Welcome to 2017. I hope all members had a safe and enjoyable holiday break.
We’d all heard the rumours, but did we really think we would have a new Premier within the first month of the year? Never has that much-quoted adage – a week’s a long time in politics – been so appropriate. I am sure that we are all pleased to see the new Premier announcing housing affordability as the key issue for her term in the top job.
This is also one of the key priorities for the Institute this year. Our national advocacy priorities have been grouped around built outcome quality, climate mitigation and adaptation, affordable housing, infrastructure planning and funding and reducing red tape.
Amendments to planning legislation
Following the release of the government’s draft architecture and design policy and medium density design guide last year, Planning Minister Rob Stokes hit the ground running with the release of draft amendments to the state’s planning legislation earlier this month. The key recommendation affecting our profession is the intention to make good design an objective of the Act.
This is not just legal window-dressing. It potentially gives design considerations legislative teeth, enabling them to be used as the justification for refusing or amending development proposals.
It also creates opportunities for architects to play a much greater role in the planning system.
Architects in the planning system
Just think about it.
Who do developers turn to if they want to prove their good design credentials? Architects.
Whose practical visualisation skills give 3D reality to strategic planning? Architects.
Who can best advise the community on the potential impact of development proposals? Architects.
Whose design expertise makes the greatest contribution to design review panels? Architects.
Who can best assess the impact of development proposals on the local context? Architects.
Who can provide the design expertise needed by independent hearing and assessment panels and other expert development consent bodies? Architects.
Who can fulfil the role of certifier while also understanding the design intent of the project? Architects.
And finally, who can objectively explain the meaning of ‘good design’ in a court environment? Architects.
These are some of the opportunities that will open up to the profession once the new objective is legislated.
Awards
I’m confident this will be another great year for the NSW Architecture Awards. Make sure you get your entries in well before the deadline of 22 February. Many thanks to our Newcastle members for the 30 entries we received for this year’s Newcastle Architecture Awards.
Australia Day Honours
I was delighted that John McInerney AM FRAIA was recognised last week for significant service to town planning, and to architecture, to professional organisations, to local government, and to the community. John has been a Fellow of the Institute since 2003 and a member since 1998. I have had a close working relationship with him in his role as Chair of the Millers Point, Dawes Point, The Rocks and Walsh Bay Residents Action Group. He has been a driving force behind the campaign to save the Sirius building. We owe him a great debt for the way in which he has applied his extensive planning skills and experience in the interests of heritage conservation and the long-term interests of the wider community.
Shaun Carter
NSW President