What Is a Demolition Consent and How Do You Get One in Victoria? (2026 Guide)

If you’ve started planning a knock-down rebuild, a major renovation, or a heritage strip-out in Melbourne, sooner or later you’ll hit a phrase that sounds like minor paperwork but isn’t: demolition consent.

It’s the approval most homeowners didn’t know existed until their builder asked for it. It’s also the approval that, if you skip it or get it wrong, can stall your project for weeks — and in heritage-affected suburbs, sometimes months.

As a fully licensed Melbourne demolition company with Class B (non-friable) asbestos removal capability, we lodge demolition consent applications across metropolitan Melbourne and regional Victoria every week. This guide is the plain-English version of what a demolition consent actually is, when you need one, how to get one, what it costs in 2026, and how it sits inside the broader stack of approvals every Victorian demolition has to satisfy.

Quick answer: A “demolition consent” in Victoria is the report and consent issued by your local council under Section 29A of the Building Act 1993 before a Registered Building Surveyor can issue a building permit for demolition. You need one whenever the demolition affects more than 50% of the building’s volume, or any part of a facade facing a street. The statutory fee is capped at 5.75 fee units — $96.66 for the 2025–26 financial year at $16.81 per fee unit. It is one of up to four approvals most Melbourne demolitions need, alongside a planning permit (where heritage or other overlays apply), a building permit for demolition issued by a Registered Building Surveyor, and an asset protection permit from your council.

What Is a Demolition Consent?

A demolition consent is, strictly speaking, a council’s report and consent under Section 29A of the Building Act 1993. It’s the formal step where your local council signs off on a proposed demolition before the Registered Building Surveyor (RBS) can issue the actual building permit to demolish.

People call it different things — “29A”, “Section 29A consent”, “demolition consent”, “council demolition approval”, or just “the form 29A”. They all refer to the same approval.

It’s easy to confuse demolition consent with two other documents:

A planning permit, which is a separate approval under the Planning and Environment Act 1987 that may be required before consent can be issued (most often when a Heritage Overlay applies).
A building permit for demolition, which is the actual permit to physically demolish the structure, issued by a Registered Building Surveyor under the Building Act 1993.

Demolition consent sits in the middle of the stack. The planning permit (if needed) comes first, the demolition consent comes next, and the building permit comes last. Skip a step and the whole chain stops.

Why Section 29A Exists in the First Place

Section 29A was introduced because demolition is irreversible. Once a building is gone, you can’t put it back the way it was — at least not without enormous cost and almost never with the same heritage character. The provision gives local councils a chance to consider:

Whether the building is of heritage or streetscape value
Whether it forms part of a registered place or contributory streetscape
Whether neighbouring properties or services will be affected
Whether the proposed demolition is consistent with any planning permit or planning scheme controls

In other words, demolition consent is the council’s last opportunity to weigh in before the bricks come down.

When Do You Need a Demolition Consent?

You need a Section 29A demolition consent in Victoria whenever either of two tests is met. Both come straight from the Building Act 1993 and the Building Regulations 2018, and they apply identically across every council in the state — although how the council processes the application varies (more on that below).

Test 1: The 50% Volume Test

If the demolition would result in the removal of more than half the volume of the building — including any demolition completed or permitted in the previous three years — Section 29A consent is required.

Three things to notice about this test:

It’s based on volume, not floor area or footprint. A two-storey home with high ceilings has a much bigger volume than its floor plan suggests.
It’s cumulative across three years. If you demolished a rear extension 18 months ago, that volume counts against the 50% threshold for any new demolition application.
A full knock-down rebuild always meets this test. There’s no scenario in which knocking down an entire house doesn’t require Section 29A consent.

Test 2: The Facade Test

Section 29A consent is also required if the demolition or alteration affects any part of a facade that faces a street — including verandahs, balconies, balustrades, parapets, chimneys and architectural features attached to or forming part of that facade.

The trap here is how small a change can trigger this. We’ve seen Section 29A apply to:

Removing a front porch or verandah for a renovation
Replacing a front fence built into the wall
Cutting a new window into a street-facing facade
Removing a chimney visible from the street
Demolishing a single-room front addition

If the building is on a corner block, both street-facing facades are in scope.

⚠️ Common misconception: “We’re only doing the back — surely we don’t need 29A.” You may be right, if the rear isn’t a street frontage and the demolition is under the 50% volume threshold. But corner blocks, laneway frontages and some heritage precincts where service streets are recognised as “streets” catch a lot of homeowners off guard. Always check before assuming.

When You Don’t Need a Demolition Consent

You generally don’t need Section 29A consent if all of the following apply:

The demolition is less than 50% of the building’s volume (including anything demolished in the previous 3 years)
No part of any street-facing facade is being demolished or altered
The work isn’t triggered by a planning permit condition that requires consent
The building isn’t in a Heritage Overlay or other overlay that adds its own controls

A typical example: removing an internal wall and rebuilding a rear bathroom in a non-heritage suburban home. That’s usually a building permit job with no Section 29A required.

You will, however, almost always still need:

A building permit from a Registered Building Surveyor (whether or not 29A applies)
An asset protection permit from your council if heavy plant will be on or near council land
WorkSafe Victoria compliance for any high-risk construction work or asbestos removal — see our WorkSafe Victoria Demolition Requirements guide for the full picture
EPA Victoria compliance for waste classification, transport and disposal — see our EPA Victoria Construction and Demolition Waste Rules guide

How to Get a Demolition Consent in Victoria: The 8-Step Process

The process below is the practical sequence we follow on a typical Melbourne demolition. The order matters — getting it out of sequence is the single biggest reason applications get sent back.

Step 1: Check the Property’s Planning Controls First

Before you do anything else, search the property address on VicPlan (vicplan.vic.gov.au), the Victorian Government’s free planning portal. The free property report tells you:

The zone the property sits in
All overlays affecting the land (Heritage, Neighbourhood Character, Significant Landscape, Bushfire Management, Vegetation Protection, Environmental Significance, Special Building, Land Subject to Inundation, etc.)
The schedule to each overlay (this is where the actual controls live)
Any Heritage Council registrations

If you find a Heritage Overlay or Neighbourhood Character Overlay, stop and read carefully — you’ll need a planning permit before Section 29A can be approved.

Step 2: Get a Title Search and Check for Covenants

A current Certificate of Title (issued in the last three months) is required as part of the Section 29A application. While you’re at it, check for:

Restrictive covenants registered against the title
Section 173 agreements with the council
Easements affecting where you can demolish or rebuild

Restrictive covenants in particular can prohibit demolition of certain buildings or features even where the planning scheme allows it. They’re a private contractual restriction, separate from council planning controls.

Step 3: Obtain a Planning Permit (If Required)

If your VicPlan check showed a Heritage Overlay or other permit-triggering control, the planning permit application comes first. This typically involves:

Lodging the application with council, with prescribed plans and documents
Paying the statutory planning fee (calculated based on the cost of the proposed works under the Planning and Environment (Fees) Regulations)
Providing public notice if required, and managing any objections
For heritage matters, providing a Heritage Impact Statement prepared by a qualified heritage consultant
Responding to council’s request for further information (RFI) if any

In inner-east councils — Stonnington, Boroondara, Yarra, Melbourne and Port Phillip — planning permits for heritage-affected demolitions typically take 3–6 months. In growth-corridor councils like Wyndham, Casey, Hume and Melton, planning permits are usually only triggered by isolated heritage placements and are processed faster.

Step 4: Prepare the Section 29A Application Package

Once any required planning permit is in hand, the demolition consent application can be prepared. Most councils require:

The completed Form 29A (or the council’s online equivalent)
A current Certificate of Title (issued in the last 3 months)
A site plan showing the property boundaries, buildings and features
A demolition plan clearly identifying what will and won’t be demolished
Photographs of the building, particularly the street-facing facades
Aerial imagery in some councils
The planning permit (if one was required)
The statutory fee

Some councils also ask for a brief statement of reasons explaining why the demolition is being sought, especially in heritage-sensitive contexts.

Step 5: Lodge the Application With the Right Council

The application is lodged with the council that has jurisdiction over the property. Most metropolitan Melbourne councils accept online lodgement; a few still operate paper-based or hybrid systems. The application must be lodged by:

The registered owner of the property, or
An authorised agent acting on the owner’s written authority

In practice, your demolition contractor or building surveyor lodges the 29A as your authorised agent — but you sign the authority. We handle this routinely as part of every demolition we quote.

Step 6: Pay the Statutory Fee

The Section 29A fee is capped at 5.75 fee units under Regulation 36 of the Building Regulations 2018. For the 2025–26 financial year, the Victorian fee unit value is $16.81, making the maximum statutory fee $96.66. Some councils have published fees of $93.90, $96.60 or $96.70 depending on when their fees were last updated and whether they round.

The fee unit value resets every 1 July, so a 29A fee paid in July 2026 will be slightly higher than one paid in May 2026.

Step 7: Respond to Council Within the Statutory Timeframe

The council must consider the application within the timeframes set out in the Building Regulations. The council can:

Consent, with or without conditions
Refuse consent (with reasons)
Request further information (RFI), which pauses the clock

If consent is refused or conditions are unworkable, you can apply to the Building Appeals Board (BAB) for a determination. Appeals are not free or fast, so the better strategy is almost always to address council’s concerns at the application stage — particularly in heritage matters, where strong supporting documentation can avoid refusal in the first place.

Step 8: Provide the 29A Consent to the Building Surveyor

Once issued, the Section 29A consent is provided to the Registered Building Surveyor, who can then issue the building permit for demolition. The RBS will also check that:

A hazardous materials survey has been completed
A licensed asbestos removalist is engaged (Class B for non-friable, Class A for friable — see our WorkSafe Victoria Demolition Requirements guide)
Service disconnections (gas, power, water, telecoms) have been arranged
Public protection (hoarding, signage, dust controls) is planned
Insurance is in place
The contractor’s registration class covers the type and height of structure

Demolition building permits are rarely issued to owner-builders in Victoria. Most Registered Building Surveyors will only issue them to a registered demolition contractor with the right experience, equipment and insurance.

What It Actually Costs to Get a Demolition Consent in 2026

Realistic 2026 cost ranges for the consent and its associated approvals, based on what we’re currently seeing across metropolitan Melbourne:

Section 29A statutory fee: capped at 5.75 fee units — $96.66 for the 2025–26 financial year
Planning permit fee (if required): $1,300–$1,500+ for most heritage-affected residential demolitions, calculated on the cost of works
Heritage Impact Statement (if required): $2,000–$5,000+ depending on complexity and consultant
Building permit for demolition issued by a Registered Building Surveyor: $1,500–$4,000+ for residential
Asset protection permit: $320 in Wyndham to $465 in Hume, with inner-east councils like Boroondara and the City of Melbourne charging a fee plus a separately calculated security bond
Title search: around $25–$70

Add to that the substantive demolition costs — asbestos removal, service disconnections, dust and noise controls, plant and labour, and lawful disposal at EPA-licensed facilities. The Victorian metropolitan waste levy alone is $167.90 per tonne from 1 July 2025, so disposal fees on a single-storey demolition can easily run into the thousands. (Full breakdown in our EPA Victoria Construction and Demolition Waste Rules guide.)

If your demolition quote is suspiciously low, the savings almost always come out of asbestos handling, levy avoidance, or insurance gaps — none of which are corners worth cutting.

How Long Does a Demolition Consent Take?

Realistic 2026 timeframes for a single-dwelling demolition in metropolitan Melbourne:

Property check and title search: 1–2 days
Planning permit (if required): 3–6 months in inner-east councils with Heritage Overlays; 6–12 weeks in outer councils with isolated heritage triggers
Section 29A consent (no Heritage Overlay): 2–6 weeks depending on council backlog
Section 29A consent (with Heritage Overlay): Usually concurrent with or after the planning permit; assume the planning permit timeline drives the schedule
Asset protection permit: 1–4 weeks
Service disconnections: 2–6 weeks, can run in parallel with consent
Building permit for demolition issued by RBS: 5–10 business days once all upstream approvals are in
On-site demolition: 2–5 days for a typical single-storey home; longer for two-storey, multi-unit, fire-damaged or heritage sites

The realistic end-to-end horizon is 6–10 weeks for a non-heritage suburban demolition, and 4–6 months or more if a Heritage Overlay or Neighbourhood Character Overlay is involved.

Common Scenarios: Do You Need a Demolition Consent For…?

Below are the scenarios we’re asked about most often. Outcomes can shift based on overlays and council policy, so always check the specific property — but these are the typical answers.

A Full Knock-Down Rebuild on a Suburban Block?

Yes. A complete demolition always meets the 50% volume test, and the facade test is automatically met. Section 29A consent is required, plus a planning permit if a Heritage Overlay or other overlay applies.

A Major Renovation Where You’re Keeping the Front Half of the House?

Almost always yes. The 50% volume test catches most major renovations of this type. Even if you stay under the volume threshold, the facade test is usually triggered if any front porch, parapet or street-facing wall is altered.

Removing a Rear Extension Only?

Often no — but check the volume. If the rear extension is under 50% of the building’s volume and no street-facing facade is touched, Section 29A may not be required. Corner blocks change the answer, because the “rear” may still face a street.

Demolishing a Garage or Shed?

Usually no Section 29A, because outbuildings are typically separate buildings — but you still need a building permit for demolition, and a planning permit if the structure is in a Heritage Overlay precinct that explicitly covers outbuildings (some inner-Melbourne overlays do).

Demolishing a Front Verandah or Porch?

Yes. The facade test almost always applies, even though the volume removed is small. This is the scenario that catches the most homeowners off guard.

Replacing the Front Fence?

Usually no for the fence itself, but check the planning scheme — Heritage Overlays in Yarra, Stonnington, Boroondara, Port Phillip, Bayside and Melbourne sometimes require a planning permit for front fences as well as the building.

A Fire-Damaged Property in the Yarra Ranges?

Yes for Section 29A if the demolition meets either test, but the bigger issue is asbestos. Fire often turns previously bonded asbestos into friable material, which requires a Class A licensed removalist and intensified EPA waste tracking. We covered this in detail in our WorkSafe Victoria Demolition Requirements guide.

A Heritage-Listed Cottage in Fitzroy or South Yarra?

Yes — and expect a long road. Section 29A consent will be refused if the planning permit is refused, and inner-east councils refuse demolition of individually significant heritage buildings except in exceptional circumstances. A Heritage Impact Statement is essentially mandatory.

What a Section 29A Application Actually Looks Like (Sample Document Pack)

Most councils want a complete document pack. Lodging a half-finished application is the single most reliable way to add weeks to the timeline. A complete pack typically includes:

The signed Form 29A or council’s online form, with the owner’s authority for any agent
Certificate of Title (issued within the last 3 months)
A demolition site plan at appropriate scale showing the lot, the existing buildings, and clearly marking what is to be demolished and what is to be retained
Photographs of every facade of the building — current, dated, and clear
Aerial imagery showing the property in its streetscape (some councils request this)
A statement of works describing the demolition scope and any retention strategy
The current planning permit (if one was required)
The statutory fee payment confirmation

For heritage-affected sites, add:

A Heritage Impact Statement prepared by a qualified heritage consultant
A structural condition report (where the case for demolition relies on poor condition)
A photographic record of significant features

For sites with adjoining party walls or shared boundaries, expect councils to ask for:

An engineering report on the impact of demolition on adjoining buildings
A dilapidation survey of neighbouring properties
A method statement describing how the adjoining structures will be protected

A complete first submission saves weeks compared to a partial application that triggers a request for further information.

How Council Differences Change the Process

The legal framework is the same statewide, but council practices vary. Some patterns we see consistently in 2026:

Inner-east councils (Stonnington, Boroondara, Yarra, Melbourne, Port Phillip) — Heritage Overlays cover huge proportions of the housing stock. Plan for planning permits, Heritage Impact Statements and longer timelines.
Inner-north councils (Merri-bek, Darebin, Moonee Valley) — Significant heritage in older suburbs (Brunswick, Northcote, Essendon), lighter further out. Combined 29A/building-permit options exist where council acts as the surveyor.
Inner-west councils (Maribyrnong, Hobsons Bay) — Heritage in Yarraville, Williamstown and parts of Footscray; EPA contamination more common because of industrial history.
Bayside councils (Bayside, Glen Eira, Kingston) — Heritage focus on individually significant Edwardian and inter-war homes. Bayside specifically discourages owner-demolitions.
Middle and outer east (Whitehorse, Manningham, Monash, Maroondah, Knox, Yarra Ranges) — Lighter heritage, but vegetation, landscape and bushfire overlays can drive their own controls. Yarra Ranges fire-damaged properties have specific asbestos implications.
North (Banyule, Whittlesea, Nillumbik, Hume) — Mixed character; Nillumbik in particular has strong environmental and bushfire overlays.
Outer south-east (Greater Dandenong, Casey, Cardinia, Frankston, Mornington Peninsula) — Mostly straightforward, but Mornington Peninsula is heavier than most outer councils because of dense overlays in Sorrento, Portsea, Mornington and Mt Eliza.
Outer west (Wyndham, Brimbank, Melton) — Generally the fastest pathway in metropolitan Melbourne. Older areas in Brimbank still carry 1950s–1970s asbestos cement housing stock.

For a deeper council-by-council breakdown, see our Council Demolition Permits in Melbourne: A Suburb-by-Suburb Overview.

Common Mistakes That Delay Demolition Consent

After hundreds of 29A applications, the same problems come up again and again. Avoid these and you’ll save weeks:

Lodging Section 29A before the planning permit is issued. If a Heritage Overlay or other trigger applies, the planning permit must come first. Lodging out of sequence almost always results in a refusal or RFI.
Stale title searches. Most councils want a Certificate of Title issued within the last 3 months. A six-month-old title is the most common reason 29A applications get bounced.
Generic site plans. A demolition plan that doesn’t clearly distinguish what’s being demolished from what’s being retained is incomplete. Inner-east councils are particularly strict on plan quality.
Missing photographs. Every facade. Every elevation. Current, dated, clear.
Owner-builder applications. Most surveyors won’t issue a building permit for demolition to an owner-builder. The 29A may be approved but the project will still stall.
Not booking asset protection in parallel. The asset protection permit can take 1–4 weeks. Lodging it on the same day as the 29A is the right move; lodging it after consent is granted adds weeks.
Underestimating the heritage piece. A “quick” demolition in Fitzroy, Carlton, South Yarra, Toorak, Hawthorn, Williamstown or Brighton almost never goes quickly. Build the heritage assessment into the schedule from day one.
Assuming asbestos can be sorted later. A licensed Class B asbestos removalist must be engaged before the building permit is issued, with a clearance certificate produced before structural demolition. Trying to retrofit this after consent has been granted creates avoidable delays.

Plain-English Demolition Consent Checklist (Save This)

Before you lodge a Section 29A application anywhere in Victoria, work through this list:

[ ] VicPlan property report obtained (zone, overlays, controls)
[ ] Heritage Overlay status confirmed in the schedule to the overlay
[ ] Restrictive covenants and Section 173 agreements checked on title
[ ] Current Certificate of Title (within 3 months) obtained
[ ] Planning permit lodged (if required)
[ ] Heritage Impact Statement prepared (if required)
[ ] Demolition plan / site plan showing exactly what is and isn’t demolished
[ ] Photographs of every facade attached
[ ] Aerial imagery attached (where requested by council)
[ ] Section 29A statutory fee paid
[ ] Asset protection permit application prepared in parallel
[ ] Hazardous materials survey commissioned
[ ] Licensed asbestos removalist engaged (Class B for non-friable, Class A for friable)
[ ] WorkSafe asbestos removal notification arranged
[ ] EPA Waste Tracker arrangements confirmed
[ ] Service disconnections (gas, power, water, telecoms) in progress
[ ] Registered Building Surveyor appointed
[ ] Public liability insurance current
[ ] Neighbouring properties notified

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is a demolition consent in Victoria?

A demolition consent is the report and consent issued by your local council under Section 29A of the Building Act 1993 before a Registered Building Surveyor can issue a building permit for demolition. It’s required whenever the demolition affects more than 50% of the building’s volume, or any part of a facade facing a street. It’s sometimes called a “29A consent”, “Section 29A consent”, “Form 29A” or simply a “demolition consent”.

How do I get a demolition consent in Victoria?

The process runs in this order: check the property’s planning controls on VicPlan, obtain a current Certificate of Title, get a planning permit if a Heritage Overlay or other control applies, prepare the Section 29A application package (form, plans, photos, fee), lodge it with your local council, respond to any request for further information, and provide the issued consent to your Registered Building Surveyor so the building permit for demolition can be issued. In most cases your demolition contractor or building surveyor lodges the application as your authorised agent.

How much does a demolition consent cost in Victoria in 2026?

The statutory Section 29A fee is capped at 5.75 fee units under Regulation 36 of the Building Regulations 2018 — about $96.66 for the 2025–26 financial year at the current fee unit value of $16.81. Some councils have published fees of $93.90, $96.60 or $96.70 depending on rounding. Fee unit values reset every 1 July, so the price changes annually.

How long does a demolition consent take in Melbourne?

Section 29A consent itself usually takes 2–6 weeks for a non-heritage application. If a planning permit is required first because of a Heritage Overlay, add 3–6 months in inner-east councils like Stonnington, Boroondara, Yarra, Melbourne and Port Phillip, or 6–12 weeks in outer councils. The end-to-end demolition timeline (consent + asset protection + service disconnections + building permit + on-site work) is typically 6–10 weeks for a non-heritage suburban demolition and 4–6 months or more for heritage-affected sites.

Do I need a demolition consent if I’m only doing a partial demolition?

Only if either of two tests is met: the demolition affects more than 50% of the building’s volume (including anything demolished in the previous 3 years), or any part of a facade facing a street is being demolished or altered. Internal works that don’t touch a street-facing facade and stay under the volume threshold generally don’t need Section 29A consent — but they may still need a building permit and other approvals.

What is the difference between a planning permit and a demolition consent?

A planning permit is an approval under the Planning and Environment Act 1987, granted under the local planning scheme, that allows certain land uses or developments — including demolition where an overlay (most often a Heritage Overlay) requires it. A demolition consent is the council’s report and consent under Section 29A of the Building Act 1993, required before a Registered Building Surveyor can issue a building permit for demolition. Where both are required, the planning permit must be obtained first.

Who can apply for a demolition consent in Victoria?

A Section 29A application can be lodged by the registered owner of the property or an authorised agent acting on the owner’s written authority. In practice, your demolition contractor or building surveyor lodges the application as your authorised agent — but the owner signs the authority. Tenants and prospective purchasers cannot apply on their own behalf.

Can a demolition consent be refused?

Yes. Council can refuse Section 29A consent — most commonly where a planning permit is required but hasn’t been granted, where heritage controls apply and the demolition isn’t supported, or where the application is incomplete. If consent is refused, you can apply to the Building Appeals Board (BAB) for a determination, but appeals take time and the better strategy is usually to address council’s concerns up front, particularly in heritage matters.

What happens after I get my demolition consent?

The Section 29A consent goes to your Registered Building Surveyor, who issues the building permit for demolition once all other prerequisites are satisfied — including hazardous materials survey, licensed asbestos removalist engagement, service disconnections, public protection, insurance, and the contractor’s registration class. You also need an asset protection permit from your council before any heavy plant works on or near council land. Once everything is in place, on-site demolition can begin.

Does a demolition consent cover asbestos removal?

No. Section 29A consent is purely a building approval under the Building Act 1993. It doesn’t cover asbestos identification, removal, transport or disposal — that sits under WorkSafe Victoria (OHS Regulations 2017) and EPA Victoria (Environment Protection Regulations 2021). Your licensed asbestos removalist handles those obligations separately, including the WorkSafe notification and the EPA Waste Tracker entries for any reportable priority waste. We cover both in detail in our WorkSafe Victoria Demolition Requirements guide and our EPA Victoria Construction and Demolition Waste Rules guide.

Is a demolition consent different in regional Victoria?

The legal framework is the same statewide — Section 29A of the Building Act 1993, Regulation 36 of the Building Regulations 2018, and the same statutory fee cap. What differs is the planning scheme of each council, the heritage overlays that apply locally, and the council’s processing speed. Regional councils generally have lighter heritage controls than inner-Melbourne councils, but coastal, bushfire-prone and historic township areas can carry their own complexities.

Do I need a demolition consent for a swimming pool, garage or shed?

Usually no Section 29A for outbuildings, because they’re typically separate structures — but you still need a building permit for demolition for the structure itself, and a planning permit if it sits in a Heritage Overlay that explicitly covers outbuildings (some inner-Melbourne overlays do). Always check the schedule to the overlay, not just the overlay itself.

What does a demolition contractor actually do for the consent process?

A licensed demolition contractor — and we do this every week — typically: completes the VicPlan and title checks, prepares the Section 29A application package, lodges it as the owner’s authorised agent, manages any council RFIs, lodges the asset protection permit application, coordinates the planning permit process if required, books the hazardous materials survey, engages the licensed asbestos removalist (Class B in our case for non-friable work, Class A specialists where required), arranges service disconnections, and works with the Registered Building Surveyor to ensure the building permit for demolition can be issued without delays. You sign the documents; we run the process.

Get a Demolition Consent and a Compliant Demolition Quote in Melbourne

We’re a fully licensed Melbourne demolition company with Class B (non-friable) asbestos removal capability — meaning your Section 29A consent, your planning permit liaison, your asset protection permit, your asbestos removal and your EPA waste compliance are all handled under one insured roof, across every metropolitan Melbourne council and regional Victoria.

Whether it’s a knock-down rebuild in Brighton, Camberwell, Hawthorn or Toorak, a heritage-affected demolition in Fitzroy, Carlton, South Yarra or Williamstown, a townhouse strip-out in Footscray or Yarraville, a fire-damaged property in the Yarra Ranges or Macedon Ranges, a partial structural demolition for a renovation in Kew or Malvern, or a fast-turn growth-corridor demolition in Tarneit, Werribee, Cranbourne or Pakenham, we’ll handle the demolition consent, the council paperwork, the asbestos and the heavy lifting — properly, the first time.

Call us today for a free site inspection and fixed-price quote — and get a project that satisfies every demolition consent requirement in Victoria, without the headache.

Disclaimer: This guide summarises Section 29A demolition consent requirements in Victoria as of May 2026 in plain English. It is not legal or planning advice. Council fees, overlays, planning policies and fee unit values are updated regularly — always check the relevant council’s current planning scheme, the Building Act 1993, the Building Regulations 2018 and VicPlan, or consult a qualified town planner or building surveyor, before relying on this information for a specific project. Fee unit values reset on 1 July each year.

Sources & Further Reading

Building Act 1993 (Vic), particularly Section 29A and Section 29B
Building Regulations 2018 (Vic), particularly Regulation 36
Planning and Environment Act 1987 (Vic)
Victorian Building Authority — Demolition of Buildings Practice Note (BUILDING-DE-01, May 2024)
Department of Justice and Community Safety Victoria — Penalties and Values (2025–26 fee unit value)
VicPlan — vicplan.vic.gov.au
WorkSafe Victoria — Compliance Code: Demolition (Edition 2, 2019)
EPA Victoria — Civil Construction, Building and Demolition Guide (publication 1834)