Engagement and facilitation
Planning for Communities facilitated a series of focus groups with community members for Whittlesea City Council to inform and shape the development of the Connected Communities Strategy, Liveable Neighbourhood Strategy and Long-Term Community Infrastructure Plan. These strategies will help activate the Whittlesea 2040 Community Vision of ‘A Place for All’ and will guide Council’s activities over the next 5 to 10 years.
Leading a community engagement process involving focus groups was part of the development of Heyfield Local Development Strategy. This 2 year project centred on strengthening the resilience of the Heyfield and district community and economy in response to the ceasing of commercial harvesting of native forests in the district from 2024. Through the project, innovation ideas were identified to help build economic diversity and prosperity for Heyfield and district. The focus of the workshops was ageing well in Heyfield which derived from the results of an earlier engagement program which identified this as a crucial issue and opportunity.
Planning for Communities supported the City of Greater Dandenong and Victorian State Government in preparing a Needs Analysis for an Afghan Community Centre. Engagement with Afghan community members and organisations, government departments and agencies formed a critical part of this project. Through the engagement we identified that members of the Afghan community in south east Melbourne experience many challenges in settling in Australia. A key outcome of the Needs Analysis was framing options to improve support to assist participation in community life and improve health, education and employment outcomes.
The WalKyneton co-design process was part of the Healthy Heart of Victoria Initiative focusing on improving the health and wellbeing of communities in Central Victoria. Macedon Ranges Shire Council identified Campaspe River Walk as a key resource that could help to improve physical activity levels and the overall health of the community. Planning for Communities facilitated a co-design process with local community representatives to deliver an infrastructure and an activation outcome for the Campaspe River Walk. Key elements of the process were a series of guided workshops, evaluation of the co-design process and outcomes, and the development of a toolkit to support Council in the future planning and programming of facilities.
Policy development and service planning
Planning for Communities, working in partnership with Sport and Leisure Solutions, prepared a precinct based needs analysis for Heidelberg West to improve health and wellbeing outcomes of the Heidelberg West community for Banyule City Council. Heidelberg West experiences significant disadvantage and is supported by a range of agencies and community organisations. We consulted widely with stakeholders, reviewed the performance and role of Council’s Olympic Leisure Centre, and developed strategic options for the Centre and broader precinct.
We developed an Early Years Infrastructure Plan and Forward Planning Tool for Baw Baw Shire Council. The Plan will guide future decisions by Council about its investment in, and advocacy for infrastructure to support the delivery of responsive, high-quality early years services, programs, and activities in Baw Baw Shire. The Infrastructure Plan is focused on facilities and spaces owned, operated, or supported by Baw Baw Shire Council, but also considers the impact of private kindergarten and childcare services. The Plan reflected Council’s current extensive infrastructure footprint in early years and developed a sustainable strategy to support the forecast strong demand for facilities to support children and families into the future. The Planning Tool will support future Council decision making by projecting service supply and demand.
Working with Kingston City Council we developed a Workforce Strategy for Council’s early education services that are delivered from its Family and Childrens Centres. We have prepared many similar strategies. This project for Kingston involved extensive consultation with staff, assessing the effectiveness of Council’s current processes in attracting and retaining people, documenting the opportunities, barriers and challenges, and developing a plan for the next five years. The strategy positions the services to access a high performing, qualified workforce that supports Council to meet the needs of families and children for early education into the future.
Community infrastructure and project planning
Working in collaboration with architects and planners BCBA Studio, Planning for Communities prepared a business case for Corangamite Shire Council for the Transformation of the Camperdown Theatre Complex. The business case establishes the rationale for redeveloping the Theatre and precinct, confirms broad support within the cultural and business community and wider community, proposes a realistic staged approach to implementation, clearly outlines the benefits from the proposed investment, and outlines the expected governance and operating arrangements. The business case provides a comprehensive justification for investment in the Camperdown Theatre Complex precinct and a pathway for Council to seek funding to support the project.
Wellington Shire Council engaged Planning for Communities to undertake a Community Infrastructure Plan for the Shire. The purpose of the Plan was to assess the capacity of existing community infrastructure to strengthen community wellbeing, identity and resilience. In total 179 community infrastructure buildings and facilities were considered as part of the Plan. The Plan outlined a strategic approach to the future provision of community infrastructure, with outcomes including opportunities to improve the functionality and accessibility of buildings, ways to consolidate facilities into central locations and options for the sustainable future use and management of facilities where they are managed by community-based committees.
Working collaboratively with architects Baumgart Clark and Associates and Sentient Co, Planning for Communities led a Scoping and Feasibility Study for an Emergency Services Precinct in Mansfield for Mansfield Shire Council. The study identified a need for investment in Mansfield in quality emergency services infrastructure and that there is strong evidence to support the establishment of an emergency services precinct. A Business Case was prepared which recommended the integrated precinct be established through a partnership model, on a high-profile site and have a focus on community preparedness and resilience. The business case identified the shortcomings of current infrastructure and the impact on emergency response, set out the financial and operational benefits to derive from investment in fit for purpose facilities and developed a business and operational model for management of the proposed development.
We prepared a Feasibility Study looking at strategic responses to the challenges being experienced in meeting community demand for early years services in Sale, especially childcare. The Early Years Infrastructure Feasibility Study was conducted for Wellington Shire Council and the focus was to look at current and projected demand, the adequacy of existing infrastructure and the potential to consolidate services and infrastructure through the development of community hubs. Future directions in the Study include developing community hubs in select locations, identifying opportunities to develop kindergartens with more than one program room and increased investment in facility refurbishments.
Building communities
Mernda Sports Hub has been proposed as a regional scale recreation precinct and facility in Whittlesea Council’s structure planning. Planning for Communities prepared a Community and Recreation Needs Assessment to assess the need for recreation and sporting facilities now and into the future. The assessment found that population growth, high participation rates and a shortfall in facilities in the broader precinct combine to confirm the need for additional sporting and recreation facilities. The study recommended that informal sport and recreation infrastructure be considered as part of the mix for the Mernda precinct.
Community facilities in the northern part of the municipality were the subject of a review undertaken for Manningham City Council. We undertook a formal review of community infrastructure in Warrandyte, Warrandyte South and Park Orchards. The review assessed the existing facilities and services, developed a future direction for the facilities in response to community needs and identified strategies to consolidate facilities and services to underpin long term sustainability. Many facilities are currently underutilised, some unfit for their current purpose and others in isolated locations. As part of the project we prepared a Feasibility Study that identified the potential for an expanded and redeveloped Park Orchards Community House and Learning Centre to be a key component of a new community infrastructure footprint in the precinct. This will improve the accessibility of the facility, support expansion of services, enable increased carparking to be provided and support the consolidation of key community services.
Design: BCBA Studio
Strategic and business planning
We have prepared many Council Plans and Community Strategic Plans for Councils in Victoria, South Australia and New South Wales. We recently supported several Councils to prepare their new Council and Wellbeing Plans for the period 2025 – 2029, including for Glenelg Shire Council. This Plan was developed through an extensive program of background research and community wide consultation and engagement. It captures the major challenges and opportunities facing the community and sets out key directions for focussing efforts on the key determinants of the Shire’s future social and economic sustainability.
Planning for Communities regularly supports neighbourhood houses, community centres and community organisations in business and strategic planning. The support we provide may involve facilitation and consultation with boards and committees, reviewing current operational and financial performance, assessing community needs and emerging challenges and opportunities. The preparation of a new strategic or business plan aims to position organisations for future sustainable success, meet the requirements of funding bodies and partners and align activities to community / client needs.
Applying for funding and support from State and Federal Governments and their agencies is an art and a science. Planning for Communities has expertise and proven methodologies in preparing funding applications that respond to the intent and objectives of funding programs, meet the requirements for valid applications and include strategic evidence to support the application. We have enjoyed significant success in securing funding to support the delivery of facilities and programs to build communities and promote wellbeing. We recently supported Manningham City Council in preparing a successful application for State Government funding to enable citywide recreation and open space planning.
Planning for Communities conducts benchmarking and industry analysis to identify best practice and alternative approaches and service models. Recent assignments have looked at facility management, customer service delivery, libraries, early years services and recreation and aquatic centres. Our approach is informed by detailed data on best practice which supports strategic responses to current and emerging community needs and future planning for infrastructure and programs.
