Ian Dencker

Ian Dencker is a professional urban and regional planner with both undergraduate and post-graduate university qualifications (with merit).  He has worked in local and state government since 1981 in senior and executive roles in rural, regional and metropolitan settings. Ian is currently the Director of Inner West Town Planning and is a full member of the Planning Institute of Australia.

 

Some of Ian’s major achievements include:

Consistently achieving lowest development application (DA) processing times;

Obtaining almost $1 million in grant money from the State Government;

Delivering the Burwood Town Centre Vision Document, accompanying Developer Contributions Plan and the Burwood Town Centre Local Environmental Plan and Development Control Plan (DCP);

Developing a new Planning Agreements Policy netting Council over $12 million above normal developer contributions;

Successfully lobbying the State Government in achieving “Major Centre” status for the Burwood Town Centre under the new Sydney Metropolitan Strategy;

Successfully defending a large number of appeals in the NSW Land & Environment Court;

Actively participating in a number of Ministerial Taskforces (including the Parramatta Road taskforce);

Implementation of e-DA tracking in a number of Councils;

Implementation of the Integrated Development Assessment Legislation including merging the building surveying and town planning professions into one single department at Wollongong Council;

Assessing and approving the $170+ million University of Wollongong Innovation Campus including preparation of a Masterplan/Local Environmental Plan;

Assessing and approving the new WIN Stadium;

Introducing Architectural Design Awards to the City of Wollongong.

Responsible for all development assessment, building inspection and subdivision/land engineering functions in one of Australia’s largest Councils;

Master planning the new Mascot Railway Station Precinct in readiness for the new City-Airport rail link;

Delivering a host of innovative new planning instruments including an Aircraft Noise (DCP) and  a Container Terminal DCP;

 

 

Inner West Town Planning can undertake a range of planning projects be it development assessment, strategic planning or court work.

About Ian Dencker

 

PERSONAL

• Date of birth: 1 October 1962
• Address: 60 Leopold Street, Ashbury NSW 2193
• Telephone: 0409 157 754

 

PROFILE

Ian Dencker has a long and varied career in the NSW public sector spanning over 30 years.  Ian has a very strong public sector administrative and finance background having worked for both the NSW Public Works Department and the Department of Planning in senior administrative roles.  Ian is also a professional urban and regional planner with both undergraduate and post-graduate university qualifications.  He has worked in local government since 1989 and has enjoyed steady career progression from a Senior Town Planner with Yarrowlumla Shire Council to my role as Director Planning and Environment with Burwood Municipal Council.  Ian has acted as the General Manager for Burwood Council from time to time.

 

EMPLOYMENT HISTORY

Director Inner West Town Planning, 2011-

• Working with clients in the Strathfield, Burwood, Canterbury, Ashfield, Leichhardt, Marrickville, Rockdale, Botany Bay, Randwick, Sydney, Auburn, Parramatta, and Hornsby local government areas.
• Major achievements/current projects include:

¨  Successfully working with Council and clients in lodging compliant development applications for affordable housing including boarding houses and infill residential development;

¨  Resolving a number of compliance issues where orders have been issued by Council:

¨  Developing seniors living proposals in the Inner West of Sydney

¨  Developing new high density commercial/residential building proposals in the new Burwood Town Centre.

Director Planning and Environment, Burwood Municipal Council, 2003-2011.

• Responsible for the following key functions of Council – Strategic Planning, Environment and Health, Waste, Building and Development, Front Counter/Call Centre, Compliance/Parking, Library, Community Services, information technology and Records.
• Major achievements include:

¨  Second lowest development application (DA) processing times in NSW;

¨  Reinstated scheduled premises health inspections for Burwood;

¨  Obtained $900,000 grant money from Department of Planning;

¨  Delivered Burwood Town Centre Vision Document, S.94A Developer Contributions Plan and the Burwood Town Centre Local Environmental Plan/Development Control Plan;

¨  Reinstated fire safety/swimming pool inspections for Burwood;

¨  Developed a new Planning Agreements Policy netting Council over $12 million above normal developer contributions;

¨  Restructured Council’s Waste and Customer Services Teams;

¨  Successfully lobbied the State Government in achieving “Major Centre” status for the Burwood Town Centre under the new Sydney Metropolitan Strategy;

¨  Successfully defended a number of appeals in the NSW Land & Environment Court; and

¨  Member of a number of Ministerial Taskforces

 

Manager Integrated Development Assessment & Senior Manager, Development Assessment and Compliance, Wollongong City Council, 1999-2003.

• Responsible for all development assessment/compliance, building inspection/compliance and subdivision/land engineering functions in one of Australia’s largest Councils with a staff compliment of 70+.
• Major achievements included:

¨  Implementation of e-DA tracking;

¨  Implementation of  the Integrated Development Assessment Legislation including merging the building surveying and town planning professions into one single department;

¨  Worked closely with Council’s solicitors on a number of important legal matters including the impact of the new Integrated Development Assessment Legislation;

¨  Assessed and approved $170 million University of Wollongong Innovation Campus including preparation of a Masterplan/Local Environmental Plan;

¨  Assessed and approved controversial new WIN Stadium; and

¨  Introduced Architectural Design Awards to the City of Wollongong.

 

Chief Town Planner, City of Botany Bay, 1995–1999.

• Responsible for all development assessment, development compliance and strategic planning for the City of Botany Bay.  Reported direct to Council CEO.
• Major achievements included:

¨  Masterplanning the new Mascot Railway Station Precinct in readiness for the new City-Airport rail link;

¨  Delivering a host of innovative new planning instruments (many of which are still in use) including an Aircraft Noise Development Control Plan (DCP) and  a Container Terminal DCP;

¨  Successful defence in the Land & Environment Court of the then very contentious John Fletcher container terminal development;

¨  Forming a good working relationship with Council in a challenging political environment; and

¨  Expert town planning witness in the NSW Land & Environment Court for the City of Botany Bay in the defence of Council decisions

 

Deputy Director of Planning, Yass Shire Council, 1992–1995.

• Responsible for the effective day-to-day management of the Town Planning Department as well as undertaking special projects for the General Manager and Shire President.
• Major achievements included:

¨  Speech writing for the Shire President;

¨  DA assessment and approval of Yass Service Centre creating over 300 new jobs for the local displaced service industry workers (as a result of the Yass Bypass);

¨  Delivery of the new ACT Sub-Regional Planning Strategy;

¨  Rejuvenating Yass Main Street through heritage initiatives and developer contributions turning the town into a tourist destination for Canberra day-trippers;

¨  Implementing the community/operational land provisions of the 1993 Local Government Act; and

¨  Worked closely with QC’s, Senior Counsel and Council’s legal teams on various legal matters including appeals to the NSW Land & Environment Court.

 

Senior Town Planner, Yarrowlumla Shire Council, 1989–1992.

• Responsible for all major DA assessment, development compliance and strategic planning.
• Major achievements included:

¨  Assisting GM and Planning Director in a successful defence of a hostile takeover bid by Queanbeyan City Council;

¨  Council’s host and representative on the Upper Murrumbidgee Catchment Co-ordinating Committee; and

¨  Leading efforts to rejuvenate Bungendore through a new Main Street Committee.

 

Manager Administration – Department of Planning – Wollongong and Queanbeyan Regional Offices, 1986–1989.

• Responsible for all finance, administrative and governance support services for the Queanbeyan office.
• Major achievements included:

¨  Secretary – Ministerial Kosciusko Planning and Development Committee (S.22 Environmental Planning & Assessment Act 1979);

¨  Secretary – Illawarra Transport, Industrial Lands & Transport Working Parties; and

¨  Secretary – Macarthur Area Assistance Scheme Advisory Committee.

 

Public Works Department – Various Locations Sydney/Port Kembla, 1981-1986.

• Principle positions occupied included:

¨  Paymaster BC&M Branch, Port Kembla;

¨  Accounts Payable/Receivable Clerk, Accounts Branch, Sydney; and

¨  Car Fleet Manager Port Kembla District Office.

• Major achievements included automation of the payroll and implementation of tax progress payment legislation.

 

Education

• Certified Town and Country Planner (Ordinance 4 Certificate)
• Bachelor of Arts, University of New England
  • Diploma Urban & Regional Planning, University of New England (Merit)
  • Financial Management of Non-Profit Organisations, Harvard, A (first in course)

 

Memberships

• Full Member, Planning Institute Australia

 

Hobbies

• Sailing
• Cycling
• Music