How statutory town planners can help property investment

Mr Mainey explained that there is a big difference between the two “realms” of town planning, which include statutory town planning and strategic town planning.

“You’ve got town planners that work in council and assess DAs, and I am a [statutory] town planner in private, which is I prepare the applications and lodge them with council,” Mr Mainey said.

Statutory planners look at a site and navigate the day-to-day process of constructing a build through council, according to Mr Mainey.

“So, I get the architect to send me plans. I’ll assess the plans and make sure they comply with the council’s requirements,” he said.

“Or [I will] work out where we can sort of push the boundaries a little bit to get things across with council, and then lodge that DA and liaison with council throughout that assessment process.”

According to Mr Mainey, statutory town planners have the knowledge to guide investors who acquire a fresh block of dirt to maximise the gains they get out of their build, while ensuring it meets all the relevant restrictions and limitations imposed on the site.

Mr Mainey said he acts on behalf of the developer, but works very closely with local councils and investors to determine the legality of proposed renovations or new builds – to ensure property investors do not construct builds illegally and might incur fines or demolitions.

Strategic town planners look at the broader concept of things, Mr Mainey explained, which includes identifying what type of property needs to go in a specific location that can best benefit a community.

Precautionary planning

Statutory planners must understand what each individual council imposes on property housing proposals and developments, according to Mr Mainey, in order to ensure the needs and requirements of property investments are met within the limitations of the law.

The statutory planner explained that he advises investor clients about what they can do within the framework of their specific project, such as the maximum height of various structures, or where boundaries can be pushed in certain phases of the development.

“I could say, ‘Mate, you’ve got some issues here. You’ve got stormwater issues or bushfire or flooding’,” Mr Mainey said.

“We over-arch that process in terms of we navigate, ‘We’re going to need this consultant, this consultant and this consultant,’ and then pull all that together.”