Planning lawyers help with development applications, council appeals and environmental law.
firms
1,182
regions
16
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They advise developers, landowners and objectors on approvals, conditions and appeals, and act in environmental prosecutions and land valuation matters.
Why planning & environment matters
Planning decisions shape what can be built and where. Appeals and objections have strict timeframes.
The Australian context
Planning is controlled by state legislation and local councils, with specialist courts or tribunals such as the NSW Land and Environment Court and VCAT's planning list. Federal approval is required for matters of national environmental significance.
Verified: phone number confirmed on the firm’s website and Google
Brisbane City, QLD · Brisbane CBD
★★★★★★★★★★3.5(10)Google rating from 10 reviews, retrieved 18 Sept 2026
Holding Redlich - Brisbane provides legal services in Brisbane City, QLD. Listed practice areas include Agribusiness & Rural Law, Property & Conveyancing and Business & Commercial Law.
Agribusiness & Rural Law+7 moreProperty & Conveyancing · Business & Commercial Law · Competition & Consumer Law · Litigation & Dispute Resolution · Partner & Family Visas · Intellectual Property & Trade Marks · Planning & Environment4 languagesLanguages mentioned on the firm’s website: italian, spanish, german
Verified: phone number confirmed on the firm’s website and Google
Wyong, NSW · Central Coast
★★★★★★★★★★5.0(10)Google rating from 10 reviews, retrieved 18 Sept 2026
LegalWise Solutions provides legal services in Wyong, NSW. Listed practice areas include Property & Conveyancing, Wills & Estates and Planning & Environment.
Property & Conveyancing+7 moreWills & Estates · Planning & Environment · Litigation & Dispute Resolution · Business & Commercial Law · Family Law · Partner & Family Visas · Estate Planning & Testamentary Trusts
Verified: phone number confirmed on the firm’s website and Google
Kempsey, NSW · Mid North Coast
★★★★★★★★★★4.5(10)Google rating from 10 reviews, retrieved 18 Sept 2026
McNeilly Lawyers provides legal services in Kempsey, NSW. Listed practice areas include Business & Commercial Law, Partner & Family Visas and Planning & Environment.
Business & Commercial Law+2 morePartner & Family Visas · Planning & Environment
Verified: phone number confirmed on the firm’s website and Google
Bendigo, VIC · Bendigo & Loddon
★★★★★★★★★★4.0(10)Google rating from 10 reviews, retrieved 18 Sept 2026
Middlemis & Associates provides legal services in Bendigo, VIC. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Wills & Estates and Domestic Violence & AVOs.
Verified: phone number confirmed on the firm’s website and Google
Lennox Head, NSW · Northern Rivers
★★★★★★★★★★5.0(10)Google rating from 10 reviews, retrieved 18 Sept 2026
Mulcahy Lawyers & Conveyancers provides conveyancing services in Lennox Head, NSW. Listed practice areas include Property & Conveyancing, Workers Compensation and Wills & Estates.
Verified: phone number confirmed on the firm’s website and Google
Moil, NT · Darwin & Palmerston
★★★★★★★★★★4.7(10)Google rating from 10 reviews, retrieved 18 Sept 2026
Northern Legal Services provides legal services in Moil, NT. Listed practice areas include Property & Conveyancing, Wills & Estates and Family Law.
Property & Conveyancing+8 moreWills & Estates · Family Law · Criminal Law · Building & Construction · Litigation & Dispute Resolution · Divorce & Separation · Planning & Environment · General Practice (regional generalist)
Verified: phone number confirmed on the firm’s website and Google
Chermside, QLD · Brisbane North & Moreton Bay
★★★★★★★★★★3.5(10)Google rating from 10 reviews, retrieved 18 Sept 2026
Northside Family Law Centre provides legal services in Chermside, QLD. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Divorce & Separation and Property & Conveyancing.
Verified: phone number confirmed on the firm’s website and Google
Box Hill, VIC · Eastern Melbourne
★★★★★★★★★★5.0(10)Google rating from 10 reviews, retrieved 18 Sept 2026
Verge Legal 维智律师事务所 (Melbourne CBD) provides legal services in Box Hill, VIC. Listed practice areas include Property & Conveyancing, Business & Commercial Law and Wills & Estates.
Property & Conveyancing+7 moreBusiness & Commercial Law · Wills & Estates · Franchising · Litigation & Dispute Resolution · Family Law · Criminal Law · Planning & EnvironmentFree first consultThe firm advertises a free first consultation.
Verified: phone number confirmed on the firm’s website and Google
Milton, QLD · Brisbane CBD
★★★★★★★★★★4.2(10)Google rating from 10 reviews, retrieved 18 Sept 2026
Watt & Severin Solicitors provides legal services in Milton, QLD. Listed practice areas include Property & Conveyancing, Wills & Estates and Business & Commercial Law.
Property & Conveyancing+7 moreWills & Estates · Business & Commercial Law · Elder Law & Aged Care · Probate & Estate Administration · Commercial Property & Leasing · Planning & Environment · Estate Planning & Testamentary Trusts
Verified: phone number confirmed on the firm’s website and Google
Brisbane City, QLD · Brisbane CBD
★★★★★★★★★★5.0(9)Google rating from 9 reviews, retrieved 18 Sept 2026
AMS Law Conveyancing provides legal services in Brisbane City, QLD. Listed practice areas include Sports & Entertainment Law, Immigration & Visas and Banking & Finance.
Sports & Entertainment Law+7 moreImmigration & Visas · Banking & Finance · Business & Commercial Law · Partner & Family Visas · Fraud & White Collar Crime · Property & Conveyancing · Planning & Environment
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Canberra, ACT · Canberra
★★★★★★★★★★4.4(9)Google rating from 9 reviews, retrieved 18 Sept 2026
Barker & Barker provides conveyancing services in Canberra, ACT. Listed practice areas include Property & Conveyancing, Wills & Estates and Family Law.
Verified: phone number confirmed on the firm’s website and Google
Blacktown, NSW · Western Sydney
★★★★★★★★★★5.0(9)Google rating from 9 reviews, retrieved 18 Sept 2026
CH Legal provides legal services in Blacktown, NSW. Listed practice areas include Business & Commercial Law, Property & Conveyancing and Wills & Estates.
Business & Commercial Law+6 moreProperty & Conveyancing · Wills & Estates · Criminal Law · Family Law · Litigation & Dispute Resolution · Planning & EnvironmentFree first consultThe firm advertises a free first consultation.
Verified: phone number confirmed on the firm’s website and Google
East Toowoomba, QLD · Toowoomba & Darling Downs
★★★★★★★★★★4.6(9)Google rating from 9 reviews, retrieved 18 Sept 2026
Contested Will and Estate Lawyers provides legal services in East Toowoomba, QLD. Listed practice areas include Wills & Estates, Probate & Estate Administration and Contested Wills & Family Provision.
Verified: phone number confirmed on the firm’s website and Google
Armidale, NSW · New England & North West
★★★★★★★★★★4.1(9)Google rating from 9 reviews, retrieved 18 Sept 2026
Emalene Gemmell Family Law provides legal services in Armidale, NSW. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Planning & Environment and Parenting & Child Custody.
Verified: phone number confirmed on the firm’s website and Google
Charlestown, NSW · Newcastle & Hunter
★★★★★★★★★★4.9(9)Google rating from 9 reviews, retrieved 18 Sept 2026
Landmark Legal provides legal services in Charlestown, NSW. Listed practice areas include Property & Conveyancing, Wills & Estates and Business & Commercial Law.
Property & Conveyancing+6 moreWills & Estates · Business & Commercial Law · Planning & Environment · Family Law · Estate Planning & Testamentary Trusts · Probate & Estate Administration
Verified: phone number confirmed on the firm’s website and Google
Walkerville, SA · Adelaide Metro
★★★★★★★★★★4.4(9)Google rating from 9 reviews, retrieved 18 Sept 2026
Scammell & Co. Lawyers provides legal services in Walkerville, SA. Listed practice areas include Wills & Estates, Personal Injury and Litigation & Dispute Resolution.
Wills & Estates+7 morePersonal Injury · Litigation & Dispute Resolution · Business & Commercial Law · Notary Public & JP Services · Planning & Environment · Family Law · Criminal Law
Verified: phone number confirmed on the firm’s website and Google
Surfers Paradise, QLD · Gold Coast
★★★★★★★★★★4.6(9)Google rating from 9 reviews, retrieved 18 Sept 2026
TPIL Lawyers provides legal services in Surfers Paradise, QLD. Listed practice areas include Wills & Estates, Litigation & Dispute Resolution and Probate & Estate Administration.
Verified: phone number confirmed on the firm’s website and Google
Drummoyne, NSW · Eastern Suburbs & Inner West
★★★★★★★★★★5.0(8)Google rating from 8 reviews, retrieved 18 Sept 2026
AD VALOREM LAW PTY LTD provides legal services in Drummoyne, NSW. Listed practice areas include Business & Commercial Law, Wills & Estates and Planning & Environment.
Business & Commercial Law+2 moreWills & Estates · Planning & EnvironmentNo win, no feeThe firm mentions no win, no fee arrangements. Confirm terms in writing.
Verified: phone number confirmed on the firm’s website and Google
Kalamunda, WA · Perth East
★★★★★★★★★★5.0(8)Google rating from 8 reviews, retrieved 18 Sept 2026
Alto Legal Pty Ltd provides legal services in Kalamunda, WA. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Wills & Estates and Estate Planning & Testamentary Trusts.
Verified: phone number confirmed on the firm’s website and Google
Kalgoorlie, WA · Goldfields-Esperance
★★★★★★★★★★4.5(8)Google rating from 8 reviews, retrieved 18 Sept 2026
Brookman Legal provides legal services in Kalgoorlie, WA. Listed practice areas include Business & Commercial Law, Planning & Environment and Wills & Estates.
Provide the property address, proposed use and any council or agency decision. Planning advice should identify the actual application, approval or enforcement issue rather than assume all land can be used the same way.
Ask about applicable objection or review dates before relying on informal discussions.
How the engagement may progress
01
Provide the address, parties and current contract or notice. Explain whether anything has been signed and identify every agreed date.
02
Ask which terms, searches and ownership questions will be reviewed. Explain finance, proposed use and any linked transaction.
03
Agree who communicates with agents, lenders and the other side. Confirm how documents are approved and what happens if the matter is delayed or disputed.
Fees and the scope of work
Separate legal fees from searches, registration, taxes and third-party expenses. Complex ownership, negotiations or a dispute may fall outside an advertised conveyancing price.
Ask for a written scope identifying the work you are authorising, the person responsible and when costs will be reviewed. If you only want advice on one step, say so before the firm begins wider work.
Dates to raise at first contact
Seek review before signing where possible. Ask about the actual dates in your documents; cooling-off and completion arrangements differ across states and transactions.
Questions to ask a planning & environment adviser
What decision or approval is being assessed?
Is a planner or other expert also needed?
What is included and what counts as extra work?
Have you handled this kind of transaction or dispute?
What must be decided before signing or the next scheduled date?
Directory guidance updated 19 September 2026. General information to help you prepare for a conversation with a professional; not advice about your individual matter. Check current requirements with the relevant authority.
Good to know
Frequently asked questions
Can I appeal a council refusal?
Usually, yes, to the state planning court or tribunal, within strict time limits.
Lawyer or conveyancer?
For a straightforward residential purchase or sale, a licensed conveyancer is usually enough. Use a solicitor if the property is unusual, the contract has non-standard terms, or there is a dispute or estate involved.
When should I get the contract checked?
Before you sign or bid at auction. Once contracts are exchanged or you've bought at auction, your ability to withdraw is limited.
