If you’ve never heard of a town planner or have no idea what they do, you’re not alone. It’s a profession that most people may not know about because they don’t come into contact with town planners on a regular basis.
Some people may even assume that town planners are in charge of traffic flow in certain cities or work for the council. The truth is that there are many myths about what it is that town planners do and don’t do. In this article, we debunk them all!
A Town Planner Works for the Council
Perhaps one of the most common myths people believe, this is true for the most part, but not entirely. Only about half of all town planners work for the council, while the other half work for consulting agencies, private companies, and charities. Oftentimes, town planners are also employed by local planning authorities working in a variety of roles such as development management, development plans, and even enforcement.
More specifically, town planning consultants provide support to developers, businesses, and government bodies in getting planning permission for new development. They are able to give advice about whether or not planning permission will be given as well as how to manage the process.
Town Planners Are in Charge of Building Designs
Many years ago, blueprints were used for planning and contained the architectural or technical drawings of new buildings. Nowadays, however, building plans are created on a computer and are typically created by architects who design and plan buildings for a living. Sometimes building surveyors, engineers, and drawing technicians also collaborate with the architect to help create the plans.
Town planners, however, don’t interfere with building designs or the blueprints involved in the process. Their job here is to make sure that those planning the design of the building meet the planning authority requirements and will make any changes in order for them to meet particular planning policies.
Town Planners Manage Traffic and Plan New Roads
This is yet another common myth that people believe about town planners. They believe that town planners can do something to fix bad traffic patterns or create new roundabouts in certain parts of towns. However, this is the responsibility of highway engineers and transport planners.
Believe it or not, highway engineers may at times work closely with town planners when creating the new parking lot developments that are required as more developments continue to pop up. Local councils work with highway engineers to advise on planning applications as well as provide their input into the process.
The Only Job of a Town Planner Is to Plan Towns
While yes, a town planner’s job is to help plan the town, it isn’t the only thing that their job requires them to do. As mentioned previously, many planners are involved either as consultants or local authority officers when it comes to dealing with planning applications for new developments, regardless of whether they are big or small.
Planning consultants are also required to represent their clients and guide them on how best to achieve their development plans while also being able to meet the requirements of the council. The process can be an overwhelming one, which is why planning consultants are there in the first place. Planning consultants help their clients understand what is needed from them so that their projects are completed successfully.
Oftentimes, planning consultants must also find a way to fit their client’s developments into the existing urban fabric so that they are making a positive contribution to the rest of the town, regardless of whether or not the project is converting a building, replacing it, or extending it.
To Extend Your Home, You Need a Town Planning Consultant
If you’re looking to extend your home, the process to get permission can be pretty straightforward and most times, you do not need a town planning consultant to do so. The process is simple enough so that people can do it without having to seek outside help. The only time that you may ever need a town planning consultant is if the situation starts to get a bit complicated.
For example, if your application gets refused, you may need help finding a way to move forward or seeking out an alternative option. If you’re dealing with conservation areas, listed buildings, national parks, or green belts, you may also need the help of a town planning consultant as trying to understand their complex planning policies can be quite difficult to do on your own. To be on the safe side, you can always approach a town planning consultant in Melbourne before commencing any major home extension revisions.
If you’re still a bit confused about what exactly it is that town planners do, here’s a rundown for you. Town planners are there to provide support and advice, and to help businesses, developers, and homeowners get the permissions they need to complete their projects.
Many town planning experts are able to provide their clients with advice early on in the process as the sooner they do, the more likely they will be able to secure the permission they require. They can also help their clients come up with a strategy for submitting a planning appeal if a proposal should be denied.
Because of the fact that there are so many regulations and rules that govern the planning system, you must apply for permission to do certain things. However, these permissions are not always easily granted and oftentimes you will need to seek them not just from the local level, but from a national one as well. If your project requires the permission from conservation areas, national parks, listed buildings, and World Heritage sites, your situation may be even more complicated.
Town planner in Melbourne are there to help clients understand permitted development rules, or the things that they can do without having to seek permission first. Permitted development rules tend to be complicated, particularly when they have to do with the conversion of commercial buildings to residential and the prior approval of the council is required.
