Meet The Local Town Planning Consultant Taking The Hassle Out Of Property Red Tape, Paperwork + Planning

You’ve got your heart set on turning the vision of your dream property into a reality – whether it’s a reno or a new build – and even before you get to all the fun stuff like picking out colours, tiles and designing kitchens, you’re in a world of paperwork hell.

There’s the lawyers, the banks, certifiers, engineers, architects and builders to deal with.

And then there’s going through development applications, liaising with Council, putting together a CDC and construction certificates. 

It can be super overwhelming……unless you know what you’re doing, which let’s face it, isn’t very many of us!

That’s when it’s good to call on someone who does.

A town planner, say!

We caught up with specialist town planning consultant, Tom Hutchison from Hutchison Planning to talk about town planners, what they do and why you need one if you’re building or renovating a property in the Southern Highlands.

1 :: Okay Tom, let’s start with what a town planner does.

You can put town planning into two categories.

One makes the rules.

And one works with the rules to get the development done – that’s the area that I work in.

I’m the one who helps you with the council approval process and other ways to get your project done. 

2 :: So, town planners are the unsung heroes of the construction and renovation space!

Of course. Most people are not really aware of how important it is to engage a town planner and I think that needs to change.

There’s a few different ways I work with clients.

Someone might be about to buy a property but want to do something like a knock down and rebuild, so need to know what they can do within council and state guidelines. I can do a preliminary assessment of their ideas so they are more educated about the purchase.

I have clients I’ve helped with subdivisions and developments right through to working with clients at the initial design stage of new builds.

I also think strategy is important. Having worked in large Sydney firms, it’s important to remember there are always multiple ways to do things that can both save [and make!] you a lot of money!

3 :: And you help with all types of property?

Absolutely. Residential, commercial and industrial, whether it be rural areas or the towns and urban areas. 

4 :: Okay, so, walk us through the kinds of work you do.

There are so many aspects but let’s start with an owner who makes a purchase and wants to make a change or build.

Once the purchaser owns it, I go through the process of getting the approval done by pulling together the team of various consultants needed to put the application together and lodge it. So, essentially, I perform a project management role for the approval process. 

Often, we get involved at the really early stages of a project with design architects to make sure everyone is pulling in the same direction to optimise a successful outcome.

Sometimes people will just approach us to get a range of possibilities so they can achieve the highest yield for their property. This can help define a project and provide a brief for the architectural input. It also helps investors understand what return they might be able to get on their property. 

But it’s not just the building side of things. The town planner can identify and assist in resolving issues to do with biodiversity, bushfire mapping or flooding and a range of other matters which are really important.

And of course, all of those issues are getting more regulated at state and local levels.

5 :: Your expertise takes the pressure off for people, right?

Absolutely. Let’s look at liaising with Council, for example.

We take care of the whole development application process. A lot of people will fall over at various hurdles in the process. For example, they’ll try to go it alone and get a three page letter back from Council with required changes – and at that point they will feel out of their depth.

The reality is, it is a challenging process because of the complexity of rules and regulations.

When you’re not familiar with how it all works, it can be really stressful and overwhelming.

6 :: But it doesn’t have to be!

Right – it’s better just to engage us from the beginning.

You have to remember councils have a number of planning layers. There is the statutory layer and the policy layer, and then there are the range of planning laws that cover the whole State. 

It can get tricky for the uninitiated.

Throughout my career, I’ve had experience with every council throughout New South Wales and it’s that understanding of how councils operate in a policy environment that is really important in what I do.

That’s definitely my strength.

I’m passionate about helping people navigate their way through all of those layers.

I do it so you don’t have to!

7 :: And as an added bonus, you have a great eye for design?

Yes, I’m a complete nerd when it comes to a floor plan.

I just know when they work or when they don’t. I wouldn’t go so far as to say I’m a qualified designer, but as a town planner who loves good design, I can certainly help people brainstorm ideas for their dream project or suggest ideas on floor plan layout before they go to the drafter or architect.

My experience means if I’m brought in early, I can also help you get an understanding of what is feasible from an approval point of view. There are often many possibilities. 

8 :: So, what about smaller projects in the Highlands? Should people get a town planner involved?

Look it depends, but certainly anything with heritage involved in a place like Berrima, for example, will require a town planner.

Wherever there is a bit of uniqueness or speciality about a property, a town planner should get involved. Also, in instances where you want to have flexibility in your building design. 

The problem is that most people don’t know if they need a town planner or not, so it’s best to ring up and check.

If you don’t, no harm done. If you do, you’re going to be so glad you engaged one!

9 :: And I imagine that the character of the Highlands is built on town planning policies that might not be obvious to our readers?

Yes.

Apart from the heritage aspect, the council has a policy in rural areas about not scattering buildings over properties. They prefer them to be clustered so that they are created into groups. For example, people might want to put a large shed or a second dwelling on the property and they find there are restrictions about placement. We can help with giving advice and direction around something like that.

Another thing to be aware of is Wingecarribee Shire Council has its own policies for different zones and villages where the intention is that each area has its own unique and individual character and looks slightly different. 

10 :: And finally, Tom, it’s been a long and winding road for you to get to the Highlands.

I came to the Highlands in 2018 after seeing an opportunity to change the pace of my life a little bit. I’ve always been drawn to the place. It offers a fantastic regional lifestyle but is still accessible to Sydney. It’s also got a nice balance of people.

I was born in the Victorian town of Ballarat and grew up in Melbourne so the regional town thing is in my blood a bit.

After living in Sydney and then travelling around the world – including a stint in New York – I came back to university in Melbourne where I knuckled down to get a Bachelor of Arts in Urban Studies.

That led me to Sydney again where I worked with a number of Sydney councils including Randwick and North Sydney, a few private companies and a thirteen year stint at Meriton, which is a remarkable organisation.

Now I’m here in the Highlands where I particularly enjoy working on a mix of bespoke, fun and upmarket domestic projects.

11 :: What do you love about running a business in the Highlands?

There is definitely a different pace here which I really enjoy. It allows for more consideration and contemplation, which is a good thing considering some of the big projects we work on.

So, there you go! How good would it be to engage someone like Tom before your next reno or build? We can definitely see the benefits – time, money, wellbeing!! – you’d get from working with a town planning consultant.

If you’re right in the thick of it and need some help, or planning a build, renovation, or development, get in touch with Tom at Hutchison Planning, via the website or call on 0425 233 553.

Thanks Tom – super interesting!

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