Town Planner Wyong

We are your number 1 Town Planner in Wyong

Qualified and experienced town planners are available in the private sector for developers and other property owners in Wyong. Now part of Central Coast region, Wyong Shire’s 2013 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 higher 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 Wyong 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.

The State government directs Councils and development applicants about all town planning matters, both strategic land use planning and operational matters like approvals. 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 Wyong Shire who has long experience in that former Council area, who has been part of the process that develops 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 the Central Coast region achieve these requirements.

Very few have a credible track record of approvals with the Central Coast or Wyong, 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 the region and without affiliates undertaking Central Coast work from interstate or Sydney offices, Highlight Consulting can provide the required level of service. Additional ongoing updates about town planning in the former Wyong Shire are available through a free monthly e-newsletter.