24 Nov How To Work With A Town Planner
Many people think they only need a Town Planner for difficult or controversial applications, but there are many benefits to using a Town Planner, like Change of Plan, for all your projects.
Starting a new town planning project can be daunting, but we are here to help. Some of the ways that we can help you:
- More time for what you want
- Effective management of the application
- Reducing stress
- Nothing gets lost in translation
- Impartial assessment and negotiation
- Extra support
Read on below as we discuss some of the main benefits that you can enjoy to make the process of getting a planning permit an easier and more pleasant process.
Time
We all wish we could have more time. While we can’t change the number of hours in your day, by managing your planning application for you, we can at least give you more time to spend on what you want or need to do. We keep you regularly informed of the progress of your application, so you always know where it is up to, but by leaving the day-to-day management to us, you free yourself up to focus your energy on your most important tasks.
Planning Application Management
We can’t guarantee how long a planning application will take. However, we do guarantee that we will follow up and prioritise your application from start to finish. We will also provide you with a guarantee of when we will complete our reports and work, to maintain the smooth flowing of your application.
We have processes set up in our office to ensure the smooth running of your application. We proactively follow up the Council every step of the way to ensure that your project doesn’t get lost or forgotten.
Stress Relief
Speaking to the Council can be stressful. We choose to do it to relieve our clients of this stress. We will keep you informed of each stage of your application, but by being the buffer between you and the Council we can help to reduce some of the stress in your life.
Speaking Council Language
I’ll be honest, planners have a language of their own which can be difficult to interpret. We pride ourselves on decoding Council messages for you so you understand exactly what is being said. Too often people come to us late in the process with an issue that has arisen because they didn’t understand what Council was saying. While we believe that the Council has a duty to you to make sure you understand them, until that happens you have us to work on your behalf. We make sure nothing gets lost in interpretation or slips through the cracks.
Remaining Impartial
We are clear on your objectives and will always work towards your ultimate goal. Where necessary we will provide advice or negotiate a compromise solution with the Council that provides the best overall outcome to you. We aren’t swayed by particular design ideals. We can help remove the emotion out of the planning process to provide a clear path for you to achieve a great outcome.
Extra Support
Sometimes you need extra help because your planning application requires variations or is complex. We focus on the reasons that your application can be supported and highlight that to the Council to increase the chance of success. However, we won’t mess you around. If what you want to do is not going to be approved, then we will be honest with you about this. We will provide you with realistic advice if we see alternative solutions that will yield you a better outcome or increase your chance of success.
Now that you how using a town planner could benefit you, the next step is to know when to call us!
I will cover the main stages of the project where a town planner should be involved and what we can do to assist.
Preliminary Stage
Before you get too far into your project it is worth having a conversation with a town planner. The town planner will check if there are any special planning controls to be mindful of, before the plans are developed. We can also provide initial advice on whether the type of project that you are looking to undertake is appropriate for the site and what the planning application process will be like. This will save time and money on having plans drawn up that won’t be approved for your site.
Concept Stage
Having determined the planning controls and that the type of development is feasible for your site, the next step is working through the concept plans. Once the concept plans have been developed it is important to discuss the project with a Town Planner again. It is usually at this stage that you will formally engage us so that we can consider the proposal in greater detail. We will provide feedback on any elements that may need further refinement or adjustment to maximise your chance of success.
Planning Application Stage
Now that feedback from yourself and the town planner has been incorporated into the plans and the design is finalised, it is time to commence lodgement to Council. First the Planning Report is written to support the application and then the documents are collated to prepare the application submission. We can manage all of this on your behalf, taking the stress away.
When Things Go Wrong
Hopefully your application will go smoothly and speedily to a positive resolution. However, if you have had your project managed elsewhere and have run into a problem, you can engage a town planner at this stage. It is ideal for the application to be managed from the start to avoid problems or a refusal from Council at the last stage, however we can be brought on board to understand the history of the project and work to negotiate with Council or represent you at VCAT if necessary.
While we can help with your difficult projects, we provide benefits to you for all planning applications.
Whether you are looking for more time, less stress or a well managed project we can help.