Urban Broadcast Collective

In PlanningxChange episode 92 we interview Phil Priest, Group Manager City Development at the Moreland City Council. The following is an extract from the VPELA Journal Revue of October 2021 describing Phil’s career and his recent awarding of the Paul Jerome Award for contributions to the public sector. “When planners think of Moreland Council, they think of Phil Priest. Phil has been a mainstay in planning in the inner city for decades, providing exemplarily service to the public sector and leading Moreland’s successful transition from a dying industrial heartland to a beacon for inner city urban renewal. Phil earn’t his stripes at City of Melbourne, before joining Moreland in 2003 as the Manager of Urban Development. For the next 17 years, he had a variety of managerial and planning roles, including Group Manager City Development, where he led multi disciplinary teams of over 70 professionals with responsibilities for town planning, building and environmental health. After a brief stint at DELWP as the Director of Developer Approvals and Design, Phil has returned to his old stomping ground at Moreland Council as Acting Director City Futures. But Phil’s contribution to planning and the public sector goes beyond titles. He is very approachable, facilitative and reasonable, always finding a sensible balance between local community pressures to limit development and pursuing urban consolidation inMoreland’s activity centre’s and transit corridors. As the manufacturing industry dwindled in the 80’s and 90’s, Phil oversaw a seismic shift in Moreland’s industrial precincts that has seen them embrace change and become exemplars for inner city urban renewal. During his time, Moreland has earned a reputation as a pioneer and leader in Local Government planning circles. He has led many planning initiatives including the Moreland Apartment Design Code prior to the introduction of BADS, the introduction of the ESD Policy in the Moreland Planning Scheme and more recently initiatives to reduce emissions. He has championed planning leadership at Moreland through proactive, forward looking initiatives such as VicSmart for 2 lot subdivisions. These are consistent with Phil’s unwavering commitment to process improvement and driving efficiencies. Phil directed the implementation of a digital planning system at Moreland, well before others. This proved fortuitous when Covid hit, with Moreland well prepared for the mad scramble away from paper. A quick look at the Moreland website today shows a leading Council who understands their community’s needs and the responsibilities of an effective planning system. Phil is particularly supportive to planners entering the industry and provides an excellent working environment where staff are encouraged to succeed. His sensible approach and ‘can do’ attitude has earn’t him a solid reputation amongst planners and the wider industry.” PlanningxChnage is proud to be a member of the Urban Broadcast Collective. Audio production by Jack Bavage. The episode was released on 27 April 2022.

In PlanningxChange episode 91 we interview Matt Roberts about Ian Nairn, an architectural and planning critic in the UK during the 1950s - 1970s. Matt is an architectural historian and a member of the podcast team that produces About Buildings and Cities. Details are at https://aboutbuildingsandcities.org. The About Buildings and Cities podcast produced a three part series on Ian Nairn. This is highly recommended as a lively and insightful review of the broad career of Ian Nairn, his times and his impact on the public imagination. Nairn came to prominence with a special edition of the Architectural Review called ‘Outrage’ published in 1955. In this he coined the term ’Subtopia’ for areas around cities that had been failed by urban planning and lost their sense of place. ‘Outrage’ was followed soon afterwards by ‘Counter-Attack’. Nairn also contributed to various books on British cities and architecture (although not a trained architect) such as ‘The Buildings of England’. Nairn also contributed to the evolution of guide books most notably with his ‘Nairn’s London’ (1966) and ‘Nairn’s Paris’ (1968). Of his writings Jonathon Meades has said: "Mere architectural description could not suffice for that land of joke-oak and real rhododendron; what it demands is an acute sense of place and the gift to render that sense. Nairn possessed both, and in his London book he showed a third gift, that of the realization of the emotional power of townscape. That trinity of gifts made him a great poet of the metropolis." Nairn also enjoyed a lengthy TV career producing programs on various British towns and cities and on places on the continent. Many of these programs are available through YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch? v=gQfgA_6HLT0&list=PLzBwppKDCE9BLOqw1SqWdH14H_onhYgWn The BBC produced a program ‘The Man who fought the planners: The story of ian Nairn’ which is available on Youtube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lvoXJ1Ye9R4&t=137s Many of the insights of Nairn are as relevant today as then. Matt Roberts provides us with a fascinating insight into the life and times and legacy of Nairn; we are very grateful to our podcast ‘cousin’ for sharing this knowledge. Audio production by Jack Bavage. The episode was released on 25 March 2022. PlanningxChange is proud to be a member of the urban Broadcast Collective.

In PlanningxChange episode 90 we interview Scott LaMont the CEO of EDSA, an international planning and landscape architecture consultancy. Scott joined EDSA in 1996 and has been a driving force in the firm’s practice and strategic growth since. Before being named CEO, he was a Studio Leader and Principal for 12 years, instilling the firm’s ethos with a design sensibility and comprehensive approach to projects while fostering long term client relationships. Scott is focused on the big picture tenets of people, client service and vision while leading the 120-person firm towards inspirational design with enthusiasm, devotion, creativity and humility. He is committed to the exploration of sustainable, modern ideals and fostering values which positively personify humanity by balancing superior design and pragmatic business planning. His broad range of global experience spans large scale planning assignments to mixed-use residential, hospitality and urban works that have strengthened EDSA’s reputation as a design leader. The firm has offices in USA cities and in a number of countries. He has a Bachelor of Landscape Architecture, University of Florida. PlanningxChange is proud to be part of the Urban Broadcast Collective. Audio production by Jack Bavage. The episode was released on 5 March 2022.

PlanningxChange Episode 89, features Peter Malley. Peter is a traffic and transport engineer with over 17 years' experience consulting to numerous private and government clients in Victoria and NSW. Peter has a passion for master planning and large-scale developments where he applies a holistic transport planning approach. He has contributed expert advice to a range of significant projects including town centres, residential subdivisions, mixed-use developments, healthcare and educational facilities. Peter works closely with clients, applying a proactive and personal touch to achieve successful and innovative responses. When designing a transport system, Peter believes it’s important to consider not only private vehicle use, but public transport options, bicycle accessibility and pedestrian amenity to cater to user diversity. Peter was involved in a serious bicycle accident in 2020 that left him a paraplegic and his disability has offered him a unique understanding of the way transport planning affects the movement of people. He looks forward to recommencing his career after a twelve-month recovery period, applying his insights to future projects, and he has already started training to get back on some sort of bicycle. When Peter had his cycling accident and began rehabilitation at the Spinal Injury Unit at the Royal Talbot Rehabilitation Centre, he realised there was limited rehabilitation opportunities to help patients get back on a bike. Spinal injury patients who are able to regain some use of their legs require customised equipment, like a recumbent trike, but unfortunately this equipment is highly customised and expensive. To raise funds to allow the Royal Talbot Rehabilitation Centre to provide this rehabilitation program Peter organised a fund raising bike ride and GoFundMe campaign where he has raised a total of over $6,000. If you would like to donate to the cause, please visit the GoFundMe page at https://gofund.me/d9f879c9 Audio production by Jack Bavage. The episode was released on 13 February 2022. PlanningxChange is proud to be part of the Urban Broadcast Collective.

PlanningxChange Episode 88, features Catherine Heggen, a town planner with UK and Australian experience over a 35 year career. Catherine’s career has been devoted to the provision of project based consulting advice to a wide range of private sector and government clients. Her professional capabilities and experience lie at the intersection of urban planning, statutory control, place making and project facilitation. Catherine’s experience extends across all aspects of development planning, from high rise inner city apartment complexes, medium density housing projects as well as delivery of social housing models, built form impact analysis and urban design appraisals, innovative greenfield subdivision and ‘environmental living’ communities, institutional master plans and environment impact assessments. Catherine is the author of professional papers and articles including ‘A Walk on the Wild Side’. The paper was presented at the Victorian Planning and Environmental Law Association Conference 2018. Catherine has particular skills in development planning often involving urban design, heritage issues and visual landscape impact assessments. She has been Chair of Victoria’s Heritage Council, a Trustee of Melbourne’s Heritage Restoration fund and a jury member of various urban design, planning and landscape institute awards. PlanningxChange is proud to be part of the Urban Broadcast Collective. Audio production by Jack Bavage. The episode was released on 18 January 2022.

PlanningxChange Episode 87, features Steve Oates, the Chief Executive of the Heritage Railway Association (HRA). Formerly a property professional who then spent 20 years in commercial radio, Steve has had an active lifelong interest in heritage and steam railways. From his teenage years, and for more than 40 years, Steve has worked with the award-winning Isle of Wight Steam Railway in a non-executive and voluntary capacity, including ten years chairing its board of directors and trustees. He was appointed as the HRA’s first chief executive 4 years ago, moving it from an entirely volunteer-run organisation to its’ position as the UK-wide trade association and professional support body for the Heritage Rail sector. From the World’s first preserved heritage railway – the Talyllyn in North Wales – to railways operating iconic mainline locomotives such as Flying Scotsman, between them the UK’s heritage railways operate steam, diesel and electric traction and range from large standard gauge railways to smaller 12-inch and 15-inch gauge lines. As the sector’s trade association, the HRA actively represents, and works to protect and promote, the interests of this wide range of heritage and tourist railways, tramways, cliff railways, related museums, railway preservation groups and associated organisations. The HRA has some 300 member railways, tramways and other organisations located throughout England and the UK. Coming in all shapes and sizes, more than 180 HRA member organisations regularly open to the public, 160 of them operating with passengers. The Associations website is https://www.hra.uk.com Professionally Steve is a chartered surveyor, but has wide commercial experience, having founded and managed three successful commercial radio stations, and headed-up an economic development service for a local authority. Heritage railways attract some 13 million visitors each year; they retain and nurture important skills, and employ some 4,000 people; they are important to local communities, providing interest and participation for 22,000 volunteers; and they are important to the wider economy, annually together contributing approaching £500million of economic impact. The HRA’s 2021 annual awards can be viewed either on the HRA website or at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AkwvuCI6wnI Audio production by Jack Bavage. The episode was released on 27 December 2021. PlanningxChange is proud to be part of the Urban Broadcast Collective.

PlanningxChange Episode 86, features Deb Ganderton CEO of The Greater Metropolitan Cemeteries Trust (GMCT) and James Reid, the Chief Future Built Environment Officer of GMCT. GMCT is a self-funding, not for profit organisation that runs 19 cemeteries and memorial parks and three crematoria across Melbourne, Australia. It is also responsible for two greenfield sites to be developed on Melbourne’s urban fringe. GMCT manages 600 hectares; the various cemeteries are visited by almost two million people annually. In this interview Deb and James talk of the evolution of cemeteries, management issues, the need to respond to diversifying community preferences and the requirements of long term planning. The interview covers a wide range of topics including discussion on the modern experience of the traditional cemetery format often with significant heritage values and considerations that drive new cemetery design. The interview touches on the sensitivities of design for grieving and the value of nature to assist this process. As well, the desire to integrate cemeteries into communities and become places of celebration and passive recreation rather than places of limited utility. Audio production by Jack Bavage. The episode was released on 6 December 2021. PlanningxChange is a proud to be a part fot eh Urban Broadcast Collective.

In PlanningxChange Episode 85, Jess Noonan and Peter Jewell interview Stone Librande, the lead designer for SimCity 2013.  Stone is currently a Lead Designer in the R&D group at Riot Games, and has worked in the video game industry for 20 years on games such as SimCity 2013, Spore, and Diablo 3. In addition to his full-time job designing video games, he also teaches a game design course at Carnegie Mellon University’s ETC program and runs design seminars around the world. An avid board game inventor, Stone has published two games: "Mechs vs. Minions" and "Alakazam! The Game of Dueling Wizards". SimCity 2013 is a city building and urban planning simulation multiplayer online game developed by Maxis Emeryville and published by Electronic Arts. Released for Microsoft Windows in early March 2013, it was the first major installment in the SimCity series since the release of SimCity 4 a decade before. A macOS version was released in August 2013. The game is considered a reboot of the SimCity series. Players can create a settlement that can grow into a city by zoning land for residential, commercial or industrial development as well as building and maintaining public services, transport and utilities. SimCity used a new engine called GlassBox that allows more detailed simulation than previous games. Stone was part of a very large team that brought the game to market. In this interview Stone talks of his research into city systems, the concessions that were required to model the real world of cities (for example car parking takes up less area in the virtual cities), the interplay and consequences of city decision making and that players have a finite set of resources available. He also talks of the role that gaming can have on influencing our approach to real world issues. A terrific interview subject with a great perspective on the virtual and real worlds. Audio production by Jack Bavage. The episode was released on 17 November 2021.

In PlanningxChange Episode 84, Jess Noonan and Peter Jewell interview Gerard McHugh; this interview is all about mountain bike trail development and what it can achieve for participants, towns and regions. Gerard is the General Manager of World Trails. The company provides trail designs for all types of recreational trails, from the earliest conceptual stage to the final design stage including detailed trail designs, trail master plans, concept plans, CAD designs, engineering plans, detailed construction budgets and schedules, trail mapping and competitive overlays for mountain bike racing. Details of the company are at https://world-trail.com. Gerard joined World Trail in 2007, starting on the trail construction crew before moving in to a full-time role delivering the company’s consulting reports and designs. In his time with World Trail, Gerard has been responsible for, or had some involvement with every project World Trail has undertaken, including the design and construction of the trail networks at Falls Creek, Atherton, Hidden Vale, Smithfield, Derby, St Helens and Wangetti, all of which are amongst the most successful mountain bike trail projects in Australia. The interview covers a wide range of topics including what makes a good mountain bike trail, design and environmental considerations, whether you need mountains, misconceptions, how towns and land managers can develop mountain bike trails, the fun and inclusive nature of urban ‘pump parks’ and how the sport is enticing more people to experience nature. Audio production by Jack Bavage. The episode was released on 18 October 2021. PlanningxChnage is proud to be part of the Urban Broadcast Collective.

In PlanningxChange Episode 83, Jess Noonan and Peter Jewell interview Adam Cohen. Adam is a transportation mobility futures researcher at the Institute of Transportation Studies at the University of California, Berkeley. Since joining the group in 2004, his research has focused on innovative mobility strategies, including urban/advanced air mobility, automated vehicles, shared mobility, smart cities, smartphone apps, and other emerging technologies. He has co-authored numerous articles and reports in peer-reviewed journals and conference proceedings. Adam also served three combat tours in support of Operation Enduring Freedom as a rated aviator for the Combined Joint Special Operations Air Component (CJSOAC). Adam’s unique multidisciplinary background gives him unique insight into automation, electrification, and the potential impacts of innovative and disruptive technologies. Previously, Adam worked for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Information Technology and Telecommunications Laboratory (ITTL) at the Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI). His academic background is in city and regional planning and international affairs. In this interview we discuss Adam’s recent project ‘Shared Micromoblity Policy Toolkit: Docked and Dockless Bike and Scooter Sharing’ which he co-authored with Susan Shaheen . This can be found at https://tsrc.berkeley.edu/publications/shared-micromoblity-policy-toolkit-docked-and-dockless-bike-and-scooter-sharing Audio production by Jack Bavage. This episode was released on 24 September 2021. PlanningxChange is proud to be part of the UBC.