Urban Concepts

21/12/2022

The holiday season is fast approaching and we here at Urban Concepts would like to express our gratitude for the opportunity to work with incredible clients and help shape our city.

As we reflect on the past year, the lingering effects of COVID-19 has caused many of us to rediscover the importance of our neighbourhoods and the value of living locally. People have been spending more time at home and in their communities, and this has highlighted the need for accessible, green spaces and other amenities that support healthy and sustainable living.

As urban planners and community consultants, we hope that property developers and planners in the coming year will respond to this trend and meet the changing needs of communities by creating spaces that prioritize the health and well-being of residents.

From all of us at Urban Concepts, Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! We look forward to continuing to work with you in the new year.

04/03/2022

Its hard to comprehend the anguish that so many Australians are facing with this current flood crisis. We all salute the ADF, SES and Emergency Services; they are incredible in how they ramp up and put their all on the line to help. Their efforts are equally and heroically matched by everyday Aussies. As we hear story after story of communities rallying, we have to ask- why are so many communities having to go through this again, many within the space of just 12 months.

On the TV this morning, there was discussion about the Natural Disaster Fund which has around $8 billion in funding accrued. Why isn't part of this money being used to fund flood mitigation works so at least some of our communities don't have to keep going through this devastation? Media reports suggest only around $150 million has been spent. This is taxpayer money. As taxpayers, don't we want to know why part of this money isn't being spent on flood mitigation works. Who didn't get the memo after the 2011 floods and the 2021 floods that there are projects that need to be undertaken now?

17/02/2022

The Industry and Employment SEPP will begin on 1 March 2022. The SEPP consolidates, transfers and repeals the provisions of 2 existing SEPPs: 1. SEPP (Western Sydney Employment Area) 2009 (Western Sydney Employment SEPP) 2. SEPP 64 – Advertising and Signage (SEPP 64). These SEPP's will be repealed on the same day.
The SEPP consolidation is administrative as no policy changes have been made. It is being undertaken in accordance with Section 3.22 of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979. SEPP 64 will take its place in Chapter 3 of the Industry and Employment SEPP.

27/01/2022

The worldwide web changed how we access information, so what does this mean for the future of the public library. Are they still relevant? Woolhara and Marrickville Council's have redefined what a trip to the library now means. By investing in fast Wi-Fi, group study rooms,event spaces, high tech rooms, Imacs and creative software such as adobe cloud, Woollahra library increased its visitation from 400 to 2,500 visitors a day. I love that they even have their own app. Marrickville Council's new library has also included a cafe, community garden and event space. This kind of reinvention is smart design thinking that adds further depth and relevence to community life.

21/01/2022

It's no secret that Aussies love a dip in a pool, and we love the new Harbour Pool Concept the City of Sydney unveiled. Part of a broader initiative to make Sydney Harbour and the Parramatta River swimmable by 2025, the proposal will see pools constructed within the Harbour and more areas sectioned off for public swimming. The plans were developed by Andrew Burgess Architects. They bring a new leisure dimension to how Sydneysiders and visitors will experience Sydney Harbour. This commitment and investment is an excellent outcome for our wonderful city.
Red more here
https://www.buildsydney.com/sydney-harbour-pools-proposal/
Photo credit: Build Sydney (2021)

20/01/2022

Happy 2022. This year Urban Concepts celebrates 28 years. You might be thinking, what's so special about turning 28. We are excited because our new multi-media production company UrbanTalk is taking its first steps this year. UrbanTalk has one clear mission to get the development sector and communities talking to each other in a meaningful way. We could see that community consultation needed a reboot. We knew it was time to bring community consultation into the digital space. We created a series of innovative multi-media engagement products to do just that. 28 years of experience drives our innovation, which we are incredibly proud of as a company.

https://www.urbantalk.com.au/products/

Ready to find out more and talk about how we can support your next project? Complete the quick contact form and a member of the UrbanTalk team will be in touch soon.

23/12/2021

Merry Christmas to our Clients, Colleagues and Friends.
This Christmas we are not seeing red we are definitely seeing orange- Orange Sky that is. Orange Sky is the first free laundry and shower service for people experiencing homelessness. This year we are showing our appreciation for your support and friendship by making a $1500 donation to Orange Sky. We are have selected Orange Sky to be our Care Project and we hope that it will be an enduring association. Learn more at https://orangesky.org.au/

17/12/2021

We send our love, thoughts and prayers to the Hillcrest families and Devonport community. We are so saddened by your loss, it is heartbreaking.

16/12/2021

We applaud PIA’s ‘Planning in a Changing Climate Framework’ campaign, that is promoting climate-conscious planning systems in NSW. There is no doubt that the planning sector needs to act more decisively on climate change, and updating our system will make a real difference. The PIA’s blueprint to embed climate action in the NSW planning system is available for download here https://www.planning.org.au/documents/item/11624

14/12/2021

We are excited to learn that Urban Development Institute of Australia (National) has elected Max Shifman as their new National President. Congratulations Max. We would also like to extend our thanks to Simon Basheer who excelled steering the UDIA and its members through unprecedented times.