What This Firm Does

Design Collaborative Planning and Development Consultants is an independent planning consultancy established in 1985. The firm operates across New South Wales, providing planning advice for projects ranging from small hospitality venues to major State Significant Development applications.

Urban Planning Services

The practice prepares development applications under the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 for multiple land use categories. The firm handles residential projects including apartment buildings, boarding houses, subdivisions, and dual occupancy developments. Commercial and industrial development applications form another core service area, with the team managing applications across retail, office, and industrial sectors.

• State Significant Development applications and major project approvals
• Residential development applications and subdivision planning
• Commercial and industrial development approvals
• Development objection responses and planning appeals

Liquor Licensing and Gaming Services

Design Collaborative specialises in hospitality licensing under NSW legislation. The firm prepares liquor licence applications under the Liquor Act 2007 for all licence categories, from small bar permits to large venue authorisations. Gaming applications under the Gaming Machines Act 2001 represent another specialist area, including Local Impact Assessments for gaming machine installations.

• All liquor licence types under the Liquor Act 2007
• Gaming machine applications and Local Impact Assessments
• Hospitality venue planning and licensing integration

Expert Witness and Project Management

The firm provides expert witness services for Land and Environment Court proceedings, with directors recognised for their planning expertise in legal contexts. Design Collaborative operates in a project management capacity, coordinating multidisciplinary consultant teams including architects, engineers, and specialist consultants across major development projects.

• Land and Environment Court expert witness testimony
• Project management and consultant coordination
• Planning strategy and development feasibility advice

Notable Projects and Experience

The practice holds nearly four decades of experience across diverse project types. Recent work includes heritage projects such as Parramatta Gaol, extractive industry applications including the Maroota Friable Sandstone Extraction Project, and hospitality venues including the Dry Dock Hotel.