Suspected breaches of the Yarra Planning Scheme are investigated.

A breach can include:

• building works conducted without a planning permit, such as house extensions or demolitions
• building works that are inconsistent with the planning permit or endorsed plans
• illegal use of a property or changing the way the land is used without planning approval (if approval is required)

Examples that are not breaches of the planning scheme:

• Changes that do not require a planning permit
• Noise coming from a public space
• Public noise nuisance

If construction is underway at a property, or it been completed and you think the construction is different to the planning permit, you can lodge an investigation with the Yarra City Council’s enforcement team.

If there is a breach, we will work with the property owner to address it. However, if negotiations are not successful, the Planning and Environment Act 1987 allows for appropriate enforcement action to be taken.