Commercial town planning · Glen Eira

Commercial Town Planner in Glen Eira

Opening, leasing or buying a commercial site in Glen Eira? Whether you can run your business there depends on the zone, the planning scheme and your specific use, and the time to find out is before you sign. Get a written answer in 48 hours for a fixed fee.

Get a Pulse Check — $347

Fixed fee · Written answer in 48 hours · Secure checkout

Registered PIA planner 10+ years inside Melbourne councils
From $347 Fixed fee, no hourly surprises
48 hours Written answer, not a phone call
Commercial only Commercial and industrial sites, no residential

What should I check before leasing or buying a commercial site in Glen Eira?

Check three things before you sign. First, whether your specific use needs a planning permit in that site's zone, whatever the previous tenant did there. Second, whether signage, car parking or overlays on the site add permit triggers of their own. Third, get the answer in writing. A planning check before you commit costs far less than a lease on a site you can't yet use.

What Are You Planning? Common Glen Eira Projects

Whether you need a permit turns on your zone and your specific use. Here is what we check for common commercial projects.

Fitness

Gyms, studios and martial arts

Classed as an indoor recreation facility. We check whether the zone requires a permit, how car parking requirements apply to the numbers attending, and what your hours and noise mean for neighbours.

Health

Medical and allied health clinics

Zone-specific conditions can apply to medical centres, including floor area and car parking. We check which apply to your site and whether your use fits within them or needs a permit.

Hospitality

Cafes, restaurants and bars

The venue's use and your liquor licence are separate questions. Since July 2025, a separate planning permit isn't needed just to sell alcohol, but the restaurant or bar use itself may still need one.

Retail and office

Shops, offices and signage

Even a simple fitout can run into permit triggers through business signage, overlays on the site or a car parking shortfall. We flag them before you order signs or sign the lease.

Four Assumptions That Catch People Out

You assume The last tenant ran a similar business, so mine will be fine.
Check instead What is approved on a site doesn't automatically cover a new use. The zone and the permit triggers for your specific use decide it.
You assume My landlord or agent says it's fine to run my business there.
Check instead A lease or an agent's assurance doesn't change what the planning scheme allows. Whether your use is permitted is decided by the scheme, and that's best confirmed before you sign.
You assume Signage and parking are details I can sort out later.
Check instead In Glen Eira's shopping strips, a change of use, new signage or a car parking shortfall can each trigger a permit on its own.
You assume I'll sort out the planning once I've signed.
Check instead After signing, a permit requirement means paying rent on a site you can't use yet. Before signing, it's a negotiating point, a timeline adjustment, or a reason to walk away.

How a Pulse Check Works

1

Book online

Check out securely for a fixed fee. No hourly billing and no quote to chase.

2

We assess your site

We check your site and intended use against the Glen Eira Planning Scheme: zoning, overlays and permit triggers.

3

Written answer in 48 hours

You get a written answer you can act on before you sign, not a phone call you have to remember.

What Else We Help With in Glen Eira

  • Pre-lease and pre-purchase planning checks on commercial sites.
  • Permit applications for new uses, business signage and car parking reductions.
  • Replying to Glen Eira council letters, enforcement notices and further information requests.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a planning permit to open a business in a shop or commercial site in Glen Eira?

Often, yes. Whether a permit is needed turns on the site's zone, what is already approved there, and what you plan to run from it. The cheapest time to find out is before you sign a lease or contract, not after.

Do I need a permit for business signage in Glen Eira?

Often it can, depending on the type and size of the sign, the zone and any overlay on the site. Check before you order signage so you don't pay for signs you may not be allowed to put up.

Do I need a planning permit to get a liquor licence in Victoria?

Since 1 July 2025, a separate planning permit is no longer required just to sell or serve alcohol. You still need to show your liquor licence application doesn't contravene the planning scheme, and the venue's own use, such as a restaurant or bar, may still need a permit.

Have planning controls changed recently in Glen Eira?

In parts, yes. New built form controls for Carnegie's commercial core were included in the Glen Eira Planning Scheme in March 2026, and Bentleigh, Carnegie, Caulfield, Elsternwick, Glen Huntly, Ormond and Murrumbeena are all part of the state's Activity Centres Program. Controls for sites in and near these centres may differ from what council previously proposed, so check the current scheme for your exact address.

Do you handle residential planning work in Glen Eira?

No. Eland Town Planning works on commercial and industrial sites only.

How quickly can I get a planning answer for a Glen Eira site?

A Pulse Check is a fixed-fee written planning assessment delivered within 48 hours, starting from $347.

Don't sign on assumptions

Get a written planning answer for your Glen Eira site within 48 hours, before the lease or contract locks you in.

Get a Pulse Check — $347

We also work in neighbouring Bayside and Kingston.

This page is general information about planning in Glen Eira and is not a substitute for a site-specific assessment.

Get a Pulse Check — $347