Urban and Regional Planner

Also known as a town planner, urban and regional planners develop plans and policies for managing the use of the land and providing the physical facilities and services needed in rural and metropolitan communities and industrial areas

What you would do:

• develop long-range objectives to cope with growth and change, in consultation with affected communities
• prepare and conduct urban design surveys and other studies that assess the impact of economic, social, and environmental factors on specific areas
• discuss plans with private companies, government organisations and with local communities
• assist local councils in establishing zoning and development controls, in drawing up community development plans and guidelines for various land use projects and in assessing land development proposals
• prepare urban and rural subdivision plans, taking into account various land uses, including residential, public open space, schools and shops
• travel to local and interstate locations to attend meetings, workshops, seminars and various sites
• prepare and coordinate economic, social and environmental impact studies
• provide evidence for appeals in planning disputes
• consult with, and act as an advocate for, community groups or developers
• assist developers to obtain planning permits
• design strategies to guide land and resource use and development in particular locations
• recommend a course of action that ensures local and regional needs will be met, by taking into account factors such as amenity, community facilities, access to employment, retail housing and transport
• supervise and work with associates and technicians

You need to be:

• an excellent oral and written communicator
• analytical
• a good problem solver
• able to make informed decisions about the future as, sometimes, development plans have to be organised years ahead of time.
• interested in social, economic, environmental and cultural issues
• able to produce detailed and accurate work

You will require:

• a year 12 education
• either a degree or postgraduate qualification in urban and regional planning
  
  

Improve your chances by:

Taking geography and economics subjects

What you will earn:

Salaries for those new to the field begin at around $40,000 per year and may go to above $80,000 per annum for experienced personnel. Those in high profile positions, such as a senior executive within government, can earn considerably more, sometimes in the region of $130,000 per annum.

Long Term Possibilities:

Planning is a broadly based discipline and it is possible to specialise in a wide range of fields, including strategic planning, urban design, environmental impact assessment, residential planning, commercial and industrial planning, heritage planning, tourism planning and social planning.

Watch a video about a Development Assessment Planner.

 

Government Skills Australia acknowledges the Department of Education, Science & Training, www.jobguide.dest.gov.au, and www.myfuture.edu.au as sources of information within this fact sheet