Town Planner Gosford

We are your number 1 Town Planner in Gosford

Qualified and experienced town planners are available in the private sector for developers and other property owners in former Gosford City. Now part of Central Coast region, Gosford City’s 2013 and 2014 town planning requirements remain in force in 2020 and possibly for longer. The requirements are in transition to merged documents, which will bring together strategic studies as well as Gosford’s and Wyong’s former town planning documents.

The process is taking many years, with dissension within Council, and between Council and residents about the standards that will apply in future. The State government, through the current department of Planning and Office of Local Government, has directed merged Councils in how they are to merge their town planning requirements so as to provide fairly consistent coverage over their new Council areas. Some inconsistencies will continue to be permitted. An example is in the Central Coast region where flatter building land in Wyong has seen a minimum lot size for low density housing at 450 sq m (or less) for more than 7 years, whereas Gosford’s standard has been 550 sq m for an even longer period.

Gosford’s standard arose from its more difficult topography, with multiple challenges including slopes, geotechnically unstable land, coastal erosion, bushfire-affected land, threatened species, bushland, floodplains. The State is looking for additional house sites, to help reduce population pressure within Sydney. In the case of this region, it is proposed (but not yet adopted) that both former Councils’ standards will continue to apply to minimum lot size in R2 zone, via site specific mapping. Town planners in private practice in Gosford assist clients to navigate these differences as well as the transition period, and the whole gamut of town planning standards that will apply from State and Council level.

“Common sense” does not apply: the law applies, arising from the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 (as amended) and other Acts, along with their regulations and associated policies. Town planning consultants such as Highlight Consulting are familiar with all these requirements as well as guidelines and softer measures that will guide site designs as well as applications for development approval. Developers should seek a town planner in Gosford who has long experience in that former Council area, who has been part of the process that develops local town planning requirements, who is familiar with the commercial aspects of property development (personally and professionally) and who has credibility with Council personnel. Be aware that a number of other professionals may call themselves town planners but a check of their qualifications will either prove up the claim or not.

Town planners should be qualified at University level with a planning qualification, preferably at postgraduate level. They may also be certified by a professional institute which will ensure that a code of ethics applies to their work and that continuing professional development occurs. Peer reviews also occur through such institutes via conference papers, peer-reviewed journal articles and other means, which ensure that standards are high and are well maintained in relation to Australasian professional standards.

Very few town planners in Gosford achieve these requirements. Very few have a credible track record of approvals with the Central Coast or Gosford, particularly on environmentally sensitive land such as coastlines, floodplains, bushfire-affected properties, land affected by protected species and engineering challenges, apart from town planning constraints.

With an office in former Gosford City, Highlight Consulting can provide the required level of service.