Short answer: if your project in Geelong needs a planning permit, council will usually want accurate drawings of the land as it is today. A licensed land surveyor provides that base information, most often through a feature and level survey and, where boundaries matter, a re-establishment survey. Designers then use the survey to prepare the site plan, neighbourhood and site description and other drawings that go with your planning application. Getting the survey right at the start helps avoid requests for more information and delays later.
Whether you are extending a home in Belmont, building units in Lara or developing a block on the Bellarine, the planning process starts with understanding the site. This guide explains when a planning permit survey is needed, what it shows and how to get one organised.
Do I need a planning permit?
Not every project does. Whether you need a planning permit depends on the planning scheme that applies to your land, including its zone, any overlays and the type of work you are planning. In the Geelong region, the relevant council might be the City of Greater Geelong, Surf Coast Shire, the Borough of Queenscliffe or Golden Plains Shire, depending on where the property is.
Common triggers for a planning permit include building two or more dwellings on a lot, subdividing land, some single dwellings on smaller lots, and works affected by overlays such as heritage, flooding, bushfire or vegetation controls. You can check the zones and overlays for an address with a free planning property report from the Victorian Government’s VicPlan tool. Council’s planning department or a town planner can then confirm whether a permit is required for your project. Many granny flats (small second dwellings) don’t need a planning permit at all, although they always need a building permit. Our guide to granny flat surveys in Geelong explains when one is needed.
A planning permit is separate from a building permit. The planning permit deals with land use and development under the planning scheme, while a building permit is issued by a building surveyor and deals with construction under the building regulations. Many projects need both, and survey information helps with each.
What is a planning permit survey?
“Planning permit survey” is not a single legal term. It usually means the survey work needed to support a planning application. We offer this as part of our application surveys, and it typically includes one or more of the following.
Feature and level survey
A feature and level survey is the most common survey for planning. It records the site’s contours and spot levels, existing buildings, fences, trees, driveways, visible services, crossovers and street features. It can also pick up relevant details on neighbouring land, such as the position of adjoining buildings, habitable room windows, roof and eave heights and private open space. Designers rely on this information to show how a new building relates to its neighbours.
Re-establishment survey
Planning drawings show setbacks from boundaries, so it is important that the boundaries on the plan match the title. A re-establishment survey confirms where the title boundaries are on the ground. This matters most where a design is close to a boundary, where fences may not follow the title line, or where a neighbour is likely to look closely at the plans. Under the Surveying Act 2004 (Vic), only a licensed surveyor can define title boundaries.
Title and easement information
A survey plan can show easements, building envelopes and other title details that affect where you can build. Our article on easement surveys explains why easements are worth checking before design starts.
Why planning applications for houses and units need good site information
For residential projects, Victorian planning schemes include ResCode provisions. Clause 54 applies to a single dwelling on a lot where a permit is required, and Clause 55 applies to two or more dwellings on a lot and some residential buildings. Both require the application to include a neighbourhood and site description and a design response. In simple terms, council wants to understand the existing site and its surroundings, and how the design responds to them.
Matters such as overlooking, overshadowing, building height, site coverage, setbacks and walls on boundaries are all assessed against measurements. If the base survey is incomplete or inaccurate, the design assessment can be too. That can lead to council asking for more information, or to redesigns late in the process.
Subdivisions and boundary changes
Subdividing land usually needs a planning permit, and the plan of subdivision must be prepared by a licensed land surveyor. The early survey of the site feeds into the proposed layout that goes to council. Our subdivisions service covers the process from the first survey through certification and new titles, and our guide to two-lot subdivisions in Geelong walks through a typical example. Some simpler applications, such as certain boundary realignments, may qualify for the faster VicSmart process, as explained in our article on boundary realignment.
How the process works
- Talk to your designer or planner: confirm what council is likely to need, and whether neighbouring properties should be included in the survey.
- Request a quote: send us the address, what you are planning and any notes from your designer, planner or council.
- Title and plan research: we search the title and the relevant survey plans so we know how the boundaries were originally defined.
- Fieldwork: our surveyors measure the site and relevant neighbouring features with GNSS and total station equipment, and connect levels to the Australian Height Datum (AHD) where needed.
- Survey plan and data: we prepare the plan and digital files in a format your designer can work with, ready for the planning drawings.
Tips to keep your planning application moving
- Get the survey done before design starts, not after the plans are drawn.
- Ask your designer which neighbouring features need to be shown, such as windows facing your site.
- Check your planning property report early so overlays do not come as a surprise.
- Do not assume a fence marks the title boundary, especially if you are building close to it.
- Keep the survey files, as the same information is often useful for the building permit and set-out later.
We work across Geelong and the region, including Belmont, Lara, the Bellarine and the Surf Coast. If your project needs a planning permit, request a quote online or call us on 0412 722 261 and we can talk through the survey your application needs.
Frequently asked questions
What survey do I need for a planning permit in Geelong?
Most planning applications for new homes, extensions and units start with a feature and level survey of the site and relevant neighbouring features. If the design is close to a boundary, a re-establishment survey to confirm the title boundaries is often recommended as well.
Can a land surveyor tell me if I need a planning permit?
A land surveyor can explain what survey information is usually needed, but whether a permit is required depends on the planning scheme. Check your planning property report on VicPlan and confirm with council or a town planner.
Is a planning permit the same as a building permit?
No. A planning permit deals with land use and development under the planning scheme and is issued by council. A building permit deals with construction under the building regulations and is issued by a building surveyor. Many projects need both.
Should the survey include my neighbours’ properties?
Often, yes. For residential applications, council looks at things like overlooking and overshadowing, so designers usually need the position of neighbouring buildings, windows and open space. Your surveyor can capture what is visible from your site or the street.