Loddon Shire planning permits approved above statewide rural average

Published on 05 June 2025

For a small rural council Loddon Shire Council punches well above its weight in terms of the building and planning services it offers to residents, and that’s been confirmed by recent data.

The latest Statutory Planning Permit Activity Report shows that in the first three months of 2025 every single Planning Permit application was processed within the 60-day time frame required by the Planning and Environment Act, well above the statewide rural average of 69.7 per cent.

But those applications didn’t just sneak inside the limit – the average time taken was 40.8 days.

The median number of days was just 27, less than half the rural average of 58 days.

Of course some applicants might have noticed it took longer than any of those figures for them to be notified of the outcome.

If further information is requested, the clock stops until the application returns to Council.

Loddon Shire Mayor Dan Straub praised the efforts of Council staff in ensuring local applicants knew the result of their applications in a timely manner.

“It’s a credit to the team to process such a high level of applications and they always set a high benchmark,” Cr Straub said.

The latest Building Services Activity Report shows that 133 building permits were issued in the year to 31 March 2025, with a combined value of more than $27 million.

A total of 120 Certificates of Final Inspection and 41 Occupancy Permits were also granted during the period.

Strategic Planning is another important part of Council’s operations and there has also been plenty of work going on there during the early part of 2025.

The Strategic Planning Quarterly Activity Report shows work is progressing on several fronts, including amendments to the Loddon Planning Scheme, the Flood Planning Scheme Amendment, the Wedderburn Flood Study and Structure Plans for the five priority growth towns (Boort, Bridgewater, Inglewood, Pyramid Hill and Wedderburn).

“Strategic Planning is the grunt work behind every development that comes to fruition,” Cr Straub said.

“We are in the early stages of many of these plans but it’s important we get them right to ensure Loddon Shire prospers well into the future.

“All of these projects will also involve extensive community consultation so everyone will have their chance to have their say on the way forward.”