PRACTICAL GUIDE
A first check of VIC and NSW parcel and planning information
Use a map to identify the correct site and the available planning layers, then verify current controls with the official source. A map or concept design does not establish permission to build.
Published 2026-10-23 · LANDICATION · Educational content
Identify the correct property
Select the state before searching. Check the street number, unit, suburb and parcel against the property you intend to investigate. A map pin is a location aid; parcel geometry is not a licensed boundary survey.
LANDICATION SmartMap provides Victoria and New South Wales views. Available layers and tools differ between them. An absent layer or missing observation should not be interpreted as evidence that no restriction exists.
Victoria: check zones and overlays
Use the official VicPlan service to locate the property or parcel and generate its planning report. Review the zone, overlays and linked scheme provisions, and check the responsible council for requirements relevant to the intended proposal.
The official source and site-specific investigation should guide a decision. A general description of a zone cannot confirm that a particular subdivision or building is permissible.
New South Wales: check the relevant planning information
Use the NSW Planning Portal Spatial Viewer through the official Service NSW entry. Confirm the site and review applicable planning information and linked controls. Contact the council where you need confirmation or a planning certificate.
Do not assume the NSW view has the same layers, labels or tools as the Victorian view. Check the source, reference date and coverage of each layer you rely on.
Connect mapping to the financial investigation
Use supported SmartMap tools to explore the site or an initial concept. Continue separately to Development Analysis to investigate available costs and return assumptions, or to Property Planner for purchase and holding costs.
Keep a list of unresolved site questions alongside the budget. Neither a concept layout nor a positive financial estimate replaces the checks needed for planning approval, buildability or survey boundaries.
Further checks
The official resources below can help you check current requirements. Links checked 2026-10-23.
- Planning Victoria: using VicPlan ↗
- Service NSW: search for planning information ↗
- LANDICATION data and calculation methods
Information is general and does not take account of your circumstances. Confirm current requirements, costs and site-specific issues with the responsible authority or appropriate adviser.
Continue with SmartMap.
Explore supported parcel and planning layers in Victoria and New South Wales.
Open SmartMap and select Victoria or New South Wales. Layers and design capabilities vary by state and available data.