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North SydneyDesign Excellence Panel

A separate Design Excellence Panel (DEP) has been established that has the credentials to contribute to the design of major architectural projects and that is involved in the early stages of the design process. The DEP is distinct from the Urban Design Advisory Panel in that the members will provide expert advice on applications, plans/policies relating to major commercial development for North Sydney Centre only. The DEP would be involved early in the conceptual stage of the design process and wherever possible prior to the submission of the relevant development applications. This would allow time and opportunity for designers or applicants to incorporate the expert advice into their designs.

The Panel may consider or re-consider development applications where such applications are considered significant enough to be brought in front of the Panel.

Members of the panel are:

  • Phillip Graus: Director of Cox Richardson Architects and Planners (international consultancy), who has extensive national and international experience in architecture and urban design and is well known in the field;
  • Peter Webber: a local resident and community representative, who has extensive experience in architecture and urban design, is well known in the field, and has represented Council many times as an expert design witness in the Land and Environment Court;
  • David Chesterman: prominent architect and urban designer and Professor for the Masters of Urban Design, University of New South Wales;
  • Jon Lang: Professor in architecture and urban design, University of New South Wales and has international experience in USA and Turkey;
  • Bruce Elles: Director of Elles Trelease Architects Pty Ltd, who also has extensive experience teaching architectural design in Universities of Sydney, UNSW, UTS, Melbourne, South Australia and Queensland.