Craven Ovenden Town PlanningTown Planner
Nov. 2007 - Jun. 2009Whilst employed at Craven Ovenden Town Planning I was involved in preparing development applications, gaming and liquor licensing applications and providing town planning advice to clients. I was involved in preparing development applications for a range of land uses including residential, commercial, industrial and mixed-use developments. I was also required to provide town planning advice to clients with regards to a variety of matters, including highest and best use advice, road resumption advice, heritage and demolition matters, native title and planning law advice. Development applications ranged in size, from the demolition of a house and subdivisions of land from one lot in to two to large, multi-unit developments involving up to 25 units; multi-storey mixed-use residential and commercial developments and structure planning for a large multi-lot subdivision. Part of the business involves representation in the Queensland Planning and Environment Court. One Director, Greg Ovenden, represents clients as an expert witness in planning appeals before the court and so I was often required to assist in the preparation of expert witness statements, attend court, liaise with clients on legal matters and attend negotiation and mediation sessions. I was also involved in social impact assessments which involved investigating a community’s risk to alcohol and gambling addictions given the demographic composition of the community, access to social services, location of the proposed license and proximity to sensitive land uses. Key demographic indicators, based on alcoholism and gaming addiction research, including race, employment, income, age and occupation were analysed. A detailed community consultation is also undertaken whereby local residents, businesses, community groups, social services and community leaders are consulted.