Common Reasons Council Rejects Building Plans (And How to Avoid Them)

Having your building plans rejected by council is frustrating, expensive, and time-consuming. Every rejection means weeks of delay, additional drafting costs, and potentially missed construction windows.

The good news? Most rejections are avoidable. Here are the most common reasons councils reject building plans in Australia, and exactly how to prevent each one.

1. Non-Compliant Setbacks

Setback requirements specify the minimum distance your building must be from property boundaries. These vary by zone, overlay, and building height.

Why It Causes Rejection

Many plans are drawn without properly checking the applicable setback requirements. The building is simply placed too close to a boundary.

How to Avoid It

• Check your local planning scheme for setback requirements BEFORE designing
• Verify front, side, and rear setback minimums
• Remember that upper storeys often have greater setback requirements
• Consider using a planning consultant for complex sites

2. Missing or Incorrect Shadow Diagrams

Shadow diagrams show how your building casts shadows on neighbouring properties. Most councils in Victoria require them for two-storey developments or buildings near boundaries.

Why It Causes Rejection

Councils need to assess whether your building will cause unreasonable overshadowing of neighbouring outdoor spaces, windows, or solar panels. Missing or inaccurate shadow diagrams make this assessment impossible.

How to Avoid It

• Include shadow diagrams at 9am, 12pm, and 3pm on September 22 (equinox)
• Use accurate 3D modelling, hand-drawn shadow diagrams are often inaccurate
• Show shadows on neighbouring properties, not just your own site
• Consider the cumulative effect of existing and proposed shadows

3. Overlooking and Privacy Issues

Planning schemes include requirements to protect the privacy of neighbouring properties. Windows, balconies, and elevated outdoor areas must be designed to minimise direct views into neighbours' private spaces.

Why It Causes Rejection

Plans that show large windows or balconies directly facing neighbouring bedrooms, living areas, or private open space will be flagged.

How to Avoid It

• Screen or obscure windows within 9 metres of neighbouring habitable rooms
• Use fixed obscure glazing, screens, or planter boxes
• Show overlooking diagrams on your plans demonstrating compliance
• Consider the angle of view, not just the distance

4. Site Coverage Exceedance

Most residential zones have maximum site coverage requirements, the percentage of your land that can be covered by buildings.

Why It Causes Rejection

Adding an extension without calculating the total site coverage (existing + proposed) often pushes the total over the allowable limit.

How to Avoid It

• Calculate total site coverage early in the design process
• Include site coverage calculations on your site plan
• If you're close to the limit, consider reducing the footprint or applying for a variation

5. Insufficient Car Parking

Council planning schemes specify minimum car parking requirements based on the number of dwellings and bedrooms.

Why It Causes Rejection

Subdivision and multi-unit developments frequently fail to provide adequate parking or show non-compliant parking dimensions.

How to Avoid It

• Check parking requirements for your zone and use
• Ensure parking dimensions meet Australian Standards (AS2890.1)
• Show access ways, turning areas, and sight lines on your plans
• Consider bicycle parking requirements for multi-unit developments

6. Non-Compliance with Heritage Overlay

Properties within a heritage overlay have additional requirements around external appearance, materials, and design character.

Why It Causes Rejection

Proposals that dramatically alter the appearance of heritage buildings or are inconsistent with the neighbourhood character are commonly refused.

How to Avoid It

• Research the heritage significance of your property and precinct
• Design additions to be recessive and distinguishable from the original building
• Use compatible materials and colours
• Consult your council's heritage advisor early in the process

7. Incomplete or Poor-Quality Drawings

This is one of the most common and most preventable causes of rejection. Councils simply can't assess what they can't clearly see.

Why It Causes Rejection

Missing information, unclear dimensions, illegible text, or hand-drawn plans that lack professional quality all slow down the assessment process and often result in requests for further information or outright rejection.

How to Avoid It

• Use a professional drafting service
• Ensure all required drawing types are included
• Check that all dimensions, labels, and notes are clear and legible
• Include a drawing schedule listing all sheets

8. Inadequate Landscaping Plans

For larger developments, councils often require landscaping plans showing how the site will be landscaped around the buildings.

Why It Causes Rejection

Missing landscape plans or plans that don't meet minimum requirements (e.g., minimum percentage of permeable surface, canopy tree planting) will be flagged.

How to Avoid It

• Check whether a landscape plan is required for your project
• Include plant schedules, hard and soft landscaping, and irrigation details
• Meet minimum permeability requirements
• Show existing trees to be retained or removed

9. Non-Compliant Building Height

Each zone has maximum building height limits. These are measured differently depending on your council and zone.

Why It Causes Rejection

Plans that exceed the maximum allowable height are a straightforward reason for rejection, especially if no variation is justified.

How to Avoid It

• Check the maximum height for your zone (measured to ridge, not just wall height)
• Show height measurements clearly on elevation drawings
• If requesting a height variation, provide strong justification

10. Missing Supporting Documents

Many applications require supporting documents beyond the drawings themselves.

Why It Causes Rejection

Applications submitted without required reports or certificates are considered incomplete.

How to Avoid It

• Check the council's application requirements checklist
• Common requirements include: title plan, survey, arborist report, energy rating, waste management plan
• Submit everything together to avoid delays

The Cost of Getting It Wrong

Each rejection or RFI typically costs:

• 2–6 weeks of delay in the approval timeline
• Further drafting or consulting fees to amend and resubmit
• Opportunity costs, missed construction slots, extended loan periods, delayed rental income

How Arya Designs Prevents Rejections

Our drawings are designed to get approved the first time. We:

• Check all relevant planning requirements before we start drawing
• Include all required drawing types and information
• Produce clean, professional, council-ready drawings
• Support you through the approval process, including responding to any RFIs

We've helped hundreds of projects get approved across Victoria and NSW with a high first-time approval rate.

Upload Your Plans for a Free Assessment

Not sure if your plans will pass council? Upload them and we'll review your project and provide honest feedback, plus a fixed quote if you need new drawings.