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SHORT COURSE

Development Assessment

$ 3,245.00

START DATE

03 February

MODE

Mixed (online and in-person)

DURATION

5 wks

COMMITMENT

5 x 8 hrs

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Lead Presenters

Danny Wiggins

Danny Wiggins
Director, Danny Wiggins (Planning, Facilitation and Education Services)

Danny has been a town planning consultant for 30 years, specialising in statutory planning systems and local planning controls. He has worked at all three levels of government and for a range of private sector clients. Examples of his work include external reviews of local council development assessment (DA) systems, advice to the State Government on DA items (and training), facilitating the IP&R framework at a range of local councils, authorship of the DUAP publication “Guiding Development: better outcomes”, and work with the Heart Foundation/ Premier’s Council for Active Living and the UNSW Healthy Built Environments Program (HBEP) on supportive environments for community health and well-being. As well as consultancy work, Danny is also an experienced educator and facilitator, having been involved in the preparation and delivery of education and training packages for a variety of State and Local Government agencies and Universities. He has an honours degree in Town Planning and a PhD in residential location theory.

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Luke Murtas

Luke Murtas
Town Planner

Luke Murtas is a town planner and lawyer who has worked for local and state government in NSW and the UK, and is currently Manager, Development Assessment at Sydney's Inner West Council.

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Alison McCabe

Alison McCabe
Director, Planning, SJB

Alison has over 35 years of experience in statutory and strategic planning for state and local government and private practice. In conjunction with Stuart McDonald, she started SJB Planning NSW in 2005. Prior to this, she was Director of Environmental and Community Management for Leichhardt Council.

Alison is experienced in all facets of urban and regional planning, including local government administration and statutory processes, policy development, public participation, appeals and conflict resolution. She holds a Bachelor of Urban and Regional Planning, University of New England; and a Graduate Diploma in Environmental Law, Sydney University and has lectured on planning at UTS.

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Joshua Palmer

Joshua Palmer
Partner, Pikes and Verekers Lawyers

Joshua has extensive experience in local government and planning and environmental law, regularly acting for local government, private developers and accredited certifier clients in both Class 1 and Class 4 of the Land and Environment Court’s jurisdiction. His experience enables him to adopt a whole-of-matter approach that allows for creative yet simple solutions to complex problems. An important part of Pikes & Verekers' Planning & Environment team, Joshua works closely with local government clients. He is an excellent communicator who advises on construction and interpretation of planning instruments and Development Control Plans, existing use rights, development contributions, construction of development consents and commencement of development. His understanding of local government and planning and environmental law allows for creative legal solutions to otherwise intractable problems. Joshua also has extensive experience in development applications including Part 3A approvals, planning proposals and development benefited by voluntary planning agreement.

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This short course outlines the basic building blocks of the development assessment process and the planning principles that underpin good practice.

About this course

Development assessment is one of the most high-profile and resource-heavy activities in the local government sector. This short course will equip you with a fundamental understanding of the development assessment process and related planning principles.

During this Development Assessment course you’ll also learn to balance planning law and policy considerations with local strategic planning and urban design outcomes – essential knowledge and skills for effective professional practice.

Key benefits of this course

By the completion of this course you should:

  • Understand how the NSW strategic planning and development assessment systems operate
  • Understand the significance of the legal frameworks on which planning is based
  • Be equipped to analyse planning instruments such Local Environmental Plans (LEP) and State Environmental Planning (SEP) Policies, and the accompanying development control plans
  • Understand how development applications (DAs) are processed, including legal requirements, determining key issues and impacts, stakeholder views, weighting of issues and applying conditions of consent
  • Be aware of key examples and worked case studies, considering assessment matters, conflict resolution and negotiation skills
  • Understand the sources of conflict, approaches for dispute resolution; and the role of the Land and Environment Court (including procedures, planning principles and case law).

Digital badge and certificate

A digital badge and certificate will be awarded following the successful completion of any necessary tasks or assessments to demonstrate acquired learning of the short course or for meeting attendance and/or participation requirements.

Learn more about UTS Open digital badges.

Course outline

Designed for planning professionals, such as engineers, building surveyors, planners and environmental officers who work with urban planners as well as support staff and those relatively new to the field of development assessment, this course outlines the basic building blocks of development assessment process and the planning principles the underpin good practice.

Designed to complement experience at work and on-the-job training, this course provides essential knowledge and skills for effective professional practice, balancing planning law and policy with local strategic planning and urban design outcomes.

This course can be delivered as an advanced course for senior development assessment and planning officials and can be customised for in-house training for your organisation.

Session 1

  • Introduction to development assessment
  • The role of the Development Assessment (DA) Planner
  • Strategic framework, state and regional planning
  • Local environmental planning in NSW
  • Local environmental plans and development control plans.

Session 2

  • Development assessment fundamentals
  • The development assessment framework
  • Steps in the development assessment process
  • Case studies of the range of development types and scales.

Session 3

  • Development assessment (DA) in practice
  • Professional practice
  • Specialist input to the DA process
  • Assessment and weighing decisions.

Session 4

  • Development assessment field trip and best practice case studies/workshop
  • Urban design basics.

Session 5

  • Decision-making and Appeal Systems

-  Land and Environment Court

-  How planning panels operate: panel report workshop.

Price 

Full price: $3,245 (GST-free)*

 10% discount for UTS Students and UTS Alumni  

*Price subject to change. Please check price at time of purchase. 

Delivery style

This course will be offered in a mixed mode format consisting of online delivery via a live Zoom link and face-to-face teaching on UTS campus. Location details and teaching materials will be made available to participants prior to the course.

Block one will be offered online via a live Zoom link and block two will be delivered face-to-face on UTS campus. On day four, participants will be accompanied by our presenter(s) on a site visit. Location details will be released in the lead up to the commencement date.

In-house training solutions

This development assessment course can also be customised or delivered in-house.

Enrolment conditions

Course purchase is subject to UTS Open Terms and Conditions. 

COVID-19 response 

UTS complies with latest Government health advice. Delivery of all courses complies with the UTS response to COVID-19.

Contact us

For any questions on enrolment or payment, please email support@open.uts.edu.au 

If you have a specific question on course content or requirements, please email ippg.learning@uts.edu.au

Who is this course for?

The course has been designed for planning professionals who are looking to further develop their knowledge of the development assessment process including, but not limited to engineers, building surveyors, planners, support staff and those relatively new to the field of development assessment.

Book a session

Mon 03 Feb 2025-
Thu 06 Mar 2025
Expert: Danny Wiggins, Luke Murtas, Alison McCabe, Joshua Palmer
  • Online via Zoom and UTS City Campus. Click on the underlined sessions and hours total link below to reveal specific session details.
  • Mixed (online and in-person)
  • 5 sessions, 30 hours total

Enrolments close at 9:00AM AEDT, Monday, 3 February 2025, or when all places have been filled, whichever occurs first.

Acknowledgement of Country

UTS acknowledges the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation, the Boorooberongal people of the Dharug Nation, the Bidiagal people and the Gamaygal people, upon whose ancestral lands our university stands. We would also like to pay respect to the Elders both past and present, acknowledging them as the traditional custodians of knowledge for these lands.

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