Work history
Assessing a diverse range of planning permit applications in a middle ring metropolitan local government authority.
2008 - 2009
Tomkinson P/L
Senior Consultant
Delivering integrated (statutory and strategic town planning, survey, engineering and project management) consultancy services to top and middle tier estate developers, rural and rural residential subdivision applicants, medium density residential and commercial property developments in metropolitan and regional Victorica, land capacity and development feasibly assessments, appeals tribunal advocacy.
2007 - 2008
Urbis
Planning Consultant
Commercial land use and development applications, land capacity and development feasibly assessments, assessment a and VCAT advocacy.
2006 - 2007
Coomes Consulting
Planning Consultant
Major 'green' and 'brown-field' residential estate/subdivision developments involving planning scheme amendments, land purchase negotiations, community/public consultations, delivering integrated (statutory and strategic town planning, survey, urban design, landscape, engineering, and project management) consultancy services concerning rural/regional and rural residential subdivision applicants, educational institutions, medium density residential and commercial property developments in metropolitan and regional Victorica, land capacity and development feasibly assessments, appeals tribunal advocacy, strategic planning policy and planning scheme instrument development.
2005 - 2006
ERM Aust.
Planning Consultant
Commercial, aged care, infill development, site contamination/remediation, planning scheme amendments.
2009
Boroondara CC
Senior Assessment Officer
2017 - current
aup town planning
2012 - 2015
Maroondah City Council, Team Leader Planning
Obtaining planning approvals for mobile telecommunications facilitates in Brisbane, regional Queensland, and the Northern Territory; and providing expert advice/obtaining approvals for land subdivisions, dual occupancies and multiple dwelling developments,
2010 - 2011
Glenvill P/L
Principal Planner
Developed and implemented an 'in-house' planning consultancy service within a leading premium home design and build company; training colleagues; obtaining building and planning approvals for dwellings and display homes.
Mentoring, training, guiding, and leading a multi-disciplinary team; managing a portfolio of complex permit applications and development projects; meeting with development proponents and advising on planning scheme compliance; organising/facilitating Councilor community consultation meetings, appeals tribunal advocacy; inter-departmental liaison.
2004 - 2005
Hobsons Bay City Council
Statutory Planner
Planning permit application assessments.
2002 - 2003
Vic. Dept. of Planning
Policy Development Officer
Strategic and statutory land use and development policy development and review (Melbourne 2030, ResCode, new formal planning scheme reviews), and community consultations.
Mission statement
Who are we?
aup town planning is a town planning consultancy for a new age of property development.
provides total town planning consultancy services.
is built around the expertise and knowledge of Tony Comrie. Tony has unparallel expertise and knowledge of statutory town planning principles and practice - i.e., interpreting and working with land use and development legislation, policies and instruments - mainly planning schemes.
He also understands the fundamentals and practicalities of property development - and knows how to engage and work with developers, designers, sub-consultants, Councils, etc. to 'smooth the assessment wheels' and obtain quick compliance.
Tony developed his career within Australia's most dynamic and competitive market - Melbourne.
First, he worked for the Victorian government - then in many senior local government roles.
He has prepared and assessed planning permit applications, and worked with developers and Councils regarding almost every conceivable type of land use and development project: from rural, rural-residential and small urban subdivisions; large green and brown field mixed use and residential estates; educational institutions; corner shops and shopping centres; medium density, high rise and aged care residential developments; to telecommunications infrastructure; advertising signage; home business; industrial land use expansions.
Tony has also designed and implemented an entire planning consultancy service; negotiated land swaps for developers; researched, drafted, and reviewed land use and development planning policies (e.g., Melbourne 2030, ResCode, planning scheme instruments, and Victoria's 'common format planning scheme provisions'); advocated for local governments and developers at planning appeals tribunal hearings; organized, facilitated, and represented multiple parties, at local government planning meetings and community consultations; prepared expert submissions in support rezoning of land/planning scheme amendments - including preparing structure, master, and staging plans for new residential and mixed-use estates in green and brown field developments; and undertaken comprehensive land use and development feasibility assessments.
Tony obtained his Masters in Urban and Regional Planning from University of Melbourne in 2001, previous studied and worked in the law. He also has accreditations in the real estate industry.
Tony has a unique view of town planning - he is aware that the evolution of the planning consultant sector has needlessly led to the being regarded as 'gate keepers' to property development industry - and that this is constraining the efficiency and effectiveness of land development, and the creation of better cities - because planning consultants are not providing the best possible service to developers and landowners - and are being denied consideration of the full range of possible development opportunities, are waiting too long for permit applications to be submitted, and are paying too much.