MELBOURNE ENGINEERING CONSULTANTS PTY LTD provides town planning design services to its Melbourne clients. Town planners are involved in making long, and short-term, decisions about the management and development of cities, towns, villages, and the countryside. They aim to balance the sometimes-conflicting demands of housing, industrial development, agriculture, recreation, transport, and the environment, in order to allow appropriate development to take place.
Town planning design services must consider the often-competing views of businesses and local communities, within towns and cities. In rural areas, town planners must ensure that development is sustainable and that the right balance of development is achieved to preserve the environment, as well as agricultural interests. When done with care and consideration, the work of town planners contributes positively to tackling the effects of climate change.
MEC town planning design services can assist when dealing with unique town planning requirements, such as protecting the historical environment or urban design.
As a guide, planning activities may include:
- Developing creative and original town planning design solutions to satisfy all parties
- Consulting with stakeholders and other interested parties, and negotiating with developers and other professionals, such as surveyors and draftsmen
- Assessing town planning applications and enforcing and monitoring outcomes as necessary
- Researching and designing town planning policies to guide the development
- Researching and analysing data to help inform strategic developments, such as increases in affordable housing provision
- Designing layouts and drafting design statements
- Using information technology systems such as CAD (Computer Aided Design) or GIS (Geographical Information Systems)
- Attending and presenting at town planning boards and appeals and at public inquiries
- Keeping up to date with legislation associated with land use
- Promoting environmental education and awareness
- Helping disadvantaged groups express their opinions about planning issues and proposals, and visiting sites to assess the effects of proposals on people or the environment
- Scheduling available resources to meet town planning targets
- Writing reports, often of a complex nature, that lead to recommendations, or explain detailed regulations. These reports may be for a range of groups, from borough councils to regional assemblies, or members of the public.