Planning and Environment

“We’re here to offer clients a complete range of services – and given our clients’ often-complex business challenges, we have become very good at delivering the right mix of services to help them resolve these.”

Elizabeth Priddle, Director, BSP Lawyers

BSP Lawyers provides expert planning law advice to ensure that clients have all the required approvals for their development needs, whether these are for new businesses or re-development of existing businesses.

We help clients obtain planning permits for commercial, retail and residential developments and offer advice in negotiating permit conditions with Councils and objectors to planning applications. We also prepare Section 173 agreements, often required as part of a planning approval.

Our advice – based on our long history and experience in this area – ensures that our clients have a clear understanding of what’s required to obtain the right planning permissions. This enables them to manage their own project plans and scheduling around the planning process.

Commercial ventures, particularly involving licensed premises, are often the subject of Council or residential complaints, resulting in enforcement proceedings before VCAT. We act on behalf of business owners and objectors in these critical applications.

Our planning practice includes:

Applications for planning approvals under the Planning and Environment Act 1987 and relevant Planning Schemes.

Enforcement proceedings under the Planning and Environment Act 1987.

Drafting Section 173 agreements required by applicants and Councils.

Planning appeals to VCAT against Council decisions involving application rejections, unsatisfactory amendments and unworkable time constraints.

Property and Real Estate

Litigation and Commercial Dispute