PRE-PURCHASE DEVELOPMENT DUE DILIGENCE
What planning permit activity should you check before buying a Melbourne development site?
Before you make an offer, check the subject site’s planning controls and the surrounding pipeline of lodged, assessed and approved developments. Nearby permits can reveal competing supply and change risk, but they cannot predict approval or replace council, legal or planning advice.
Direct answer · Melbourne eastern and south-eastern coverage · verified 25 July 2026
01
A dated view of the local development pipeline
LotIntent’s 18 July 2026 official-register snapshot contains 10,888 planning permit records dated from 2023 across seven covered councils. Of these, 10,103 have a confident map coordinate. This is a dated research snapshot—not a claim of every Victorian permit or real-time completeness.
- Permit records since 2023
- 10,888
- Confidently mapped
- 10,103
- Covered councils
- 7
- Snapshot date
- 18 Jul 2026
02
What should a buyer check?
A permit map answers one part of due diligence. Use the subject-site, neighbourhood and professional checks together.
Planning controls on the site
Check the planning scheme, zone, overlays and property report. These controls help determine whether a proposed use or development may require a planning permit.
Start with VicPlan and the responsible council.Existing permits on the site
Read the council register entry, decision, conditions and linked documents where available. A status label alone is not enough for a material decision.
Verify against the council source link.Nearby lodged and approved supply
Map nearby townhouse, apartment, subdivision and other residential activity to understand the visible development pipeline around the site.
Use LotIntent for spatial comparison, then verify key records.Competing product and timing signals
Compare published dwelling counts, development type, application date and decision stage. Treat them as market signals, not guaranteed construction.
Use a wider radius only when it matches the acquisition question.Non-permit risks
Contamination, title, easements, finance, building condition and legal terms sit outside a planning permit map.
Use EPA guidance and qualified legal, planning, surveying and building advisers.03
Seven-council snapshot
Records dated from 1 January 2023 in the 18 July 2026 local snapshot. Counts are evidence for this page, not a promise of live or complete coverage.
| Council | Records |
|---|---|
| Boroondara City Council | 1,600 |
| Manningham City Council | 1,743 |
| Whitehorse City Council | 1,228 |
| Monash City Council | 1,812 |
| Glen Eira City Council | 2,219 |
| Bayside City Council | 1,207 |
| Kingston City Council | 1,079 |
| Total | 10,888 |
04
Free checks versus paid development intelligence
Official tools remain essential. LotIntent is useful when the decision requires repeated spatial comparison across nearby planning activity.
| Option | What it helps you answer | Boundary |
|---|---|---|
| VicPlan and planning schemes | What zone and overlays apply to the subject land? | Free and official; does not replace council advice. |
| Council planning register | What does the responsible authority publish for a specific application? | Official source; interfaces and searchable fields differ by council. |
| LotIntent Free | What permit activity is immediately around one searched address? | 3 address previews; full permit detail within 100 m. |
| LotIntent VIP | How does the visible pipeline change across multiple candidate sites and wider areas? | Unlimited address/map-pin searches, 500 m–5 km, council/suburb views and published project detail. First 30 days A$99.90; then A$69.90/month. |
05
Why might a buyer pay now?
The paid value is not an approval prediction. It is faster, repeated comparison while an acquisition decision is still open.
Before an offer or auction
Screen more than one candidate without repeating a fragmented council-by-council map search.
When nearby supply changes the thesis
See whether the surrounding pipeline contains comparable townhouse, apartment or subdivision activity.
When 100 m is too narrow
Expand from an immediate free preview to 500 m–5 km, council or suburb context when the decision requires it.
06
A practical three-step workflow
- 1
Search the candidate address and inspect the free 100 m result.
- 2
Open the responsible council record for any application that matters to the decision.
- 3
Upgrade only if repeated searches or wider pipeline comparison would change what you investigate next.
07
Planning permit due diligence FAQ
Is a planning permit the same as a building permit?
No. Planning Victoria states that a planning permit concerns a particular use and/or development of land, while a building permit covers building work. A project may require both.
Should I check nearby permits before buying?
Yes, if surrounding development activity could affect your competition, supply assumptions, amenity or acquisition thesis. Nearby permits are one input, not a complete due diligence opinion.
Does LotIntent show every planning permit in Victoria?
No. LotIntent currently discloses selected eastern and south-eastern Melbourne council coverage. Council records can change, be incomplete or resist confident address matching.
Are LotIntent records official?
LotIntent aggregates public council planning-register information. The responsible council record remains the source to verify any material application, condition, plan or VCAT matter.
How current is the data on this page?
The numerical fact cards on this page use a dated 18 July 2026 local snapshot. The product may receive later register updates, but this page does not claim real-time completeness.
What can I see for free?
A free account includes 3 address preview views, each with full permit detail within 100 m of the confirmed address.
What does VIP cost?
The initial 30-day membership is A$99.90. It then renews at A$69.90 per month unless cancelled. All prices and Checkout are AUD-only.
Does VIP predict whether my project will be approved?
No. LotIntent does not predict approval and does not guarantee an outcome. Approval depends on the proposal, planning controls, evidence, process and responsible authority.
Can this replace a town planner, solicitor or building professional?
No. Use qualified advisers and the responsible council for material decisions. LotIntent helps organise public permit activity for discovery and comparison.
What should I do when a mapped record looks important?
Open the linked council source, check the current status and documents, and obtain professional advice appropriate to the purchase or development decision.
08
Official sources and evidence
These sources establish the due diligence and planning boundaries. LotIntent’s dated local snapshot supplies only the seven-council fact cards.
LOTINTENT
Start with one address before paying
Use the free 100 m preview to see whether nearby permit activity matters. If your decision needs repeated candidate searches or 500 m–5 km context, review the AUD VIP terms before entering Stripe Checkout.
VIP: first 30 days A$99.90 · then A$69.90/month · AUD-only