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Local Planning Expertise

Toorak Architects

Expert architects for Toorak's ultra-premium market. Delivering exceptional developments in Melbourne's most prestigious suburb.

Reviewed May 2026
98% Approval Rate
210+ Projects Delivered
67% Repeat Client Rate
15+ Years Experience
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TOORAK AT A GLANCE Reviewed May 2026
Council
Stonnington
Predominant zones
NRZ, GRZ, RGZ1, RGZ3
Heritage Overlay
Extensive coverage across central and prestige Toorak (substantially expanded under C320ston)
Typical dual-occ lot
600–900m²
Avg permit timeline
8–12 months for typical dual occupancy
Top refusal grounds
Design quality and materials palette inconsistent with Toorak's prestige character

Toorak is one of Melbourne's most prestigious residential suburbs and a distinctive development environment within Stonnington. Substantial lot sizes, mature gardens, and strong heritage character controls combine with high end-product values to make Toorak a niche where considered design response and significant pre-lodgement consultation are typically essential. The council's expectations on materials, scale, and architectural merit are among the most demanding in metropolitan Melbourne.

Local Knowledge

Why Toorak Expertise Matters

Toorak has specific planning requirements within Stonnington Council. With numerous projects approved across the suburb, we have built relationships with council planners and understand exactly what they look for in applications.

Prestige market expertise
Heritage overlay navigation
Luxury apartment developments
High-end custom homes
Toorak Village activity centre
Planning Framework

Planning context in Toorak

Most residential land in Toorak falls within one of these zone families, each with materially different development outcomes.

Neighbourhood Residential Zone

NRZ

Applies across the established residential streets — the most common designation in this suburb.

  • Max height9 metres
  • Garden area35% (lots ≥400m²)
  • Site coverage60%

General Residential Zone

GRZ

Applies in denser residential pockets and contemporary townhouse precincts where multi-unit development is most readily achievable.

  • Max height11 metres
  • Garden area35%
  • Site coverage65%

Residential Growth Zone

RGZ1, RGZ3

Applies along Stonnington's key boulevards — RGZ1 (Key Boulevards) carries 13.5m default height, RGZ3 in the Glenferrie Road and High Street ACZ carries 18m mandatory height.

  • Max height13.5–18m (RGZ1 13.5m, RGZ3 18m in Glenferrie/High Street ACZ)
  • Garden areaNot applicable
  • Site coverage70%

Source: Stonnington Planning Scheme, planning-schemes.app.planning.vic.gov.au. Latest amendment C320ston, last verified May 2026.

Site Constraints

Common overlays affecting Toorak development

  • HO
    Heritage Overlay

    Extensive coverage across central and prestige Toorak (substantially expanded under C320ston)

  • SLO
    Significant Landscape Overlay

    Protects mature canopy

  • VPO
    Vegetation Protection Overlay

    Applies to individual significant trees

Overlay status should be confirmed for any specific site before contract exchange. The planning scheme is the authoritative source — Vicmap Property and the Stonnington Property Profile tool are useful starting points.

Council Intelligence

What Stonnington Council looks for

+

Responds well to

high-quality materials, architectural merit, considered streetscape response

!

Strict on

heritage overlays, design excellence, materials palette

?

Often missed

heritage impact statement in HO areas

@

Average turnaround

8–10 weeks for first Request for Information (RFI)

Per Feasibly council intelligence data, last verified May 2026.

For Toorak specifically, the council pays particular attention to heritage overlay considerations.

Design Patterns

Built form that works in Toorak

  • Substantial lots support: Substantial lots support more ambitious built form than is typical in inner-east Melbourne
  • Heritage Overlay sites: Heritage Overlay sites proceed via retention of contributory/significant buildings with carefully composed additions
  • Materials palette expected to be of exceptional quality: natural stone, premium render, considered roofing
  • Front setbacks: Front setbacks generous, reflecting Toorak's established streetscape character
Risk Patterns

Common refusal patterns to design around

  1. 1
    Design quality and materials palette inconsistent with Toorak's prestige character
  2. 2
    Heritage impact on contributory or significant buildings
  3. 3
    Visual bulk competing with heritage front dwelling on HO sites
  4. 4
    Tree removal without strong design justification
Recent Developments

Recent planning developments affecting Toorak

C320ston

Toorak, Armadale and Kooyong Heritage Review

Gazetted in progress

Heritage Overlay applied to 17 new individually significant places and 9 new heritage precincts across Toorak, Armadale, and Kooyong

View source →
C297ston

Glenferrie Road residential boulevard schedules

Gazetted earlier

Significant zone schedule reforms — established residential boulevard schedules with mandatory heights (RGZ2 13.5m, RGZ3 18m for the Glenferrie Road precinct)

View source →
VC267

Townhouse and Low-Rise Code

Gazetted 6 March 2025

Statewide reform introducing a deemed-to-comply pathway under Clause 55 for multi-dwelling developments of three storeys or less. Where every standard is met, no third-party appeal applies. Operative for applications lodged from 31 March 2025.

View source →
Approval Patterns

How successful Toorak applications typically work

Across recent Toorak dual occupancy and townhouse outcomes, a recognisable pattern of successful applications emerges. While every site differs, the following observations apply to most viable approval pathways in the suburb.

Site selection patterns

  • Lot sizes and frontages consistent with the typical successful configurations described above (in most cases 600–900m² with 15m+ frontage for side-by-side dual occupancy).
  • Heritage or character-protected sites consistently proceed via retention of the existing front dwelling rather than full demolition.
  • Lots constrained by mature canopy or vegetation typically require design adjustment around protection zones rather than seeking removal.

Design response patterns

  • Subordinate scale to the established streetscape consistently expected across Stonnington applications.
  • Materials palette consistent with Stonnington's assessment framework — restrained, contextual, considered.
  • Front building line matching the prevailing street setback rather than projecting forward of adjoining houses.

Process patterns

  • Pre-lodgement consultation with Stonnington materially reduces RFI iteration counts.
  • Direct neighbour engagement before lodgement reduces VCAT review risk on applications attracting objections.
  • Strongest applications lodge with all required supporting documentation (heritage, arboricultural, bushfire, ESD where applicable) attached at intake.

Tribunal context

Tribunal commentary on Stonnington heritage applications consistently emphasises the council's design excellence threshold. A representative recent matter — including the VCAT consideration of a high-rise residential proposal on Toorak Road, South Yarra (refused on heritage and built-form grounds, reported by Gadens, 2024) — illustrates the Tribunal's deference to council's heritage assessment framework in prestige residential contexts.

These patterns indicate typical successful pathways. Site-specific outcomes depend on the particular planning context, design response, and engagement strategy chosen.

Toorak represents Melbourne's most prestigious development market. Success requires architects who understand both the planning framework and the ultra-premium market expectations.

Sammi Lian, Principal Architect, SQM Architects

— On developing in Toorak

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Common Questions

Toorak Planning FAQs

Yes, dual occupancy is achievable in Toorak — but typically requires substantial lot size (1,000m²+ is common), exceptional design quality, and careful heritage response on the substantial proportion of sites under Heritage Overlay.
Heritage Overlay coverage in Toorak is substantial and was further extended under Amendment C320ston (Toorak, Armadale and Kooyong Heritage Review). On HO sites with contributory or significant buildings, retention with carefully composed additions is the standard pathway.
Stonnington's design excellence framework typically expects premium materials — natural stone, high-quality render, considered metal or slate roofing — particularly in heritage contexts. Standard production-build palettes often face additional council scrutiny.
Stonnington's average first RFI is 8–10 weeks. Toorak dual occupancy applications routinely take 8–12 months from lodgement to permit issue, particularly on Heritage Overlay sites.
Our Services

Development Services for Toorak

Dual Occupancy

Expert dual occupancy designs optimised for Toorak's zoning and character requirements.

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Townhouses

Multi-unit townhouse developments designed to maximise your Toorak site.

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Apartments

Apartment developments where Stonnington Council zoning permits higher density.

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Related

More Stonnington + Victorian planning resources

Adjacent suburbs

Council & service pages

Planning Resources

Official Stonnington Planning Information

Stonnington Council Planning Portal

Official planning and building information, permit requirements, and lodgement details.

Visit Council Website

Stonnington Planning Scheme

Full planning scheme ordinance including zones, overlays, and local policies.

View Planning Scheme

Victorian Planning Guides

State government planning guides including ResCode, heritage guidelines, and application requirements.

View Planning Guides

Planning Scheme Amendments

Latest Victorian planning scheme amendments and reform updates affecting residential development.

View Amendments

About this page

Written by Sammi Lian, Principal Architect.
SQM Architects | ABN 32 600 928 390 | Architects Registration Board of Victoria, Reg. No. 51498.

210+ projects delivered across Melbourne’s east. 98% planning approval rate.

This page provides general information about engaging architects for property development in Toorak, Victoria. It is not architectural, planning, or financial advice. Site-specific outcomes vary and should be confirmed by qualified professionals after a site-specific assessment. Planning scheme provisions and council practices are subject to change; references on this page were verified May 2026.

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