An applicant receives an instruction to advertise a planning application and assumes they must arrange a sign. Another applicant is told the council will organise installation. Both experiences can be correct.
The party responsible for erecting a notice depends on the responsible authority and the particular application. Before booking a contractor, read the authority's written instructions and confirm exactly who is doing the work.
Council-managed and applicant-managed arrangements
Victoria's SPEAR guidance recognises that advertising tasks may be undertaken by the authority, the applicant contact or both. For example, an authority might send letters while the applicant arranges the sign.
At the other end of the spectrum, Nillumbik Shire Council states that its own contractor puts up and takes down on-site signs when that process is required. This is why a blanket statement that every Victorian applicant must install and remove their own sign would be misleading.
Five questions worth asking
Who supplies the approved sign? It might be prepared by council or supplied to the applicant as an electronic document.
Who is authorised to install it? If council is arranging a contractor, commissioning a second one could create confusion and unnecessary expense.
Which location is approved? A site with multiple frontages, a high fence or difficult pedestrian access may need specific instructions.
What evidence is requested? Some instructions require dated photographs, a declaration or confirmation that the sign stayed in place.
Who removes it, and when? Never assume that the person who installed the notice has authority to remove it immediately after a calendar reminder.
When an independent field-service contractor helps
When the applicant is responsible for an installation, using a field-service provider can separate site attendance from a busy consultant's office workload. The consultant still needs to oversee the instructions and supporting documentation, while the installer can undertake the agreed physical work and return evidence of attendance.
For multiple sites, a consistent job reference and photo-report format also helps avoid mixing up properties.
Need help with applicant-managed notices? Share the authority's instructions with SiteNotice Australia. We can assess the requested installation or removal work and provide a quote where the service is available.
Related: Planning notice installation · Request a quote