Form Urban is a boutique consultancy specialising in planning and development advisory services.
Form Urban was founded with a purpose. We recognise the need to balance community outcomes with environmental responsibility and commercial realities to deliver well designed spaces for now and beyond.
Planning and Development Services
Pre Purchase Development Advice
Statement of Environmental Effects and DA Management
Due Diligence Planning Advice/ Feasibility
- Pre-purchase site inspection and high level review of constraints and surrounding development.
- Written advice determining permissible uses, development potential and planning/ development risks.
- Expedited advice available to assist with negotiations.
Due Diligence Planning Advice/ Feasibility
Statement of Environmental Effects and DA Management
Due Diligence Planning Advice/ Feasibility
- Review of legislation and planning permissibility (optional review of Complying Development controls also available).
- Review of site constraints and surrounding development impacts/ opportunities.
- Confirmation of recommended approval pathway and development strategy.
Statement of Environmental Effects and DA Management
Statement of Environmental Effects and DA Management
Statement of Environmental Effects and DA Management
- Preparation of DA planning report (Statement of Environmental Effects)
- Optional management of sub. consultants required for the DA (Ecologist, bushfire etc).
- Lodgement of the DA and management of the application through the Council assessment process.
Waste Management Plans
Crime Prevention Reports (CPTED)
Statement of Environmental Effects and DA Management
- Review of Council waste and bin requirements and proposed development + site constraints.
- Preparation of Construction and Operational Waste Management Plans for residential, commercial and mixed use development suitable for submission with a DA.
Crime Prevention Reports (CPTED)
Crime Prevention Reports (CPTED)
Crime Prevention Reports (CPTED)
- Review of site, surrounding development and local crime statistics.
- Early review of architectural plans to minimise design re-work and facilitate a cost effective crime prevention approach.
- Preparation of CPTED Report suitable for DA submission.
Social Impact Assessment
Crime Prevention Reports (CPTED)
Crime Prevention Reports (CPTED)
- Review of development plans, legislative requirements and relevant social data.
- Preparation of a Social Impact Assessment (SIA) which considers the impact of new development on existing and future communities.
MEET THE TEAM
Ben Miller - Director, BA (Human Geography), MURP
Ben is the founder of Form Urban and a planner with a strong focus on development-led outcomes. He works closely with developers, landowners, and project teams to navigate town planning approvals and unlock site potential throughout NSW.
Ben has extensive experience across residential, commercial, mixed-use and education sector projects, taking a practical and commercially minded approach that balances planning controls with development feasibility. He is a problem solver and implements a hands-on approach to personally guide projects from early concept through to approval.
Assisted by a Masters Thesis on Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED), Ben has extensive experience in the design review and preparation of CPTED Reports for small and larger scale private and government development projects. Ben is also Human Geography degree qualified in the preparation of Social Impact Assessments in NSW.
Frequently Asked Questions
Not all development requires formal DA ‘approval’ via Council or the NSW State Government. This should be an important early consideration in your development journey given an unnecessary DA will add months to your construction program.
Alternate pathways are available via Exempt and Complying Development provisions and where applicable, these pathways can significantly streamline your development timeline and save unnecessary consultant and administrative costs.
Exempt development does not require any formal consent or ‘sign off’ and generally accounts for those minor or ‘low impact’ developments that meet strict planning and environmental controls. Subject to strict compliance with controls listed in State Environmental Planning Policy (Exempt and Complying Development Codes) 2008, some examples of exempt development include:
- Advertising & Signage
- Balconies, decks, patios & pergolas
- Carports
- Driveways, pathways and paving
- Retaining walls
- Fences
- Hot water & solar systems
- Privacy screens
- Rainwater tanks
Alternatively, where development cannot achieve the exempt controls, a Complying Development Certificate (CDC) may be an option which is a fast-tracked, combined planning and construction approval in NSW for straightforward, low-impact developments like home renovations, secondary dwellings, or commercial business fit-outs. If proposals meet specific, pre-determined standards, they can bypass the lengthy DA process, allowing for quicker approval by councils or a private certifier.
Form Urban can review your development objectives, sketches or plans and provide written advice confirming if the proposal can be achieved as exempt or complying development. We can also provide guidance on any minor changes that could be applied to your design to ensure the works can be achieved as exempt or complying development.
Form Urban can manage your Development Application from the initial planning phase through to DA approval. Outside of the planning discipline we have a network of trusted consultants that can assist with technical advice and reporting including bushfire, ecology, stormwater & engineering, arborist and heritage consultants (other contacts also available as needed). Depending on the requirements of your application which will be influenced by site constraints, Form Urban can either recommend and introduce you to the right people or manage these consultants on your behalf.
Planning advice isn’t a mandatory step in the DA process however we do recommend that clients consider the benefits of obtaining initial advice before committing to an architect and the full DA process. Planning advice will provide valuable guidance on site constraints and DA requirements which will assist your architect in relation to building design and siting.
A Waste Management Plan (WMP) is a written report now required for submission with most Development Applications in NSW. WMP’s should be prepared by a qualified consultant with experience in the design and operational management of waste to minimise architectural re-work during the Council DA assessment process. Form Urban have extensive experience in the preparation of commercial, residential and mixed use Waste Management Plans and understand the requirements of Council to ensure that waste management is financially feasible and appropriate in a design context.
Contact Us
Form Urban
Servicing Greater Sydney, Central Coast and broader NSW 0423 473 778 ben@formurban.com.au
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