Clarence City Council have won a national award at the National Awards for Planning Excellence 2024 held in Melbourne on 22 May 2024.

Council alongside partners Niche Studio Planning and Urban Design and Entura engineering won the award in ‘Stakeholder Engagement’ category and also received a commendations in the ‘Planning with Country’ category for the work on takara limuna trail at Bedlam Walls, Geilston Bay.

Judges recognised that the Seven Mile Beach Local Area Plan was “a great example of best practice stakeholder engagement” and were impressed by the adaptability of the approach, its expanded focus to address other issues of local concern and its flexibility to meet stakeholder expectations resulting in meaningful engagement.

View the Seven Mile Beach Consultation Your Say webpage.

Noting that it used a pro-active, tactical approach to community engagement that helped engage with members of the community who are often unable or unwilling to engage.

They identified that the project approach of intercept surveys was an effective, targeted and inexpensive way to hear from an often-little heard part of the local community, helping to inform the sensitive topic of growth management.

Council and partners Milangkani Projects also received a commendation in the ‘Planning with Country’ category for takara limuna trail at Bedlam Walls, Geilston Bay.