We are a family owned and run business located in Newcastle NSW. We are proud of our humble origin story that started with our Principal Planner deciding that there was a better way of approaching town planning to make it understandable and accessible for the general public! Our first office was our dining room table and we have gone from strength to strength and have gone through a pandemic to get to where we are now!
We know that the Council approval process can be daunting and that town planning seems to confusing! It is our goal to make town planning simple for everyone!
We have a high success rate for our enquiries converting to jobs with clients that speak with Josh, our Principal Planner, regarding their development as they want him to assist with their project as it is explained in plain English rather than vocational jargon!
We have extensive experience in development assessment and strategic planning with our planners having worked at high levels within Councils around Sydney and Newcastle and within the private sector. Having worked on both sides of the planning table our planners know the ins and outs of handling the development process through the gauntlet that is Council. We know how to navigate all the relevant legislation and our speciality is finding loop holes or “Creative” planning ways to gain approval.
Approximately 90% of our projects are located in Sydney and regularly work with Councils such as Blacktown Council, Campbelltown Council, Camden Council, Georges River Council, Mosman Council, Hills Shire Council, Parramatta Council, Ku-Ring-Gai Council, North Sydney Council, City of Sydney Council, Northern Beaches Council, Randwick City Council, Woollahra Council, Hornsby Council and Inner West Council.
We also regularly deal with regional Councils such as Central Coast Council, Mid North Coast Council, Newcastle Council, Lake Macquarie City Council, Singleton Council, Cessnock Council, Maitland Council and Port Stephens Council.
Due to our diverse skills we are comfortable providing town planning support for all NSW Councils.
Solar farms and battery storage (BESS) developments are rapidly expanding across rural NSW. This guide explains how these projects are approved, key planning constraints, and the role of a town planner in the process.
Lodged your DA and Council now wants a Heritage Impact Statement? If you’ve missed a heritage report in NSW, acting quickly is critical. We specialise in urgent, council-ready Heritage Impact Statements — often delivered within 48 hours. Here’s how to fix it fast and keep your project moving.
On average our statement of environmental effects and heritage impacts statements are delivered within two weeks of acceptance (or final plans). We pride ourselves on our fast delivery of expert technical reports for development applications. This fast turn around saves our clients time and money to get their DAs approved faster.
A Heritage Impact Statement (HIS) explains how proposed works may affect the heritage significance of a property or area. Learn when you need one and how to prepare an HIS that supports your development application in NSW.
We have been engaged for many development applications for change of use and other developments within the Queen Victoria Building. The site is a state heritage listed property that has a wonderful history. We have provided heritage impact statements for the fit out and change of use for stores within the building as any works within the historic building require development approval from Council.
Heritage impact statements can be expensive. We understand that this report can sometimes be the most expensive report for a development application. We go into detail of what goes into the report and how you can minimise your costs to obtain a HIS.
We have been engaged for many development applications for change of use and other developments within the Tramsheds complex at Forest Lodge. The site is a heritage listed property that has undergone substantial rejuvenation to turn a once dilapidated building into a thriving retail/food destination.
We recently worked on a project within “The Spot”, a heritage conservation area within Randwick Council. The project was for alterations and additions to an existing semi-detached dwelling. We give some information about the project and how we assisted our clients with their development application.
Property developers best friend is knowledge! Make an informed decision on your next property purchase by getting a pre-purchase feasibility report for as little as $400. Determine whether you can subdivide a site, building a duplex or a town house development before making an offer on the site.
Planning a renovation within a heritage conservation area? We talk about the requirements and what you can and can’t do without approval. Find out what is required with any development application and the process with heritage conservation areas and how to obtain approval with our help.
The statement of environmental effects is the most important report for a development application with Council. It is the cornerstone of any good development application and provides details of the development and an assessment of the compliance of the proposal against the relevant legislation and development controls (LEP and DCP). A good statement of environmental effects can make the difference between an approval or a refusal and can streamline the timeframe of the process.
Where a development doesn’t comply with the LEP development standard (such as minimum lot size, height of building and Floor Space Ratio) a variation to the development standard can be sought through the inclusion of a clause 4.6 report. We provide details regarding the report and where a variation might be appropriate.
Crime Prevention through Environmental Design (CPTED) is a crime prevention strategy that focuses on the planning, design and structure of cities and neighbourhoods. We discuss the principles of CPTED that are required to be assessed in any Crime Risk Reports for development applications.
Review of Environmental Factors State Environmental Planning Policy (Transport and Infrastructure) 2021 allows schools, TAFE and Universities to obtain approval for developments without requiring Council Development Application approval. We explain the process and what types of development can be achieved without Council approval.
Change of use and fitouts for cafes, shops etc within heritage buildings or conservation areas require Council approval. Find out what is required with any development application to obtain your approval and start operating.
Town Planning Collective is a professional town planning and heritage consulting practice providing expert advice and approval support for development applications across Sydney and New South Wales. We specialise in navigating local planning controls, heritage requirements, and council approval processes for residential and small-scale developments.
Sydney NSW
Greater Sydney
Regional New South Wales
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