Hoarding / Occupy Roadway

If you need to occupy part of a road, laneway, footpath, nature strip, car park, or road reserve, even for a short time, an Occupy Roadway Permit may be required.

Occupying the roadway may include activities listed below. However, this is not a complete list of all activities that may require a permit.

You may also need an application for report and consent (Regulation 116 of the Building Regulations 2018) if the relevant building surveyor determines the occupation of Council land is necessary to ensure public safety.

Occupying Roadway activities

‘Occupying’ the roadway may include:

Road closure
Delivery of construction materials and scaffolding
Travel towers and mobile lifts
Mobile crane operation
Concrete pumps operation
Placement of shipping containers.
Long-term occupation of the footpath
Long-term occupation of the nature strip
Placement of any other structures (if permitted)
Scaffolding
Shopfront works - replacement of glass or any modifications
Awnings works
Front fence construction
Demolition
Variable Message Sign (VMS) boards

Fees and Security Deposit

When applying for this permit online you will need to pay an Application Fee, which is non-refundable. Council will process your application to determine if you are able to occupy the area, for how long and under what conditions.

If successful, and given that all required documents have been submitted, a tax invoice will be issued via email. Council may request further documentation before being able to proceed with invoicing. The Permit Costs, Land Leasing Charge and Refundable Security Deposit vary, depending on the works to be undertaken.

More information: Engineering Permit Fees(PDF, 157KB)

Occupy Roadway Application fee: $136.50 (non-refundable). Please note, the application fee is paid at time of applying through the online application portal.

Occupy Roadway Permit fees:

Local and Arterial Roads: from $151 (non-refundable)
Land Leasing Charge: $4.10 per sq metre per week, minimum $200 (non-refundable)
Gantry Land Leasing Charge: $0.90 per sq metre per week (non-refundable)

A refundable security deposit may also be required.

Supporting documentation

In submitting your application we require as a minimum:

Site Plan of the proposed occupied area (including the proposed structure if the area is to be hoarded/built on) with all measurements and features of the street, including driveways, trees and street furniture - for example, electricity pits or poles, Council stormwater pits, sewer pits, Telstra/NBN pits or posts, hydrants, bus stops, signage or similar
Site photos taken prior to works commencing (minimum 5 photos). Please provide photos of the exact location of the area to be occupied and showing conditions of Council's assets. See examples below of correct photos.

It is recommended you also supply the following documents if you have them, as you will need these if your application is successful:

Traffic Management Plan as per the Roads Management Act 2004 and the Road Safety (Traffic Management) Regulations 2019. Council requests you obtain your plans through an experienced provider to ensure high-quality plans are produced, as poor-quality plans in the past have not met these basic requirements (hand-drawn plans will not be accepted). The Traffic Management Plan should cover temporary changes to traffic conditions, road and footpath closure and traffic detours. Council will assess the impacts on movement and safety for pedestrians, cyclists and vehicles (check VicRoads website: ‘Register of prequalified contractors & consultants’).
Copy of the Works Manager's Public Liability Insurance (Certificate of Currency).

Council may also require:

A copy of a Neighbour Notification Letter advising affected residents of the occupation works, and/or
Supporting documentation including Department of Transport and Planning (DTP) approval if occupying an arterial road
Certified Structural Computations for gantries

Please note: any occupation on arterial roads may also require a permit and Memorandum of Authorisation (MOA) supplied by the Department of Transport and Planning (DTP) and a Traffic Management Plan from a prequalified contractor and consultant.

The Occupy Roadway Permit Application advice may take up to 10 working days depending on complexity of the works involved.

If more information is required to complete your application, you will receive a letter with advice via email. If Council does not receive the required document/s within 1 month from the dated letter, your application will be cancelled, and you will need to apply again on a later date. Please note the application fee is non-refundable.

Apply for Occupy Roadway Permit

When applying for your Occupy Roadway Permit, if your new development has multiple units, you will only be required to submit one application under one unit's property address for the whole development.

Step 1.Prepare supporting documentation

Step 2.Apply online

Occupy Roadway Permit Application

Please note, the application fee must be paid at the time of applying through the online application portal.

Step 3.Assessment

After the application has been assessed and should no further information be required, you will be issued with a tax invoice (permit and security bond fee).

Step 4.Pay fees

If the application is successful, a tax invoice will be issued for payment via email.

The tax invoice will provide advice on how to pay for the permit.

Step 5.Receive the Permit

Once you pay the tax invoice, the permit will be issued by email.

Permit conditions, activating permit dates

The Occupy Roadway Permit will contain conditions that must be read and followed carefully.

Requests for activating permit dates must be submitted online at least 48 hours prior to commencing works and confirmed by a Council Officer.

Cancellations of activated Permit dates is required to be submitted prior to 9am of the activated day should you wish to have that activation available for future date.

Where a road or laneway closure is required to be implemented for the works to be undertaken, the proposed notification letter must be supplied and activation request submitted at least 10 days prior to the proposed work date(s).

Activate/Cancel Permit Dates

Non-compliance may result in an infringement being issued.

Permit expiry

When assessing your application, Council will consider your submitted time frame for occupation. If Council limits your time frame for any reason, you will be advised before you are issued with the permit.

Occupy Roadway inspections

Council may conduct inspections to determine permit fees, the security deposit, refunds and damages.

Security deposit refund

Upon your advice, Council will inspect the site after the occupation has ceased, to determine if any reinstatement works are required prior to releasing the refundable security deposit.

If there is no damage and the inspection is signed off as satisfactory, your refundable security deposit will be returned. If any damage is noted, a letter will be sent to you letting you know and so you can arrange for any reinstatement works.

The refundable security deposit is paid as an electronic bank transfer into your nominated bank account.

Reinstatement of Council assets

Please notify Council after rectification so a re-inspection can be arranged.

Please note: should Council attend the site 3 times or more to inspect reinstatement, you may incur an additional inspection fee of $145.

If no advice is received about the reinstatement from the permit-holder, Council may undertake the reinstatement works at the expense of the permit-holder.