Business Permits

Ever thought about starting an incorporated business association?

Just like how most identify a gap in the market and launch a business, the same could be said regarding why incorporated business associations are established.

There is a gap in a local shopping precinct.

Maybe the gap is related to lack of investment, time, beautification works, anti-social behaviour, vandalism, rubbish, jobs, or marketing for businesses by a government agency.

Or perhaps there are some major disruptions and big builds impacting business operations with little to no communication.

Either way, a unified advocacy voice is needed to represent the needs of businesses in your shopping precinct.

and it only takes five members (business owners) to start the process of establishing an incorporated business association.

To help you out, I wanted to provide you with the 8 benefits of establishing an incorporated business association in your shopping precinct.

1. You can amplify the voice of businesses.

For individual business owners, advocating can be time consuming, stressful, overwhelming, and lonely.

The beauty of having an incorporated business association representing your business, is that they can amplify the voice of an entire shopping precinct.

2. An incorporated business association has more access to funding and grants.

Unfunded and funded incorporated business associations have more opportunities to apply for funding and grants.

To find out more about available grants, check out the Grants and Programs Finder.

3. Establish a governance framework.

Your organisation has more legal/financial responsibilities and formal procedures in place that benefit the members it represents when establishing an incorporated business association.

Funding is not collected so that it can be distributed as a profit to members.

4. You can market and advertise businesses in your shopping precinct.

An incorporated business association is usually established to advertise, market, increase employment, visitation, advocacy, investment, and commerce in a shopping precinct.

The most important thing for any incorporated business association, is building a brand that connects with customers and the businesses you represent.

5. An incorporated business association can build strategic partnerships.

An incorporated business association can focus more on building strategic partnerships and relationships with businesses, government, community, and peak industry bodies.

Don’t be surprised by the new opportunities that come your way once your organisation has incorporated.

6. Your committee can provide strategic insight to key decision makers.

Your association will have a committee that consists of thought leaders in your local business community.

Take your specialist skills and knowledge and provide strategic insight to key decision makers on local business issues and opportunities.

7. You can influence public policy changes and decision makers.

Patience is needed when an incorporated business association wants make changes to public policy that impacts businesses.

The good news? It is that it is possible, and you can influence the way policies are developed or changed by building relationships (and advocating) to key decision makers.

8. You can build a unified advocacy and brand voice.

This is the most common reason that incorporated business associations are established.

It is to prepare and start building a unified advocacy and brand voice that represents businesses.

You can build strategic partnerships, but in the end, every decision that your committee makes is for the businesses that you represent.

In summary…

If you want to start an incorporated business association in your shopping precinct, the 8 benefits listed above may help you and other businesses in deciding.

I hope that they motivate you to identify gaps in your local shopping precinct, start a conversation with other business owners and find your (unified advocacy) voice.

Want to find out more about Rania Fayad and Yellow Round Table?

• Rania provided a presentation at the metropolitan and regional Mainstreet Australia Conference on ‘how to establish a main street marketing and business development fund. This is the next step you would take after establishing an incorporated business association.
• Rania is listed as a consultant on the Mainstreet Australia website. Mainstreet Australia is the peak industry body that advocates for local shopping precincts. You can read my consulting profile here.
• Check out the Yellow Round Table website and read more about my services, experiences and how I can help your business association.
• You can follow Yellow Round Table on Instagram. 
• You can sign up to my monthly emails (this is where I share the most value) by heading on over to my website.
• Follow Yellow Round Table on LinkedIn.
• Connect with Rania Fayad on LinkedIn.
• Book in a free 15 minute discovery call.

It’s just after midnight, you’re in bed thinking about your business and start searching: planning permits for my business Melbourne/Victoria.

You go on some wild search ‘do I need a planning permit?’ and nothing you find is really helping you. The language is just… bleh.

The business permit side of business is very much like The Adventures of Alice in Wonderland. There are:

Rabbit holes. Riddles. Weird things. Wonderful things. Tears. Adventure. More questions…. and you’ll sometimes wish that you didn’t want to start or scale your business so badly, but just like Alice.

It’s your destiny to run your own business!

and that destiny may include planning permits. We hope that it doesn’t, but it might.

When it comes to starting and scaling a business in Victoria (or anywhere in Australia), this question always comes to mind.

and the answer you seek can only be provided by a Statutory Planner from your Local Council.

About Statutory Planning

Statutory planning look at:

• overall use of the land
• impact on you,
• impact on your neighbours
• the impact on the environment

Planning decisions are made by your Local Council’s Statutory Planning department and are in accordance with the Planning and Environment Act 1987.

Your Local Council also has their own Planning Scheme, that is used conjunction with the Act.

How can I find out if my business needs a planning permit?

To get the best outcome when speaking with your Statutory Planner, we have provided you with the basics you should provide them:

1. Provide an address (it’s the only way you’ll be provided information).
2. Have a Business Plan (especially if you want accurate advice).
   • Yellow Round Table can help you with developing a Business Permit Strategy which incorporated business, marketing and all business permits your Council would administer.
3. A detailed summary (if you don’t have a business plan).

Once they have the above information, a Statutory Planner will conduct research, refer to the Planning and Environment Act 1987, Planning Scheme and any other policies and strategies and provide you advice.

Possible outcomes

Your Statutory Planner will provide you with one of the four following advice and outcomes:

Outcome 1:

You don’t require a planning permit.

Outcome 2:

You require a new planning permit.

Outcome 3:

You need to make an amendment  to an existing planning permit.

Outcome 4:

The type of business you want to operate is not allowed at the address you have provided.

This is why you want to speak with your Local Council’s Statutory Planning department prior to buying or leasing property.

If you need to amend or apply for a planning permit

With outcome 2 and 3, your Statutory Planner should also tell you the following:

• The cost of the planning permit application (costs are set by the Victorian Government).
• That the only way your planning permit application will be assessed, is if payment has been made in full (again – set by the Victorian Government; your Local Council administers the Act).
• A snapshot of the statutory process and a rough timeframe.
• Any tips that will help you in submitting a good application (to minimise delays).
• If you should engage an external planning consultant. Don’t take offence to this advice, a planning consultant specialises in this process and depending on your financial situation, can save you a lot of time. It is important that you do your research if you do decide to invest in an external planning consultant.
• If there have been issues at this location or with other planning applications in the past.

After you have received planning advice

Just remember, you still need to find out if business permits are needed from the following departments:

1. Local Laws
2. Environmental Health
3. Building

The statutory planning element is an influential element of the entire permit process.

It has a domino effect directly with building, environmental health, or local elements of your business permit needs.

If you have read this without breaking a sweat, well done to you!

Searching business permits Melbourne or Victoria still?

If you are struggling with getting your business plan, proposal or summary ready and are looking for a premium service that is fun, engaging, and educational…. you’ve come to the right place.

Book in a consultation with Rania from Yellow Round Table prior to speaking with your Local Council or real estate agent.

Contact Rania from Yellow Round Table today and she’ll help you build the strong foundations your business kingdom needs.