Breathe life into any project and get the emotion-filled reactions you crave

We help people create places that not only look good—but feel good too. Laser focused on making each project the best it can be for the people whose daily lives will be shaped by the decisions we make. Pushing the envelope to ensure world’s best practise is implemented in realistic and measured ways. It’s our responsibility to help you tick all of the boxes today, and ensure your ideas are appreciated for decades to come.

Making our world better, one place at a time. Urbankind's expert strategists facilitate the process of developing places and land to strengthen entire communities. Creating vibrant, magnetic spaces for people to explore, play, connect, invest and enjoy.

Why Urbankind? A play on humankind and our signature human centred approach to delivering positive impacts for people, places they love and the planet.

Claire Baker, Founder + Director Adam Cheyne, Director

Claire Baker, Founder + Director Adam Cheyne, Director

Urbankind helps you facilitate meaningful change — effortlessly

Bringing a new urban project to life is a time-consuming and enduring task—speckled with challenges. We offer a range of strategic advisory services to help you manage planning challenges with ease.

Reimaging neighbourhoods for long-term sustainability and liveability is our speciality. Collaborative by nature, we’re just as happy leading a project from start to finish, as we are slotting into your project team to support you in particular stages.

Here are some of the things we love to do (and are really good at too)...

Count on us for

Builders, Architects, Designers + individuals:

  • Preliminary Town Planning Advice

  • Town Planning Permit Approvals in Victoria

  • Advocacy & Dispute resolution

  • Preferred Partners we offer personalised services and Professional Development Masterclasses tailored to your team

Partnering with volume builders and Architects we help people get in their dream homes sooner by speeding up the design to build process. Helping your clients navigate the Town Planning approval stage with ease.

Government, Industry + Community:

  • Strategic Planning, Policy + Advisory

  • Housing + Activity Centre Planning + Urban Design Frameworks

  • Stakeholder engagement + collaboration

  • Strategic Sport + Recreation Advisory

  • Participation + Inclusivity strategy

Working with Councils and industry clients we love helping shape neighbourhoods and pushing the envelope to create more sustainable development and strengthen entire communities.

“All that we’ve learned, experienced and lived influences the way we advise on your projects. As experienced Urban Strategists our focus is always on how to make it happen!”

— Claire Baker, Founder Urbankind

We value

 

Holistic thinking

We view projects and systems as a whole, which allows us to drive positive and lasting impacts for people, places they love and the planet.

Social intelligence

We are people-people. We strive to deliver maximum community benefit with our projects—because improving daily life should at the heart of decisions

Collaboration

At the heart of every project sits collaboration. Without the ability to connect people with ideas, plans won’t get very far.

Challenge constraints

We challenge conventional thinking and strive to do things in new, yet measured ways to achieve boundary-pushing results.

Conscious creation

We have a responsibility to create a better future. We draw new connections and collaborate with a variety of people to uncover the best outcomes for all.

Our team have over 30+ years experience in the planning, policy and sports industry

Our experienced team have worked in large international planning consultancies, led high performing strategic planning teams and city shaping projects in Melbourne, London and across regional Australia.

Pioneers of innovative policy based on world’s best practice in some of Melbourne’s most recognisable Activity Centres. From city shaping policy to national sporting strategies we’ve done it all. We are well placed to help you implement a new approach to delivering positive impacts for people, the places they love and the planet in your local areas.

What are you waiting for? Book a call today to see how we can help shape your project and ensure you leave a legacy you are proud of for decades to come.

FAQs

  • Yes, we provide pre purchase Due Diligence stage preliminary planning advice. We will review the land, planning controls and local context against your ideas and provide you with expert advice on what you can and can’t do. 

    Book in a free chat or send us an email at hello@urbankind.studio to discuss the site you’re looking at and we can advise how we can best help you.

    Or check out of Preliminary Planning Advice Options

    Preliminary Planning Advice

    Express advice - when you need advice in a hurry

    Preliminary Planning Advice (5-10 days)

    Preliminary Planning Advice + Facilitated Pre Application meeting with Council (7-10 days)

  • Yes, we can help you understand if it’s likely that Council will support the subdivision of your land. We can review the planning controls, neighbourhood context and provide initial advice on whether you meet the minimum lot size requirements and if Council will require plans for development with the application. We will then advise you on the process, team, information and costs involved so you can understand the process and do the sums at your end to decide how you’d like to proceed. We can provide you with initial advice or if you’re ready to dive in we can get you started with the Planning Permit Application and assembling your project team.

  • Yes we can review the planning framework and provide clear instructions on what Council’s expectations will be for your site and development plans for your Designer/ Builder/Architect to consider in developing your Concept Plans. Having this advice from the outset is key to ensure your Concept Plans are more likely to get Council approval when we get to the Planning Permit stage. We can help from the initial stage right through to Planning Permit approved, providing advice you can trust at every step of the way. We work closely with your designer/builder to ensure the plans have everything Council will need to assess your proposal as smoothly and quickly as possible for you.

  • We specialise in Surf Coast and Surrounds, Melbourne, Geelong, Mornington Peninsula, Bendigo and Colac Otway regions but have clients all across Victoria from Hepburn Springs down to Johanna so are well placed to assist you with your projects across Victoria. The best way to confirm is to get in touch with our team to discuss your project and we can take it from there.

    You can book in an obligation free chat here or send us an email at hello@urbankind.studio

  • Yes we can review the changes you are hoping to make and advise if it’s going to be a Secondary Consent or S72 Change to your current Permit. We can seek confirmation from Council for you on your concept plans to help you decide the extent of changes and process you’ll need to go through to get the changes approved. We have a great article on this on our website - check it out to understand the difference between the two pathways. If you are after personalised advice please book in an obligation free chat or send us an email at hello@urbankind.studio

  • Yes Permits typically have 2 years to start and 4 years to finish. Council understands that delays happen and it is usually a fairly simple process to seek an extension of time with a good reason if the planning rules haven’t changed significantly. We advise that extensions beyond that are assessed on a case by case basis and can review your Permit and provide personalised advice for you if this is your second extension of time.

  • Yes we’ve got clients with large land holdings where we’ve helped from concept design through to planning approval and subsequent changes to approvals for new residential areas - 44 lot subdivisions, wedding and glamping concepts, eco tourism projects and more. We are well placed to provide you with strategic Town Planning advice from the outset and take care of the Planning approvals stage for your projects.

  • Yes, we have helped many clients understand whether or not they can and what the planning rules are that will dictate the size, location and possibility of leveraging your land to help provide family housing. In some circumstances you can do this without needing a Permit, if you are looking at developing a Small Secondary Dwelling and meet the requirements (60sqm or less in size).

  • We can definitely help you with this and always recommend engaging a qualified Town Planner where you have a Heritage Overlay so you’ve got an experienced independent advocate reviewing the requirements and advice to ensure it’s reasonable. We often recommend a pre application meeting with Council for any property in a Heritage Overlay (depending on the Council) so we can understand Council’s expectations from the outset and we can provide planning advice to your Architect and designer to consider in shaping your plans for your dream home.

Always was. Always will be.

We are committed to advocating for a better future for the traditional custodians of the lands and sea where we live, play and work and contributing to enhanced learning and understanding for communities through the role we play in shaping the built environment.