Are you considering undertaking works, having a contractor do work on your behalf or wanting to occupy the road for a short period? If you are, you’ll need permission before you start.

Brighton Council can help you and also advise if the particular piece of land you want to work on or occupy is actually Council property. In some cases it may be privately owned, or State Government controlled. Some classes of work may require a planning permit before they commence, be the condition of a planning permit or require building/plumbing co-approvals.

Undertaking works on the road itself, or the footpath and in the nature strip (all collectively known as the road reservation) also requires a permit.

You can get a permit by completing the application form available from the Brighton Council website and submitting it for approval. The form is straight forward and easy to complete.

Along with the form, you’ll also need some supporting documentation such as:

• A plan professionally drawn or sketched by yourself to illustrate your requirements

• A description of the works, its scope and duration

• Details of insurance if the undertaking has a commercial activity

• Pedestrian and vehicle (traffic) management plans.

You may not need all of those requirements – it depends on the project’s size and complexity. Some requirements may need a professional or consultant to provide them, which will be at a cost to you. You can submit your completed form and its supplementary information over the counter, by email or post.

We’re here to help!

Having trouble with filling out the form, understanding what is required, needing to know what a traffic management plan entails and what the cost will be? We can help you. We strongly suggest you drop in and discuss the process if it’s not an activity you undertake regularly or have experience in.

We can confirm if there’s a need for planning approval, the fees applicable, your obligations and risks involved.

Dial before you dig.

We have all seen the advertising and the message is simple. Undertake investigation via this service to understand what infrastructure is below ground. Not undertaking this investigation can lead to serious injury or expense. Not all underground assets are visible or known so always proceed with caution.

Inspections and completion In order for us to know it has been constructed adequately and to the correct standards, inspections are requested. This is to make sure the finished work meets the life span and performance standards expected. If you’ve been issued with a permit, requested any inspections, and completed the works, you need to let Brighton Council know when all the work is complete. This means we can close out the permit and inspect it the finished work.

Why all the red tape?

As the owner of the road reservation, or the authority vested in maintaining it, we have a legislated obligation to know what your intentions are. Our job is to keep all road users safe and to keep roads open and accessible. Brighton Council invests ratepayers’ money in upgrading assets and has a strong desire to see that any work undertaken does not shorten their life. Brighton Council Asset Services looks forward to your enquiry and processing your road opening permit application.