Opening a business in Frankston? Know where you stand before you commit.
From the Activity Centre to the Seaford industrial precinct, Frankston's business zones each carry different rules. Written report in 48 hours.
Find Out Where You Stand — $347Secure checkout via Stripe · Full written report within 48 hours
Frankston City covers one of Melbourne's most varied south-east business corridors — the Frankston Activity Centre and Nepean Highway commercial strip, the Karingal retail precinct, and the Seaford industrial area, all running under different planning controls.
Each precinct carries its own mix of zoning and overlay requirements , meaning the rules that apply to a property in the Activity Centre won't necessarily match a site a few kilometres away in Seaford, even if both are zoned for business use.
Before you sign a lease or lodge a permit application in Frankston, it's worth knowing exactly what applies to your site and what it means for use, car parking, and any conditions Council may attach.
What we see on Frankston sites
Frankston Activity Centre
The commercial and retail core along Nepean Highway and Wells Street. Change-of-use approvals here are common — many buildings have been through several different tenancies and use classes over the years.
Carrum Downs industrial precinct
Sitting at the convergence of EastLink and Peninsula Link, Carrum Downs is one of the most active industrial corridors in Frankston City. Change of use and warehouse fit-out permits are common here.
Seaford industrial precinct
Older industrial stock that Frankston City Council is actively encouraging renewal of. The Frankston City Industrial Strategy, adopted in March 2024, introduced updated planning controls and a faster VicSmart pathway for some smaller industrial works in this area.
Why business owners in Frankston choose a specialist
Commercial & industrial only
No residential work, ever. Every hour goes toward business, retail and industrial planning — not split across unrelated project types.
Fixed, published fees
Pulse Check is $347. Not “get in touch for a quote.” You know the cost before you commit to anything.
Former council planner
10+ years assessing applications from inside Melbourne councils — we know what gets flagged and what gets approved.
Choose your path
About to sign a lease in Frankston?
Your agent says the site is perfect. Has anyone checked whether you need Council planning approval to run your business from that address?
Got a letter from Frankston City Council?
Council has requested more information. You're not sure what they're asking for, and you have a deadline.
Need a full change-of-use application?
We prepare, lodge and manage the entire application through Frankston City Council so you can focus on your business.
Already operating without approval?
You've received a compliance notice and didn't know you needed planning approval. Serious, but fixable — the sooner you act, the better the outcome.
Assessing a site before you buy or develop?
Evaluating a site's development potential or highest-and-best use before committing capital? We review zoning capacity, permit history and risk factors as part of a scoped feasibility assessment.
A prospective childcare and allied health operator engaged us for a Pulse Check on a Frankston site being considered for a childcare centre with co-located speech therapy and other children's allied health services. Our assessment covered whether the site's zoning supported the combined use and what a full application would need to address — giving the client a clear picture before committing to the site.
Everyone forgot to tell you. We won't.
Before you sign a lease, open your doors or respond to Frankston City Council — always check whether you need planning approval first. A $347 Pulse Check tells you exactly where you stand, in writing, within 48 hours.
Get the $347 Pulse Check™Frankston planning questions we hear most
Are planning rules the same across all of Frankston?
No — precincts like the Activity Centre, Karingal, and Seaford each carry different zoning and overlay requirements. Always check which controls apply to your exact site.
Do I need a planning permit to change how my Frankston premises is used?
In most cases, yes — even without changing the building itself, moving from one use class to another usually triggers a change of use permit. It depends on the exact zone and uses involved, which is exactly what a Pulse Check covers.
Do you help with sites near Carrum Downs or the Mornington Peninsula?
Yes — Frankston sits right between the Carrum Downs industrial precinct and the Mornington Peninsula's commercial and hospitality areas, and we regularly work across both boundaries for commercial and industrial clients.