Bill Chandler MPIA (Fellow)

After seven years as independent Chair of the Council Assessment Panel (CAP), and a career in urban planning for 50 years, Bill Chandler is stepping down after deciding to pull back on his Council commitments.

“It’s been a pleasure to work in the planning industry as I long as I have,” Bill says. “But it is also frustrating sometimes. There is a need to balance politics, planning policy, good urban design and community expectations in order to achieve quality outcomes; sometimes this is tricky.”

Bill says the new planning legislation will put enormous pressure on the eastern suburbs of Adelaide. “Burnside has always had an environment of bigger allotments and open space, together with a unique character and streetscape. The ability of the local planners to guide good development will be impacted and consultation with local communities about proposals that may affect them will be reduced.”

Bill says to maintain Burnside’s unique place in metropolitan Adelaide we will have to fight a lot harder. “My experience tells me that you can never write a planning policy document that tells you how to design something that is good. There is a lot of pressure for infill. One house on a large allotment has the potential to become three,” Bill says. “The tree canopy disappears, the streetscape changes and there are more cars on the street. Adelaide has a unique and mixed urban environment and what fits in one suburb may not be suitable in Burnside.”

“I have real passion about passive, low energy, well designed buildings with the correct orientation,” Bill says. “Living areas should face north and solar energy use is encouraged. The big housing companies often have a large suite of designs, but sometimes they don’t necessarily suit the block they are planned for, so the potential energy savings are lost.”

At the CAP, Bill and his colleagues can tell when an architect or design professional has been involved as there is generally a lot of support for the policy in the Council Development Plan. “Many builders have designers, but a lot of project builders don’t have planners or architects. They sometimes put forward proposal plans without first considering or understanding the planning policy which might apply. The Council is then, in my view, unfairly criticised when the plans are rejected,” Bill says.

Bill says there needs to be more communication between Councils, government, the construction industry and importantly local communities. “I see the planning industry as a coordinator of all of the design elements, and bringing together builders, architects, designers, engineers etc.”

“I have always seen my role on CAP as an opportunity to make a difference, present a refreshing view to local government about what is good quality design and how design outcomes can ‘fit’ within established urban areas such as Burnside. Another reason is that I have been able to mentor those involved in local planning, including planning staff and of course members of Council. I trust they have learned a little from my input and experience.”

COVID-19 is a wakeup call, according to Bill. “How will people live and work in the future? The planning profession has a great opportunity to guide people through future life changes. This will mean consideration of our current urban fabric and local environment qualities, future development densities, accessibility and location to work opportunities, shopping and community facilities.”

“It’s been a pleasure and a privilege to be involved with the CAP at Burnside and my best wishes for the future go to all.”