Navigating the Development Obstacle Course

Whether developing a site for business or personal use, or seeking a way to add significant value to a piece of land as part of an investment strategy, property development can be quite an obstacle course. It requires an experienced and steady hand with strong knowledge of the existing and potential hindrances associated with your development project.

The team at Arnold Development Consultants (‘ADC’) have over fifty years’ experience as development consultants in Queensland. We combine a sober and realistic perspective with innovative solutions that can bridge the gap between ideal and reality, with the intention of delivering the best possible outcomes for our clients.

In this article, we will provide a general guide to some of these major obstacles to increase your understanding and provide you with the information required to make an informed choice.

 

Change in Land Use

Any significant changes in the general use of the land typically involve an application to the local council so that the impact of the changes to the way the land is used can be assessed

Generally speaking, the overall concerns are the scale and intensity of the operations being run.

However, it isn’t always clear what a “change in land use” actually means in practice. While a change from a residential property to a commercial property is obvious enough, there are other circumstances that aren’t quite so clear.

A change from a newsagent to a butcher may not constitute a change in land use, because it remains a commercial property operating on roughly the same scale and with a similar amount of foot traffic and a similar delivery routine.

However, a change from a butcher to a restaurant may involve a significant shift in the manner in which the business operates, including the impact on the surrounding environment in terms of the intensity of foot traffic, peak business hours, and so on.

It’s imperative that potential developers don’t press forward with a false impression of the uses for which the land they intend to develop may be used.

ADC have the local experience, knowledge, and innovative expertise to help our clients see in advance the potential obstacles to their intended use of the land, and to guide them through a multi-stage process that sees them match their overall ambitions to the realities of the development process.

 

Town Planning

Town planning is a complicated, multidimensional, and always evolving practice that seeks to marry an overall vision of a broad geographical area, with an understanding of the needs and limitations of that area.

Town planning sits at the nexus of land surveying, local government policy, and sustainability considerations – economic, social, and environmental – as well as much else.

Development of property does not occur in a vacuum, and ADC provides a wealth of multidisciplinary skills garnered from years of work for a broad array of clients – private, commercial, and governmental – to provide a nuanced and innovative perspective for our clients.

 

Development Approval Conditions

Meeting development approval conditions is a multistage process involving a realistic assessment of land and all the potential pitfalls and limitations that could arise during development, in addition to skills in the precise drafting of legal documents.

ADC is a team that combines a multidisciplinary approach, and can guide you through each stage of the development approval process – from inception to execution.

Arnold Development Consultants have over fifty years’ experience in Queensland development, and are passionate about adding value to your development projects. Contact us today to achieve the highest and best result for your land!