT during this time, council will grant the planning permit. Similarly, if the applicant is unhappy with any of the proposed permit conditions, they can apply to VCAT to have the conditions reviewed.

How can I appeal the Notice of Decision?

You have 28 days to appeal.

We can refuse a planning application, even if there are no objections. We’ll send a letter called ‘Refusal to Grant a Permit’ to the applicant and all objectors.