What you need to know
Please register as a user for the portal 48 hours prior to making a submission.
During advertising a person can make a submission about the proposal. This can be either an objection or support. You can object or support a planning application online.
Anyone can object to a planning permit application. We must consider all objections and submissions when we make our decision. Read more about responding to an advertised plan.
We assess your application and prepare a report.
After the advertising period finishes the Council officer will write an assessment report. The report will make a recommendation about Council’s decision.
The report outlines the following:
- description of the proposal
- the relevant policies and planning scheme requirements
- the assessment process and
- a response to objections and/or referral comments.
From March 2025, the Victorian State Government has approved Planning Scheme Amendment VC267 and introduced ‘deemed to comply’ standards which have altered notice and review requirements. For further information, please see Townhouse and Low-Rise Code.
View advertised plans
A planning objection is a formal submission that opposes a planning application.
Anyone who feels they will be detrimentally affected by an advertised planning application can submit an objection, provided that it’s received before we make a decision.
We also accept submissions in support of an application.
Lodge an objection or support
- Open our Advertised Statutory Planning Applications Register and search for the application.
- Select the application and click 'submit response'.
- Enter your reason for objecting/supporting. You may also use the objection/submission form (pdf, 153KB) which can be attached to your response.
- Provide your name, address and contact details and click 'submit'.
- You will receive a letter confirming that the objection/submission was received.
- The objection/submission form (pdf, 153KB) can also be emailed to council@mvcc.vic.gov.au.
You can lodge a petition but please be aware that it only counts as one objection and that only the first name on the petition will be lodged as an objector to the application.
*An objection/submission is a public document and copies may be made available to other parties including the applicant, Councillors and VCAT (Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal).
Lodge an objection or support
Request copy of closed planning file
Members of the public can request access to any endorsed documents as part of an approved planning permit application. Examples include:
- endorsed development and landscape plans
- endorsed construction and site management plans
- endorsed specialist reports such as arboricultural reports, traffic impact assessments, sustainability management plans etc.
Council officers will write to the applicant advising whether the document request has been approved. Requested documents will be supplied electronically by Council and will be delivered to the nominated email address.
Please note that an administration fee will be applicable in instances where access to documents is not readily available – Council will let you know if this is the case after your application has been received. See our statutory planning fees page for administration fees.
Please allow for up to 15 business days for your request to be processed.
Note: on 24 April 2020 the State Government introduced the COVID-19 Omnibus (Emergency Measures) Bill 2020 which are temporary measures in response to the Coronavirus pandemic. Planning documents previously required to be physically available to view at state or local government office are now only required to be available for online inspection. This includes copies of planning scheme amendments and submissions, and planning permit applications and objections. If you require any assistance with obtaining any digital copies of planning permit applications and objections, please contact us at council@mvcc.vic.gov.au. For more information see the COVID-19 Omnibus (Emergency Measures) Bill 2020.