Planning and Business Concierge

Our Planning and Business Concierge can provide free advice to help local businesses navigate the Council approval process.

If you're starting a business or thinking of expanding an existing one, our team is here to help guide you through each step of the process, saving you time, money and hassle.

We can assist with:

  • Navigating the necessary approvals
  • Accessing relevant advice and support
  • Providing guidance and translation of regulatory requirements
  • Improving the quality of information in applications for faster decisions

Getting the right advice early can help you avoid costly mistakes, save important time during the assessment processes and get your decisions faster. 

How to access the Concierge

1 - Register for online services

Create an account in our eServices platform. 

Register for Council's online services

Please note:

  • Most registrations are approved within two business days. Approvals only occur during business hours.
  • You will only need to register once. You will then have access to lodge future applications and other requests online.

2 - Complete the questionnaire

By providing us with the information about your business at the start, we can direct you to the right person in Council or where to find help. 

Complete the questionnaire

3 - Meet with Council  

Once we’ve reviewed the information, depending on the complexity of your business you may be invited to meet with Council officers in a business pre-application meeting. Members from each of the relevant regulatory areas will help you determine if the proposed address allows for the intended business use and which registrations you will need for your business. This is a good time to ask questions about the information you have gathered and which order you should lodge your applications.

Want to know more?

Get more guidance to start, expand or buy a business.

Tune in to our Your Business is our Business podcast series. 

Listen to our podcast