We are in the process of installing a wood burner and have decided that the best place would be where we currently have a floor to ceiling window

I rang the council today to ask if we needed planning permission to brick up the window and the answer was 'no'. However, apparently we need to have a building licence which involves an application, two sets of detailed floor plans inlcuding site elevations etc, a $77 application fee and, probably, such a long wait that summer will be upon us before we see any heat.:curse:

OH is a brickie and if he decided to go ahead without said licence, does anyone know what the ramifications would be ?

Two things come to mind that might come back to haunt you.
If you ever had cause to make an insurance claim they could hold an un-permitted installation against you.
When, and if you sell the house, you will have to diclose the fact it was built without permits. You might have to go back and retroactively apply, tear work out, redo it etc. etc.
I'd ask around (other contractors) and see how long building permits take in your area. You might be pleasantly suprised. Usually planning is the big hold-up time-wise. For the purpose you describe, a neatly, hand prepared site elevation might suffice. Depending on the age of the building, if you go down to the building department they probably have plans on file for your house that you could copy and save yourself some time and money.
Good luck.

I never thought of the insurance side. I do know that planning is currently taking months as opposed to weeks but I guess we could start at the same time as putting in the licence app.

Our plans with the council are held in archive and we have to pay ( & wait ) to get them out. We did that last year for the pool co and asked for the plans back but no sign. May get OH to chase them up.