Australia has always had a high level of urban dominance, yet the myth of the rugged, pragmatic rural Australia still persists.  Our two largest cities Sydney and Melbourne house approximately 22% ofthe nation' population and 64% and 73% of their respective State's populations.  Urban management is a critical issue for liveability, evironmental sustainability, economic health and social health.  Australia has legacy of managing our cities well, with 4 of our capital cities rated as being in the top 11 most liveable cities in the world.  Yet for Sydney and Melbourne many threats are emerging.  

Their helathy local economies are atracting population and employment growth, which in turn has exacerbated urban sprawl and significantly reduced housing affordability.  Good planning and urban managment are critical to snude our cities remain at the forefront of international liveability indices and continue to provide dynamic and internationally competitive living environments. This requires a combination of saound planning, managed change in urban structures and systems.  Bill Unkles of SCR has undertaken a wide range of projects in this field with a focus on the economic feasibility of urban infrastructure. In 2016, he spent a year in Riyadh with an Australian consulting team advising the Arriyadh Development Authority on planning and urban management issues.  His work considered issues of value capture for the Metro network then being installed in the Capital city, regional development including the relationship between Riyadh and its hinterland, liveability and environmental and planning management.

Since returning Bill has contributed to the West of Melbourne Economic Development Strategy, and provided advice to groups concerned with the Westgate Tunnel Project on the legal issues associated with major projects.  He has also provided a review of the working of the planning system with particular emphasis on VCAT.  Articles on these matters were published in Planning News in early 2018.  Copies are available on the following links.

Bill is available to assist project managers with both economic and governance issues as part of his interest in urban management.
PN_Feb_2018_VCAT.pdf

PN_Mar_2018_Tport_Integ_Act.pdf