113. Mark Marsden: TP & publisher: improving the planning commons_PX

In this episode Jess Noonan and Peter Jewell interview Mark Marsden. Mark has had a long and successful career across many sectors of the planning world a particularly unique part is his long association (now publisher)of the Victorian Planning Reports (VPRS). The VPR's and its predecessing versions (AATR's and PABR's) highlighted and summarised decisions of Victorian Planning Tribunal's (and now expanded to Planning Panels Victoria). In this way the VPR's spread best thinking on planning and design issues and provided for greater productivity and better informed decisions and outcomes. We talk to Mark about how the VPR's can cover such a vast number of decisions (there is an editorial committee)and how some decisions are choosen over others to highlight. Also, the role of publishing editorial comments about Tribunal decisions. A very necessary public benefit as Tribunals or like bodies can at times make unreasonable decisions, it takes courage to point this out. A spin off of the VPR service is an A - Z guide to land use issues and the precedents that have been set. We also talk about how interstate learning can improve. Apart from VPR subject matter, Mark outlines his views on the services provided by local government and how it is misunderstood. He also talks of his time as a Senior Panel Member of Planning Panels Victoria and provides guidance on what makes for an effective presentation. We declare that the VPR's has been a sponsor of PX for a number of years. Podcast produced by Complete Podcasting Services. Episode released 30 March 2020. We wish all our listeners the very best in these difficult times caused by Covid - 19.