Council has a major role in land use planning that requires it to balance differing considerations for now and in the future.

Land use planning has two elements, statutory planning and strategic planning.

Statutory Planning is the everyday process of dealing with applications for a planning permit.

Strategic planning is land use planning for a whole municipality, setting out the vision for what the municipality should look like and how it should function.

Council’s Municipal Strategic Statement (MSS) provides the broad outline and vision for existing and future land use within the municipality. Statutory Planning controls and the MSS are contained in the Mitchell Planning Scheme (see link below).

The planning department is also responsible for the issuing of permits for commercial development, signage, native vegetation removal, sheds, dams, rural subdivisions etc.

Contact should be made with the Planning Department prior to any proposal being undertaken.