You are to prepare a contents page for the SEE which will form the major component of your assessment. The contents page will identify the issues that will be covered in the SEE and sub-sections within those.

Attend and prepare a record of a meeting at a local council that determines development applications. This may be a Council meeting, a building and development committee, a planning and development committee or a development assessment panel meeting. You are to consider the process of development assessment in this meeting. Please ensure that the meeting you attend will discuss a Development Application.

(Note the matter may be deferred for another meeting so it is desirable to have an alternative or two and or speak to the assessment officer/author prior to the meeting to see if he or she believes the matter will be discussed).

Your record should include:

1) For your chosen development application (15%)

a. Summarise the development (this needs to be in your own words not cut and copy from the council report)

b. Discus the current occupation of the site

c. What is proposed

d. What is the land use zoning for the site. You are also required to look up the Local Environment Plan

e. Referring to the LEP what are the objectives of the zone, what is permitted without consent, what is permitted with consent and what is prohibited in the zone

f. List of state and local government policies were referred to in the assessment report and why the policy was relevant and how (or not);

g. A summary of issues raised in the Council officer’s report relevant to the council and other government agencies (if applicable);

h. What was raised at the Council meeting (public speakers, elected councillors/Panel members and council officers)

i. Your understanding of the respective roles and responsibilities associated with the DA. This should include at a minimum applicant, development assessment planner, and elected councillors, neighbours/objectors

2) Your critical reflections on the process. This should include at a minimum a comparison of what you expected with what you experienced, and any other issues you wish to canvass (10%).

This is an inclass exam to test your plan reading skills. You will be given 40 minutes to complete this task. It will involve looking at a building plan and using your scale ruler and calculator to undertake a number of measurement and simple arithmetic tasks. You will also be required to intrepret an LEP and other planning instruments and comment as to the compliance of the building according to zoning and other controls.

This assessment requires you to prepare a Statement of Environmental Effects (SEE) for a proposed development on the university campus site. Details of the proposed development will be provided in the Assessment Guide. 

There are a number of guidelines on how to prepare a SEE and you should address all relevants heads of consideration. A list of reference guides will be provided in the Assessment Guide.

This assessment should be no more than 10 pages including images, maps, photos and references.

You will work in groups on this project but you will work on separate parts of the SEE individually and be marked on your contribution.

A 2 hour exam will be set for the course that may include any material covered in the lectures and tutorials including presentations by students.