Merri-bek City Council has recently announced new Open for Business guidelines to help small businesses open sooner and with fewer hassles.
Funded by the Victorian government’s Regulatory Reform Incentive Fund, these guidelines cover hospitality, live music venues, fitness businesses, entertainment and recreation businesses, personal services, and small industry and manufacturing.
Figuring out these guidelines is much easier with Merri-bek City Council’s comprehensive online guide, helping new businesses grapple with the typical complexities of policies, codes, zones, permits, and licences. To make things even easier, the Merri-bek City Council have launched a stylish, easy-to-follow animated video introducing the initiative and directing you to all the information you’ll need to open a new business in the City of Merri-bek.
To celebrate this fantastic new initiative in our home city, we’re taking a deep dive into what these new Open for Business guidelines contain.
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Merri-bek City Council are eager to help aspiring business owners increase the speed of approval for permits and applications, so the guidelines list the steps necessary for getting a business up and running. There are four key sections for hospitality businesses: planning approval, building approval, liquor licensing and food registration, and regulations and registrations.
Planning permits
For planning permit approval, the guide walks aspiring business owners through each of the main considerations. These are factors to consider such as zoning (the most important), timing, overlays, costs, neighbours, and contaminated land. It lists what you’ll needed to apply for a permit and what kinds of permits are necessary. Very helpfully, there’s also a summary of the key permit triggers and the approval process – a good indication of what’s looked for in the decision process. Key factors are objections, amenity impacts (parking and noise), and zone overlays. Applications will either get met with a planning permit, a NOD (notice of decision) granting a planning permit, or a refusal. If accepted, they will provide conditions regarding parking and number of patrons. Handy time saving tips are also on offer, such as requesting pre-application meetings, seeking the help of experts, and the payment of correct fees.
Building permits
The guidelines surrounding building permits offer insight into the what’s and when’s of the process, clearly laying out the requirements for businesses to gain approval most easily. Factors include changing the purpose of the business, capacity limits, altering emergency or safety features, or even the toilets-to-patron ratio. The guidelines stress that it’s important to ensure you meet safety and accessibility requirements such as fire prevention, emergency exits, wheelchair access, or patron capacity. It’s also worth remembering that if your business’ location is already listed under the same classification, that will help expedite this process.
Liquor licencing and food registration
Liquor licencing and food registration is a key area to understand if you’re interested in opening a hospitality business. There are multiple kinds of licences for liquor, so choosing the right one is important. For food registration, registering with the council is a must. The type of licence to apply for is determined by whether you want to be able to offer takeaway, serve past 1am, and whether you will be serving drinks with or without food. The licence will have to be applied for after the planning permit, so the guide provides links to the relevant websites and application locations. Food registration requires a few steps: you must decide on the nature of the business, discuss your plans with local council, plan an on-site meeting, and then complete the application.
Regulations and restrictions
In terms of regulations and restrictions, the Open for Business guidelines contain a comprehensive checklist of factors to always remain mindful of if you want to run a safe and successful business. Things such as noise control and footpath trading are all listed here. The risk of unreasonable noise is a main factor in deciding eligibility of whether a permit should be granted and endorsed by council. To play it safe, the Merri-bek City Council recommends undertaking an assessment of noise impacts and including it in the application. The acoustics fact sheet is a fantastic resource for understanding the ways to reduce noise risks as needed. Understanding these regulations is the best way to avoid complaints and issues.
Making it easier for businesses of any kind to plan, navigate and flourish is crucial for Merri-bek City Council to maintain its reputation as a stronghold of arts, culture, and hospitality. As such, the guidelines end with a kind and supportive message of support: “We wish you all the best with your new business. It’s an exciting journey.”
View the Merri-bek City Council’s Open For Business guidelines here.
This article was made in partnership with Merri-bek City Council.
