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Who am I?

 

Before moving from Queensland to Melbourne to study town planning, I worked in the law. then after completing my Masters in Urban and Regional Planning I worked for 15 years in various town planning roles - with the Victorian state government, in local government, and in private practice. ​

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I moved back home in 2015, completed further town planning studies and started work as planning consultant preparing development applications for telecommunications facilities provides in regional and metropolitan Queensland, and the Northern Territory. ​​ A few years later I started aup town planning + polis commenced a PhD at Sunshine Coast University. I've had to put studies on hold however to develop my business. You can read my c.v. here.​​

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1st - I'm very good at what I do 

 

There are many things I can't do, but I am a very good town planner. I love the work, am inspired by cities and how they work and evolve, and I've learned my craft from working amongst the very best, in the largest, most competitive and dynamic property development market in Australia - on both sides of the counter - in policy development and assessment, and strategic planning and statutory (development approvals) planning. I'm thorough, meticulous, and pride myself on being professional - but also see the big picture.

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I am an 'expert' town planner - I have a profound understanding of the underlying principles and theories of town planning, and how to draft and interpret land use and development polices, laws, regulations, and planning schemes.

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I've appeared/advocated before planning tribunals, given evidence, advised Councilors and every type of developer - from major residential estate and retail developers to mum and dad developers - and while no-one can ever know everything - I know how and where to look, and how to interpret new and often forgotten or hidden town planning provisions - and argue assertively and compellingly.

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The (poor) state of town planning in Queensland

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Because I've worked in different states, I can say the Queensland town planning system and development sector is in a bad way. The whole legal and regulatory framework is antiquated, too complex and convoluted - and there's too much having to cross-refence across to this or that regulation or statue. In fact, it's almost as if the government wanted to make an unworkable system.

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....then there's Councils. Many, like Sunshine Coast RC do almost nothing, despite benefiting from property development. Often to even speak to a planning officer you have to wait a week in advance and pay fees (most of which, in my opinion, are lawfully questionable).  Meanwhile planning decisions often defy logic and sense, as well as imagination, and fail to take into account how diverse today's local communities are - and because their decisions are so costly to appeal - they don't engage or negotiate.  ​​​​​

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But I'm not sure if planning consultants are doing their best either. For example, despite my criticisms of some Councils not attending pre-lodgement meetings is professional and ethical negligence - given the money their clients are about to spend - while many planning reports either miss permit triggers, or the attention given to responding to the assessment criteria suggests they just 'assume' Council will accept it. This, in my view, is borderline negligent.​​

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I am a strong advocate for change and encourage people from all walks of life to learn more about town planning, get passionate about their cities, and participate in discussions concerning reforming the town planning framework (click the links to commentaries and investigations - left).

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