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You can apply for a Building Permit from one of our municipal building surveyors or from a private building surveyor.
Most Building Permits in Boroondara are issued by private building surveyors.
Role of private building surveyors
Registered private building surveyors in Victoria can carry out the following functions under the Building Act 1993:
- assess Building Permit applications including siting matters like height, setbacks, overlooking, overshadowing, site coverage and permeability
- issue Building Permits
- carry out mandatory inspections of buildings and building work
- issue a Certificate of Final Inspection and Occupancy Permit at the satisfactory completion of the building project
- approve temporary occupation of buildings
- enforce safety and building standards through:
- giving and enforcing directions to fix non-compliant building work
- serving a building notice
- making building orders.
Before a private building surveyor issues a Building Permit, they need to check that the Building Permit application complies with:
- Building Act 1993
- Building Regulations 2018
- the Building Code of Australia
- relevant Australian Standards.
You may need a Planning Permit for your proposed works before a Building Permit can be issued. Check if you need a Planning Permit by calling our Statutory Planning Team on (03) 9278 4888 or emailing [email protected].
Breaches of Building Permits
Private building surveyors and council-employed building surveyors are responsible for enforcing action when there are breaches of their respective Building Permits.
We (Council) don't get involved in enforcement actions taken by private building surveyors. The exception is when there’s a risk to life or safety which requires us to issue an emergency order, such as when:
- dangerous excavations adjacent to property boundaries might undermine land or existing buildings
- potentially dangerous buildings and structures pose an imminent risk to life or property
- swimming pools and spas might be entered by open gates, or where the opening mechanism is at a non-compliant height, or the height of the barrier is otherwise a danger.
If you don't comply with building orders issued by a private building surveyor, you may be prosecuted by the Victorian Building Authority in the Magistrates Court.
Submit a Section 30 lodgement
Section 30 of the Building Act 1993 requires the building surveyor to submit these documents to us within 7 days of the Building Permit being issued:
- a copy of the Building Permit (Form 2), uploaded as a single file
- approved Building Permit documents, including:
- Victorian Building Authority approved checklist under Section 30A
- the application for a Building Permit
- soil report
- architectural and engineering plans
- Certificate of Title and plan of subdivision.
If the Building Permit relates to swimming pools and spas, you must also let us know about:
- the completion of construction of a new swimming pool or spa
- alterations to existing safety barriers
- the demolition or decommissioning of a pool or spa.
Submit a new Section 30 lodgement
If you've already submitted a Section 30 lodgement to us and need to send more documents, email the files to [email protected].
More information
Contact our Building Services team by email at [email protected] or call us on (03) 9278 4999.