Logies of the Planning Profession announced in Adelaide

Innovative and unique planning projects from across the country have received top recognition
at the 2012 Planning Institute of Australia (PIA) Awards for Planning Excellence.
A strategy aimed at addressing community dysfunction caused by the mining boom, a 20 year
Urban Renewal project for Brisbane and a plan to make cities child and youth friendly are
among the winners.
Queensland projects dominated the program winning eight of the twelve award categories with
judges awarding commendations to a number of other impressive nominations.
PIA National President, Dyan Currie said the awards showcase leading practice across a range
of planning disciplines and demonstrate that planers really do make a difference.
“The variety of nominations this year clearly shows how planning is becoming more dynamic
and inclusive when we think about the clean, safe and sustainable communities we want for the
future,” Ms Currie said.
“Some of this year’s nominations address issues that haven’t received a proper level of attention
in the past and some of the others are unique projects planners have devised to address new
challenges.”
The Awards begin at state and territory level with nominations received at National level being
the very best planning projects already recognised by the states and territories.
A planning project designed by Queensland’s Urban Land Development Authority (ULDA) called
‘Engaging in the Cauldron – Blackwater and Moranbah’, won the Public Engagement and
Community Planning Award.
The judges noted the project showcased the value of effective community engagement in
regional mining communities leading to the development of practical housing guidelines and
solutions.
Brisbane City Council’s Urban Renewal Program Urban Renewal Brisbane – 20 years was
another stand out winner taking the inaugural category ‘From Plan to Place Award’.
Urban Renewal Brisbane is a program of rejuvenation begun in 1991 by BCC and is responsible
for managing and revitalising Brisbane’s inner city areas. It has taken out a dozen PIA planning
awards in the past 20 years
Judges noted the project is a clear demonstration of a long term vision being delivered in
partnership with the private sector and the community over two decades.
The ‘Best Planning Ideas Award’ went to a project called ‘Child and Youth Friendly City’. This
was seen by the judges as a case study for city planners to consider.
The project team of Redland City Council, Griffith University, Laurel Johnson and Play
Environment Consulting provided a new and important insight into how planning and design of
the built environment should consider young people with exercise at the centre of child and
youth happiness.
The 2012 PIA Awards for Planning Excellence were presented at a gala dinner at The Adelaide
Convention Centre as part of the PIA National Congress.
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Category Winners
Category: Hall of Fame Award. Winner: James Colman. NSW
Category: Planner of the Year Winner: Brendan Nelson QLD.
Category: Outstanding Achievement by a Young Planner Winner: Angela Forrest – TAS.
Commendations:
Brooke Yates – ACT
Alexander O’Reilly – QLD
Category: Planning Champion Award Commendation: James Best.
WA
Category: Cutting Edge Research and Teaching Award
Project Team : Professor Tony Hall, Griffith University. Winner: The Life and Death of
the Australian Backyard. QLD
Commendation:
Community Planning,
Integrating Social & Physical
QLD
Category: From Plan to Place Award
Project Team: Urban Renewal Brisbane- Brisbane City Council. Winner: Urban Renewal
Brisbane – 20 years QLD
Commendation:
Salisbury North Urban
Improvement Project 1998-2010
Hawksbury Park. SA
Category: Hard Won Victory Award
Project Team: Roberts Day, LandCorp, Coda Studio, Winner: Broome North. WA
Creating Communities, Sinclair Knight Merz, GHD Australia,
ICS Group, UDLA, Whelans.
Category: Best Planning Ideas Award
Project Team: Redland City Council, Griffith University, Winner: Child and Youth
Laurel Johnson, Play Environment Consulting Pty Ltd Friendly City QLD
Commendations:
Regional Hotspots: Pilbara
Cities WA
Woodville Village Masterplan
SA
Category: Improving Planning Processes and Practices Award
Project Team: Urban Land Development Authority Winner: Pushing the Envelope –
UDLA Certification
Procedures Manual. QLD
Category: Public Engagement and Community Planning Award
Project Team: Urban Land Development Authority, Plan C Winner: Engaging in the
Cauldron – Community
Engagement in Blackwater and
Moranbah. QLD
Commendation:
Gembrook Township Strategy
Community Engagement
Process. VIC
Category: Promotion of Planning Award
Project Team: The Planning Academy. Winner: Town Planning for
Everyone. QLD
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Category: Great Place Award
Project Team: Midland Redevelopment Authority Winner: Juniper Gardens WA
in conjunction with TPG Town Planning and
Urban Design and Heritage.
Commendation:
MONA
(Museum of Old & New Art)
TAS
Category: Outstanding Student Achievement Award
Project Title: West End – Building Social Resilience. Winner: Jessica Chatwin, Fiona
Hannam, Rachel Daniels,
Heather West, Lachlan
McClure, Samantha Loxton –
Queensland University of
Technology. QLD
Commendations:
Cael Leskovec – RMIT VIC
Sigrid Pembroke – All
Hallows’ School QLD

Prestigious Award Humbles Planner of the Year
A professional planner currently driving the rebuilding of Queensland regions devastated in the 2010/2011
summer disasters has been named the inaugural Australian Planner of the Year.
General Manager, Land Use Planning at the Queensland Reconstruction Authority (QRA), Brendan Nelson
has received the Award at the 2012 Planning Institute of Australia (PIA) Awards for Planning Excellence.
“I am extremely humbled to be the first recipient of the Award. There are so many highly qualified and
respected planners in Australia it is overwhelming to be honoured by my peers in this way,” Mr Nelson
said.
“The past twelve months have been extremely busy and challenging as Queensland and Queenslanders
continue to recover after the unprecedented events of summer 2010/2011.
“It has very much been a team effort and I have been very fortunate to have a team dedicated to getting
Queensland back on its feet.”
The judges noted that Brendan Nelson has progressed reconstruction efforts through clear and focused
leadership.
They stated his outstanding contribution and leadership in reconstruction programs including the
preparation of legislation, provided significant support to the Queensland community and raised the profile
of planning in a positive way.
The judges also acknowledged that through Brendan’s leadership the Authority has been able to achieve
remarkable results since it was formally established on 21 February 2011.
The Land Use Planning Team at the Authority has achieved an incredible amount leading the Grantham
Development Scheme, the Far North Queensland Guidelines, the Floodplain Management Guidelines and
the Electrical Guidelines in addition to managing numerous other red tape cutting projects across
government.
The work has been recognised across the country and the world as best practice to improving the
resilience of communities. QRA CEO Graeme Newton said Brendan Nelson was hand picked to lead the
team.
“Brendan’s drive, enthusiasm, professionalism and lateral thinking abilities made him an obvious choice,”
Mr Newton said.
PIA National President Dyan Currie congratulated Brendan Nelson adding his high achievement will
inspire and encourage young professionals who have a planning career in focus.
“Brendan became the inaugural winner of the Queensland Planner of the Year Award last year and now he
has been rightly recognised at a National level.
“There’s no doubt he is a role model for young people looking for an exciting and rewarding career in the
planning profession.”
Before his role at the Queensland Reconstruction Authority, Brendan Nelson was the Executive Director,
Planning Services in the Office of Growth Management Queensland.
He was responsible for delivering on both regional and statutory planning for Queensland, planning reform
and the Smart eDA electronic development assessment.
He has also been a private consultant, worked internationally and has held various planning positions with
Queensland local governments during nearly two decades in planning.
Planning Institute Australia