When Do You Need a Town Planner? (South Africa)

Ten scenarios that need a planner

Building a granny flat or second dwelling. Opening a guest house or B&B. Running an Airbnb at scale. Starting a home business with customers visiting. Subdividing an erf. Building extensions that exceed coverage or building lines. Opening a spaza shop on residential property. Converting a house to flats or offices. Buying property where the intended use is unclear. Appealing a refused application.

When you can probably skip a planner

A single dwelling extension within coverage and building lines. A new garage within parameters. Internal alterations only. Painting or fencing within municipal guidelines.

Municipality-specific notes

Cape Town
City of Cape Town uses the Municipal Planning By-Law (MPBL, 2015) and the Development Management Scheme (DMS). Applications run through the eDevelopment Application Management System (eDAMS).
Johannesburg
City of Johannesburg operates under the Municipal Planning By-Law (2016) and the Joburg Town Planning Scheme. Applications lodge via the JoziPlan online portal.
Tshwane (Pretoria)
City of Tshwane uses the Tshwane Town-planning Scheme (2008) under the Land Use Management By-Law. The Spatial Planning division handles intake.
eThekwini (Durban)
eThekwini uses the eThekwini Town Planning Scheme administered under the KwaZulu-Natal Planning and Development Act and SPLUMA.

Frequently asked questions

What if I just want a zoning interpretation?+

A planner can provide a quick interpretation for R1,500-R3,500. Landlodz's free initial consult often answers this question without a fee.

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Book a free consult. A SACPLAN-registered town planner confirms the route for your erf and sends you a fixed quote before you commit.