BARKER COLLEGE – TOWN PLANNING

Project Details

Sports and Learning Precinct

Barker College engaged EPM Planning in 2017 to provide town planning services for a new development at its campus in Hornsby, New South Wales. The project includes the completion of a new three storey sporting facility, which consists of two fitness centres, classrooms, staff rooms, a car park, and five multi-purpose playing courts. This building is the flagship structure in Barker College, and the school intends the facility to be used not only as a celebration of sport, but large whole school gatherings throughout the year.

EPM Planning has played a pivotal role in the progress of this project. Having identified the potential for a Complying Development Certificate, and thus circumventing the Development Application process, EPM Planning steered Barker College through the numerous requirements and conditions necessary to carry out Complying Development. This guidance has proved crucial in enabling the project to be proceed in line with the project plan and schedule.

Strategic Review

In 2017, Barker College engaged EPM Planning to carry out a wide ranging strategic review of the opportunities and constraints on development across its campus. This review incorporated issues including heritage, student caps, the effect of existing DA conditions, traffic and parking constraints and the court process. EPM advised the school on a range of different approval pathways that are available to it under the planning legislation. As always, the objective was to identify ways to save time and money for Barker as it carries out its development program. This strategic review has positioned the school to find its way through a complex planning framework and plan effectively for future development priorities.