What is a Planner?
- Maximum Planning
- Jul 31, 2020
- 2 min read
Updated: Mar 28
A planner is a professional that may focus on a specific area of practice and have a title such as a town planner, urban planner, strategic planner, spatial planner, city planner, regional planner, transportation planner, environmental planner, infrastructure planner, policy planner, resource consent planner, parks planner etc. or other similar titles.
Planner's may help develop or assess development plans, regulations or policies to avoid, remedy, mitigate any adverse effects and promote sustainable and regenerative activities that enhance the natural, physical and socioeconomic environments. They use their planning expertise to enhance communities, sustain population growth, improve infrastructural facilities and revitalize ecosystems and natural environments.
Planners may be involved in the following activities:
Meet with clients, developers, private and public officials and the public regarding development proposals.
Review proposed plans submitted by developers.
Assess the feasibility of a proposal through a feasibility investigation and provide planning advice on any necessary improvements.
Conduct field investigations or site visits to analyze the effects from a development.
Gather and analyze economic and environmental data, demographics, censuses, and market research data.
If working for a Local Government Authority, planners recommend whether proposals should be approved or denied.
Write and present projects on behalf of clients, Local Government Authorities (Councils) or Private Consultancies to officials and commissioners at environmental hearings.
Stay up to date with legislative matters and regulations such as Case Law or Resource Management Act Reforms.
In New Zealand we have hierarchical Legislative documents such as the Resource Management Act, National Environmental Standards (NES), National Coastal Policy Statements, Regional Policy Statements, District and Regional Plans which govern what activities a person may or may not conduct on land, water or air. These documents are enforced by Central and Local Government (Council) authorities and they outline the objectives, policies and rules for an area to ensure that the natural environment is either protected or sustained.
A Planner must be proficient in the understanding of these documents, as well as any specialist/technical data such as Site Plans, Geographic Information Systems (GIS), ePlans etc. A Planner will liaise with other specialists and professionals to ensure that the effects of a development activity (such as construction earthworks) will have the least effects on the environment and any affected parties as possible.
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