Jellis Craig Boroondara Property Management Update

Local planning

Boroondara Council recently released information relating to the construction of new properties within the Municipality, and this has long been a topic of discussion and in some cases concern with our clients.

The Council advised that the vast majority of residential sites within Boroondara are not subject to such controls as heritage overlay, flooding, landscape or environmental overlays. Nor are they less than 500 square meters, therefore the Council is not involved in the planning approval process for a single dwelling.

The issuing of building permits was deregulated in 1994, so the majority of building permits for single dwellings are issued by private building surveyors who are not employed by the Council, and are not required to seek Council approval. In the 2015/2016 Financial year, there were 226 building approvals granted, only 1 of which was granted by the Council itself.

There is no longer a requirement to notify neighbours of any proposed demolition or construction and a building surveyor is not required to assess issues of building character, which is of concern to many of our clients as they have chosen the Boroondara area for the street appeal and character.

Residents do have the opportunity to make comments on this process by going to the Council website www.boroondara.vic.gov.au/your...