Consent Use application in Ekurhuleni.
A consent use is permission to carry on one specific additional activity on a property without changing its underlying zoning. The land use scheme itself lists the activity as something the municipality may allow in that zone at its discretion - a guest house, a place of instruction, a home enterprise - and the application asks the municipality to exercise that discretion for your property.
City of Ekurhuleni - City Planning · Section 16(2) - Consent / special consent in terms of the zoning scheme
What it is
Understanding a consent use
Land use schemes distinguish between uses that are permitted as of right in a zone, uses that are permitted only with the municipality's consent, and uses that are prohibited outright. A consent use application deals only with the middle category. The zoning does not change; a right to conduct the named activity is granted on top of it, usually subject to conditions covering hours, intensity, parking, signage and neighbour impact.
Typical cases are a guest house or short-stay accommodation in a residential zone, a crèche or place of instruction, a place of worship, a home office or home enterprise, or a small shop in a residential area. The threshold question is always the same: does the scheme list this use as a consent use in this zone? If it does not, no consent application is possible and the route is a rezoning.
The consent right is generally narrower and more conditional than a zoning right. It can lapse if the use is not commenced within a stated period or if it stops, it can be tied to the applicant rather than running freely with the land in some schemes, and it can be withdrawn where conditions are breached. That is the trade-off for a process that is usually faster and materially cheaper than a rezoning.
The Spatial Planning and Land Use Management Act 16 of 2013 (SPLUMA) is the national framework: it requires every municipality to adopt its own land use scheme and municipal planning by-law, and it makes the municipality - not the province - the authority of first instance on land development applications. Consent uses are granted under the scheme provisions of the municipal planning by-law. Public notice to affected neighbours is still normally required, and objections must be considered before a decision.
Consent use vs rezoning vs departure
Three different things are at stake. A consent use adds a permitted activity inside the existing zone. A rezoning changes the zone. A departure changes neither the zone nor the use - it relaxes a single development rule such as a building line or coverage. If your problem is 'the scheme does not allow what I want to do here', you need a consent use or a rezoning; if your problem is 'the use is fine but the building does not fit the rules', you need a departure.
Legal basisThe consent-use provisions of the applicable land use scheme, adopted under the municipal planning by-law in terms of SPLUMA (Act 16 of 2013).
Pricing
Consent Use in Ekurhuleni
What's included
Planner intake, SPLUMA-aligned motivational report, full document pack, municipal liaison and lodgement with City of Ekurhuleni - City Planning.
Landlodz fee
from R 25 800
Landlodz preparation and lodgement. The City of Ekurhuleni - City Planning application fee is charged separately per its gazetted tariff schedule. Landlodz is not VAT-registered, so no VAT is added.
Statutory municipal fee - Ekurhuleni
R963.26 residential / R1,526.83 non-residential
2026/27 financial year (tariffs approved May–July 2026). Source: Ekurhuleni, Schedule 20: City Planning Tariffs 2026-27 (ekurhuleni.gov.za). This is a council fee payable to the municipality, not a Landlodz fee, and not a professional fee. Compare municipal fees
Local detail
What's specific to Ekurhuleni
- Ekurhuleni charges the application fee and the advertising cost separately - gazette publication is paid by the applicant directly to the publisher rather than billed as a municipal tariff.
- Several Ekurhuleni tariffs are split by zoning band, with Residential 1 and 2 charged at a lower rate than Residential 3 and 4 and non-residential properties.
- Ekurhuleni's land use scheme position carries a documented inconsistency - 2021 gazette notices still cite the Town Planning Scheme, 2014 while a 2021 scheme document also exists - so your planner confirms which scheme governs the property before drafting.
Who it's for
Built for serious applicants
Owners running a guest house or short-stay accommodation from a residential property
Schools, crèches, and places of worship in residential areas
Home-based professional offices and small enterprises
How it works
From search to municipal submission
01
Planner intake
Our planner confirms this on the intake call: Confirm the property's zoning supports the use as a consent right.
02
Submit intake
Describe the proposed use, hours, intensity, parking, and impact.
03
Feasibility review
Our planner reviews the proposal against SPLUMA and the local by-law and flags risks before drafting.
04
Pay & generate
Receive your motivational report and consent application pack.
05
Planner review & submit
A registered planner finalises and lodges the application.
Submission pack
Documents for a consent use in Ekurhuleni
City of Ekurhuleni - City Planning publishes its own application form and document schedule under its SPLUMA-aligned planning by-law, and we don't reproduce it here unless we've verified it. What every South African land use application needs under SPLUMA (Act 16 of 2013) is listed below - our planner confirms the rest directly against City of Ekurhuleni - City Planning's current form.
Additional documents - traffic, engineering services, heritage, environmental or specialist input - are only required where City of Ekurhuleni - City Planning or the nature of the proposal calls for them. Our planner tells you which apply to your erf after the feasibility review.
Cost breakdown
Consent Use cost in Ekurhuleni
What you pay for a consent use lodged with City of Ekurhuleni - City Planning, split between the statutory municipal fee and the Landlodz preparation fee.
Municipal application fee (City of Ekurhuleni - City Planning)
R963.26 residential / R1,526.83 non-residential
Published tariff for the 2026/27 financial year (tariffs approved May–July 2026), charged directly by the municipality. Source: Ekurhuleni, Schedule 20: City Planning Tariffs 2026-27 (ekurhuleni.gov.za).
Landlodz preparation & lodgement
from R 25 800
Fixed fee covering intake, SPLUMA-aligned motivational report, document pack and municipal liaison.
Payable to Landlodz
from R 25 800
Landlodz is not VAT-registered, so no VAT is added. The municipal fee is billed separately at cost once confirmed.
Municipal figure transcribed from Ekurhuleni, Schedule 20: City Planning Tariffs 2026-27 (ekurhuleni.gov.za), 2026/27 financial year (tariffs approved May–July 2026). It is a council fee, not a professional fee, and is payable to the municipality rather than to Landlodz.
Landlodz fee
from R 25 800
Landlodz preparation and lodgement only. The City of Ekurhuleni - City Planning application fee is charged separately per its gazetted tariff schedule and confirmed by our planner before lodgement.
Phase-by-phase
Consent Use timeline in Ekurhuleni
Typical decision: 120-240 days from acceptance.
PHASE 01
Intake & feasibility
5-10 working days
Planner intake call, official zoning certificate and title deed review, and feasibility assessment.
PHASE 02
Drafting & pack
7-10 working days
SPLUMA-aligned motivational report, supporting plans and full submission pack.
PHASE 03
Lodgement & public participation
21-30 days statutory comment
Lodged with City of Ekurhuleni - City Planning; statutory notice and neighbour consultation runs in parallel.
PHASE 04
Decision
60-120 days from acceptance to decision
City of Ekurhuleni - City Planning circulates internally, considers comments, then issues the decision.
Indicative ranges based on SPLUMA statutory clocks and typical City of Ekurhuleni - City Planning processing patterns. Actual timing varies with public participation outcomes and council workload.
Why Ekurhuleni is different
Ekurhuleni applications are decided under the City of Ekurhuleni Spatial Planning and Land Use Management By-Law, 2019, read with the applicable town planning scheme and SPLUMA.
FAQ
Common questions
Do I need a registered town planner for a consent use?
Most South African municipalities - including Ekurhuleni - require land use applications to be lodged by a SACPLAN-registered town planner. Landlodz works with registered and verified town planners, and every application is reviewed and submitted by a registered planner before it reaches the municipality.
How much does a consent use application cost in Ekurhuleni?
The Landlodz preparation and lodgement fee starts from R 25 800. The statutory City of Ekurhuleni - City Planning application fee is R963.26 residential / R1,526.83 non-residential for the 2026/27 financial year (tariffs approved May–July 2026), per Ekurhuleni, Schedule 20: City Planning Tariffs 2026-27 (ekurhuleni.gov.za), and is charged directly by the municipality.
Are the Ekurhuleni consent use fees fixed?
Gauteng metros publish their own fee schedules and tend to charge premium rates for higher-density rezonings and township establishments. Landlodz shows the current published tariff for City of Ekurhuleni - City Planning only where we hold a verified figure; otherwise our assigned planner confirms it directly with the municipality before lodgement.
Is VAT charged on the consent use fee?
Landlodz is not VAT-registered, so no VAT is added to the preparation fee. Statutory municipal fees are charged directly by City of Ekurhuleni - City Planning. Your itemised invoice shows every line before you pay.
What about hidden costs?
Additional costs may include surveyor, conveyancer, traffic impact, or environmental specialist input depending on the proposal. Our planner flags these in the feasibility review before you commit.
How long does a consent use take in Ekurhuleni?
Typical decision: 120-240 days from acceptance. The clock starts the day our planner accepts your application as complete.
What causes delays in Ekurhuleni consent use applications?
Gauteng tribunals (MPT) sit on fixed cycles; missing a cycle can add 4-6 weeks to a decision. The most common avoidable delay is incomplete documentation that triggers a request for resubmission.
Can the Ekurhuleni consent use timeline be sped up?
City of Ekurhuleni - City Planning runs on statutory clocks - they can't be shortened. What you can control is pack quality: a complete, planner-prepared pack avoids the back-and-forth that usually costs 30-60 days.
When can I lodge building plans?
Building plans require an approved land-use right. Most owners start architectural work in parallel with the consent use, but only lodge the building plan submission once City of Ekurhuleni - City Planning has issued its decision letter and recorded the new right.
Go deeper on this application
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Removal of Restrictions →
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Departure / Relaxation →
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Appeal →
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Extension of Validity Period of Approval →
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Related
Before you lodge a consent use in Ekurhuleni
Zoning certificates
Start your consent use application in Ekurhuleni
Book a free consult. A SACPLAN-registered town planner checks the zoning of your Ekurhuleni property with the municipality and sends you a fixed quote before you commit.