2019 Greater Sydney Planning Awards

Congratulations to all the winners and nominees in the 2019 Greater Sydney Planning Awards.

Awards

• Award 1 - Great community collaboration
• Award 2 - Development supported by infrastructure
• Award 3 - Great new place to live and/or work
• Award 4 - Planning for jobs and skills
• Award 5 - Great sustainability initiative
• Award 6 - Planning disruptor
• Award 7 - The Chief Commissioner's Award

Winners

Award 1 - Great community collaboration

Winner: Excellence in community engagement, City of Canterbury Bankstown

Through CBC 2028 and the Community Voice Panel, the City of Canterbury Bankstown has demonstrated a remarkable commitment to community engagement, going well beyond a 'business as usual' approach.

Dealing with sensitive issues including recent amalgamations and urban renewal strategies, Council's broad and comprehensive engagement with one of Australia's most culturally diverse populations empowered and informed community members and gave a voice to groups who may otherwise have not been heard.

The panel applauds Council's proactive and innovative approaches to community collaboration and engagement.

Commendation: Mount Druitt Community Dialysis Centre, Health Infrastructure NSW

The panel commend Health Infrastructure's people-centric approach to this project, which embodies the Commission's own commitment to community participation. The Mount Druitt Community Dialysis Centre is more than a critical piece of infrastructure - it is a testament to meaningful collaboration and engagement with patients, carers and the community.

Commendation: DUBA, BUDU, BARRA: Ten steps to a living river - the Parramatta River Masterplan, Parramatta River Catchment Group

This community-building piece of work shines a light on critical issues of water quality and scarcity. The Parramatta River Catchment Group's multifaceted approach to engagement across government agencies, 11 local councils and communities demonstrates the need for a cohesive and collaborative approach to protecting and enhancing our natural environment.

Award 2 - Development supported by infrastructure

Winner: Bella Vista Public School shared sporting facilities, School Infrastructure NSW and The Hills Shire Council

This practical demonstration of a new direction for schools and communities in Greater Sydney delivers significantly enhanced facilities to benefit both Bella Vista Public School and the Hills Shire community.

The panel celebrates the innovation and progress evident in this partnership's collaborative and contemporary approach and would like to see more in the future. In pushing boundaries beyond standard design, this project has provided a primary school and the wider community with access to high quality educational and sporting facilities. Greater Sydney will benefit from a wider, well-planned rollout.

Award 3 - Great new place to live and/or work

Winner: Harold Park, Mirvac

The panel was unanimous in their choice of Mirvac's Harold Park development, which encompasses affordable housing and thoughtful heritage interpretation. The development's contribution of green space to the City of Sydney helped join existing parkland, to create a 20-hectare green corridor to the harbour foreshore.

Mirvac's strong sustainability efforts and their adaptive reuse of the Tramsheds has helped create a healthy liveable community and exemplifies density done well.

Award 4 - Planning for jobs and skills

Winner: Liverpool Innovation Precinct - Western Sydney Business Chamber

The Liverpool Innovation Precinct exemplifies success in a challenging environment. This collaboration is no small feat and the panel acknowledges the concerted efforts made to ensure coordination, effective governance and buy in from all parties in the Precinct.

The Steering Committee's vision for a health-oriented curriculum stream in schools demonstrates a forward-thinking approach that clearly acknowledges the economic significance of health, education and research in the future of the Western Parkland City.

Commendation: Planning Controls for Late Night Trading in Sydney - City of Sydney

The City of Sydney's bold development control plan looks to diversify and bolster the city's economy and revitalise its nightlife. Sydney's night time economy is fundamental to its economic competitiveness and its standing as an international city.

The panel commends this well-researched piece of work and its efforts to move our Eastern City in the right direction by supporting local businesses and encouraging a safe night time environment.

Commendation: Kick Start Cafe - Payce Foundation

Payce Foundation's innovative community building model helps provide employment opportunities and skills development to marginalised groups, while giving the existing community a sense of ownership in a changing place. The Kick Start Cafe© has broad applicability and has demonstrated high impact outcomes.

The panel commends the social enterprise's proactive approach to community engagement and employment.

Award 5 - Great sustainability initiative

Winner: Sustaining our City Initiative - Randwick City Council

This comprehensive program has been thoroughly integrated across six strategic planning initiatives and has already delivered positive results across six key investment areas for Randwick City Council, including the sustainability education hub at Randwick Community Centre.

The judging panel praised the longevity and continuity of Sustaining our City's fully-funded model and its transparent and extensive communication approaches.

Commendation: Angus Creek Stormwater Harvesting Scheme - Blacktown City Council

Congratulations to Blacktown City Council for this exceptional work in protecting and revitalising the Central River City's natural resources. The Angus Creek Stormwater Harvesting Scheme protects downstream creek conditions and drought-proofs important social infrastructure - including the Blacktown Sports Park.

The panel commends Council's economically sustainable and transferable self-funded model.

Award 6 - Planning disruptor

Winner: Brad Donaldson for the Creation of Australia's first Bicycle Geodatabase

Brad Donaldson's work on the NSW Bicycle Geodatabase exemplifies true disruption - fundamentally changing the way we collect, organise and share sustainable transport data in NSW. It continues to be used by state agencies, town planners, advocacy groups and academics to show the progress that has been made in provisioning quality cycling outcomes for Greater Sydney.

The panel applauds Mr Donaldson's tenacious commitment to innovation and the tangible positive changes this evidence base has helped create. This change-making tool's ability to show the gaps in our present network highlights the important work that lies ahead in our journey to make cycling in Greater Sydney a pleasant, safe and normalised form of transport.

Award 7 - Chief Commissioner's Award

Winner: Resilient Sydney Strategy - Resilient Sydney

This powerful example of innovation and collaboration has immense potential to create positive change in our metropolis. The Resilient Sydney Strategy is the first resilience strategy for metropolitan Sydney, representing powerful cohesion and collaboration between business, government, academia, communities and individuals.

Hosted by the City of Sydney, this local government led initiative encourages planning and development that considers natural hazards. In laying out the five directions and 35 tangible actions we can take to strengthen our metropolis' ability to survive and thrive through major shocks and chronic stresses, the strategy demonstrates its rigour and future focus.

Nominees

2019 Sponsors

Gold sponsors

Silver sponsor

2020 Greater Sydney Planning Awards

2018 Greater Sydney Planning Awards

2017 Greater Sydney Planning Awards

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