Town Planning Services in the Knox City Council Area

Name: AS Planning
Address: Melbourne, VIC, AU
Telephone: +61 400 012 311
Price range: $$

We can help you prepare and submit a planning permit application to Knox Council.

Last updated: 17 July 2026

Knox: leafy suburbs and bushland at the foot of the Dandenongs

Established suburbs, bushland reserves and a leafy skyline protected by strong tree and landscape controls.

Knox sits at the foothills of the Dandenong Ranges. Established suburbs like Wantirna and Boronia give way to bushier, semi-rural pockets like Lysterfield and Upper Ferntree Gully. It’s a green, family-friendly part of Melbourne’s east — and whether you’re renovating, planning a knock-down rebuild, or developing multiple dwellings on your block, we can help make it happen.

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Bushland along the Dandenong Creek Trail, Bayswater

Dandenong Creek Trail sign at Bayswater, City of Knox

View of the Dandenong Ranges from Wantirna

Tirhatuan Wetlands, Rowville, City of Knox

The Basin village at the foot of the Dandenong Ranges, City of Knox

Lysterfield Lake and surrounding bushland, Lysterfield

Entrance arch to the Kokoda Track Memorial Walk (1000 Steps), Ferntree Gully, City of Knox

Village Cinemas at Westfield Knox, Wantirna South

The Big Watermelon at Bushy Park, Wantirna South, City of Knox

About AS Planning

We can assist with applying for any type of Planning Permit application with Knox City Council

AS Planning is an independent Town Planning Consultancy working in Knox and surrounding areas, primarily assisting clients in obtaining Planning Permits through Council in the most efficient and timely manner possible. We work with a high volume of clients requiring a Planning Permit triggered from the various zones and overlays, including (but not limited to) the Vegetation Protection Overlay (VPO), Significant Landscape Overlay (SLO) and Heritage Overlay (HO) in the Knox area.

Andrew Stubbings is the Director & Founder of AS Planning. He has years of experience within both the public and private Town Planning sector and has a solid understanding of Council’s end to end process. Andrew now works independently with home builders, developers, architects, investors and business owners.

Description: Photo of a vacant residential block with temporary fence erected at the footpath. AS Planning are Town Planners in Victoria.

Planning Experience & Expertise in Knox

We have experience and expertise with planning permits and approvals required for Renovation Projects, Knockdown Rebuild Projects and Multi-Dwelling Developments in the area.

AS Planning will ensure the strongest planning application is submitted to Knox City Council on your behalf. The planning application addresses all relevant planning policies from the Knox Planning Scheme and includes external consultants reports.

Contact us today about our Town Planning services in and around Bayswater, Boronia, Ferntree Gully, Knoxfield, Lysterfield, Rowville, Scoresby, Studfield, The Basin, Upper Ferntree Gully, Wantirna and Wantirna South.

Vegetation and landscape controls in Knox: what they mean for your project

We can confirm whether a Vegetation Protection Overlay or Significant Landscape Overlay affects your property.

Across Knox’s greener suburbs — Lysterfield, Rowville, The Basin, Upper Ferntree Gully and the Dandenong foothills — tree and landscape controls shape what you can build and what vegetation you can remove. Two overlays do most of the work:

Vegetation Protection Overlay (VPO) — protects native and significant trees. You generally need a planning permit to remove, destroy or lop protected vegetation, and Council often requires replacement (canopy) planting as a condition.
Significant Landscape Overlay (SLO) — protects the leafy, treed landscape character Knox is known for. As well as tree removal, it can control where a building is sited, its height and setbacks, so new development doesn’t erode the bushy skyline.

These controls stem from Knox’s Green Areas and Rural Strategy (GARS), adopted in December 2023. Knowing which overlay applies — and what canopy-replacement obligations come with it — before you design can save significant time and cost. AS Planning can confirm your overlays, and where needed engage a professional Arborist and Landscape Architect on your behalf, including the Arborist Reports and Landscape Plans often required for VPO and SLO permits.

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Knock down and rebuild planning permits Victoria

Investment and unit development planning permits Victoria

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Town Planning Services

AS Planning can help you with planning and development approvals in Knox.

Research and feasibility studies
Understand the viability of a project before pulling the trigger.
Pre-application advice in the Knox City Council LGA
Ensure Council are involved from early in the project to ensure as smooth and efficient application process as possible.
Preparation & submission of planning permit application to Knox City Council
We take away the stress of dealing with Council by undertaking the planning permit application process on your behalf; from lodgement to permit. We will strive to achieve a smooth and efficient application process to save you time and money.
Detailed town planning reports
We leave no stone unturned, we can help you put forward the strongest application possible. A key aspect of this is presenting an airtight, comprehensive town planning report to Council which we can prepare on your behalf.

Report & consent applications
If your Building Surveyor has advised that a dispensation is required from Council, we can take the stress out of having it approved.
Bushfire assessments
We are certified to undertake Bushfire Attack Level (BAL) assessment reports, including but not limited to bushfire hazard site assessments, bushfire hazard landscape assessments and bushfire management statements.

Assisting with any planning permit requirement within the Knox area

There are many reasons why a planning permit may be triggered within the Knox region, including but not limited to the list below:

Buildings and/or works for a new build (including dwellings) or extensions / increase in floor area of existing buildings.
Knock down rebuild (KDRB)
Significant Landscape Overlay (SLO)
Vegetation Protection Overlay (VPO)
Removal or lopping of native / protected vegetation
One (1) dwelling on a lot (Clause 54)
Two (2) or more dwellings (Clause 55)
Subdivision
Heritage Overlay (HO) in pockets
Amending a historic Planning Permit to suit your needs

Responding to or removing restrictions on title
Liquor licensing
Car parking waiver / reduction
Business signage
Change of use
Multi unit residential developments
Mixed use development
Industrial / commercial development

Dedicated to helping you achieve the best possible outcome

When you choose AS Planning, you are backed by a dedicated and highly experienced team.

Skills & Qualifications

Andrew has a Bachelor of Applied Science – Planning. He is a strong communicator when it comes to community consultation, as well as engaging with project stakeholders and authority consultation.

Experience

Andrew has over 20 years of experience in both private and public town planning, including working in local government. He has extensive knowledge of Council processes.

Network of specialists

Support your planning permit application through surveys and assessments from our specialist partners, including expertise in Urban design, Landscape architecture, Flora and fauna, as well as Civil and traffic engineering.

Contact Us

Call us on +61 400 012 311 or fill out the form below.

FAQs

Do I need a permit to remove a tree on my Knox property?

Often, yes. Many properties in Knox’s greener suburbs are covered by a Vegetation Protection Overlay (VPO) or Significant Landscape Overlay (SLO), which protect native and significant trees. If your property is affected, you generally need a planning permit to remove, destroy or lop protected vegetation, and Council may require replacement planting as a condition.

What is a Significant Landscape Overlay (SLO) in Knox?

An SLO protects the leafy, treed landscape character that Knox is known for, particularly around the Dandenong foothills and suburbs like Lysterfield and The Basin. As well as tree removal, it can control where you site a building, its height and its setbacks, so new development doesn’t erode the bushy skyline.

Can I subdivide or develop in Knox’s leafy suburbs?

It depends on your zone and overlays. Knox encourages growth in and around its activity centres, but much of the municipality prioritises its leafy character through Vegetation Protection and Significant Landscape Overlays. A town planner can assess your site’s constraints and canopy-tree requirements to determine whether a subdivision or multi-dwelling development is feasible.

What is the Green Areas and Rural Strategy (GARS) in Knox?

GARS is Knox’s strategy, adopted in December 2023, guiding how its greener and rural areas are managed. It underpins the Vegetation Protection and Significant Landscape Overlays that apply across much of the municipality, so it directly affects tree removal, canopy replacement and building controls on affected properties.

How long does a planning permit application take in Knox?

The statutory timeframe for a planning permit decision in Victoria is 60 days, but Knox applications — especially those needing public advertising or involving vegetation and landscape assessments — can take several months. Engaging a town planning consultant to lodge a complete, policy-compliant application reduces Council requests for further information (RFIs) and avoids unnecessary delays.

Image credits

“Village Cinemas Knox Melbourne” by User:Mr Stan Zemanek, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
“Dandenong Ranges National Park” (Kokoda Track Memorial Walk, Ferntree Gully) by Titus Vespasian at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
“Ferntree Gully1” by Lakeyboy at English Wikipedia, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
“Lysterfield Lake” by Kaiser909 at English Wikipedia, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
“Boronia Station” by Alex1991 at en.wikipedia, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
“Aussie Veterans Opportunity Shop next to Here & There Makers on first floor of The Mall Boronia in Boronia, Melbourne” by Philip Mallis, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
“The Basin” by Mayish, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
“Tirhatuan Wetlands” by TheArtfulD, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons.
“The Dandenong Ranges from Wantirna” by Bob T, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
“Dandenong Creek Trail sign, Bayswater” by Philip Mallis, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
“Dandenong Creek Trail, Bayswater” by Philip Mallis, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
“The big watermelon” by SteveEBear, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Town Planning Services in the Knox City Council Area

We can help you prepare and submit a planning permit application to Knox Council.

Knox: leafy suburbs and bushland at the foot of the Dandenongs

Established suburbs, bushland reserves and a leafy skyline protected by strong tree and landscape controls.

About AS Planning

We can assist with applying for any type of Planning Permit application with Knox City Council

Planning Experience & Expertise in Knox

We have experience and expertise with planning permits and approvals required for Renovation Projects, Knockdown Rebuild Projects and Multi-Dwelling Developments in the area.

Vegetation and landscape controls in Knox: what they mean for your project

We can confirm whether a Vegetation Protection Overlay or Significant Landscape Overlay affects your property.

Town Planning Services

AS Planning can help you with planning and development approvals in Knox.

Research and feasibility studies

Pre-application advice in the Knox City Council LGA

Preparation & submission of planning permit application to Knox City Council

Detailed town planning reports

Report & consent applications

Bushfire assessments

Assisting with any planning permit requirement within the Knox area

There are many reasons why a planning permit may be triggered within the Knox region, including but not limited to the list below:

Dedicated to helping you achieve the best possible outcome

When you choose AS Planning, you are backed by a dedicated and highly experienced team.

Skills & Qualifications

Experience

Network of specialists

Contact Us

Call us on +61 400 012 311 or fill out the form below.

FAQs

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF COUNTRY

CONTACT US

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