During my architectural career, I have been fortunate to have been able to focus at the design end of projects for much of my work. This has meant being able to be really involved in the creative process, from business case, site selection and working out all the constraints of the local District and Regional Plans for the area that the site resides. Sometimes there are many regulations, bylaws and design guides to contend with, and each council has a slightly different approach.
Over the years, I have written and prepared several planning applications as part of the architectural service, Great care has been taken in the design to ensure that principles of good urban design, proportion and scale, material selection and considerate layout are manifested, and therefore, often the writing of applications can come quite naturally to confirm the requirements have been met. Each project and each site is unique and sometimes the applications are more challenging, involving neighbours sign-offs, additional traffic consultancy or even hearings. But it’s not something to be afraid of – for larger, more complex builds where timing is imperative, having the support of an external planner has been invaluable to manage the risk that this stage of the process entails. The feeling is always the same – when approved, it’s an exciting time for each project, as now the development and detailing can really begin!
