A pub approved despite council pushback
- The situation
- A pub needed approval and council pushed back.
- The outcome
- Approved despite significant council pushback.
Planning permits
What do you need to do?
Not sure? Send us your address and we'll tell you what the planning scheme requires.Talk to JacobPlanning permits
Planning permit for a restaurant or bar in Victoria: why it comes first.
If you need a planning permit for a restaurant or bar in Victoria, start with what the permit decides. Your planning permit sets the ceiling on what your venue can do. Hours, patron numbers, layout and music can all be capped by it, whatever your liquor licence says.
Most operators find this out after they've signed a lease. A licensing agent can't change a planning permit, and most planners don't do liquor licences. We work both ends. We check the zone and any existing permit first, then line up the liquor licence with it.
Since 1 July 2025, selling liquor no longer needs a planning permit. But many older permits still carry old liquor conditions, and the use and building work may still need a permit.
Common permit questions
Most venue permits turn on a few things. Each has its own page.
Outcomes
Hard situations. Good outcomes.
Fees and timing
What it costs and how long it takes.
Every planning job is a fixed fee, quoted before we start. Council's timeframes are set by law, but real times are often longer, so we give you a range for your council at the first call.
- Our fee
- Fixed fee, quoted before we start
- Council's fee
- Paid to council, separate from ours
- Standard application
- 60 statutory days. The clock pauses for further information and notice.
- Simple matters (VicSmart)
- 10 business days
Why Plan2Pour
- We've run venuesWe know what a permit condition costs in trade.
- Permit checked firstBefore anything is lodged.
- Permit and licence togetherSo one doesn't undercut the other.
- Fixed feeAgreed before we start.
Questions
Common questions.
Something else? Call (03) 7064 8477 or send us a note. We reply within 24 hours.
Further reading: Do I need a planning permit for a liquor licence? · VC286: what changed for venues on 1 July 2025
Do I need a planning permit to open a restaurant?
It depends on the zone. In the commercial zones, many food and drink uses don't need a permit for the use itself, as long as they meet conditions such as floor area limits. Other zones, overlays such as heritage, building work and car parking can still trigger a permit. We check the address before you commit.
Do I need a planning permit for a liquor licence?
Not any more. Since 1 July 2025, a planning permit is no longer needed to sell or serve liquor in Victoria. The use of the site and building work may still need one. An existing permit can also still limit hours, patrons or layout, so we check it before you apply for the licence.
How long does a planning permit take?
Council has 60 statutory days to decide a standard application, and 10 business days for simple VicSmart matters. The clock pauses while council waits for further information and while neighbours are given notice, so real times are often longer. Objections and VCAT reviews add more time.
Can I change the conditions on my planning permit?
Yes. You can apply to council to amend your permit, known as a section 72 amendment. Council assesses only the change you ask for; it doesn't reopen the rest of the permit. Some changes to approved plans can go through a simpler process called secondary consent, if the permit allows it.
What happens if council refuses my permit?
You can ask VCAT (the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal) to review the decision. VCAT can also review conditions you don't accept, or a council that hasn't decided in time. We prepare the case and present it, working with a barrister on complex matters. See VCAT reviews.
Speak with a principal
Tell us what the venue needs.
Every enquiry is read by a principal, not a call centre. The first conversation is free, and we reply within 24 hours.