Dear Members

I am pleased to welcome the following members as new Chapter Councillors following the recent elections:

Steven Donaghey (dwp|suters)

Ashley Dunn (Dunn & Hillam Architects)

Kathlyn Loseby (Turner)

Peter Smith (Smith & Tzannes)

Congratulations also to Alex Kibble (Tanner Kibble Denton Architects), who was re-elected as Chapter Councillor from the previous term.

And my thanks to outgoing councillors Nigel Bell, Kirsten Orr, Shahe Simoneon and Paul Walter for their contribution to the previous Chapter Council. And we also welcome Monica Edwards (Cox Architecture) who has been appointed to replace the position of Kirsten Orr who has resigned.

Coalition for NSW Planning Reform

The Institute was a founding member (with PIA, the Property Council and the Sydney Business Chamber) of this group of professional, property and business groups. Formed in August 2007, we gained government support for several substantial planning system improvements, such as the delegation of major project assessments to the Planning Assessment Commission and the creation of the Housing Code and Joint Regional Planning Panels.

We also supported the White Paper and the draft planning legislation introduced into Parliament by the O’Farrell Government. But that legislation failed to pass the Legislative Council.

Earlier this month I was part of a delegation that met with Planning Minister Rob Stokes to urge the Baird Government to adopt some significant initiatives that would improve the functioning of the planning system under the current legislation, while also providing stepping stones towards a more comprehensive overhaul through new legislation at a later date. These include:

• replacing all current State Environmental Planning Policies with State Policies and Regional and Subregional Plans;
• a new standard LEP;
• template DCPs;
• piloting the public participation principles outlined in the White Paper;
• greater use of independent hearing and assessment panels and similar arms-length assessment models;
• complying development assessment models;
• non-discretionary development standards, particularly in the standard LEP; and
• certification by certified professionals of certain elements of development (e.g. architects verifying the plans for complex buildings and building elements).

The Minister gave us a good hearing. I am confident that with further consistent lobbying, both as an individual organisation and as a member of the coalition, we will achieve these necessary improvements to the current complex planning system.

Vale Paul Pholeros

It’s almost a month ago now, but the untimely passing of one of our greatest colleagues still hits me with terrible force. He was a true innovator and visionary, for whom architecture was a means of providing dignity and honest shelter to many outback families. His life and example offer us the best possible role model. We may not individually choose the path he followed, but we should be inspired by him to do the best we can in using our professional skills to improve the world we live in.

Shaun Carter
NSW Chapter President