University of Technology Sydney

17901 Property Development and Planning Process

Warning: The information on this page is indicative. The subject outline for a particular session, location and mode of offering is the authoritative source of all information about the subject for that offering. Required texts, recommended texts and references in particular are likely to change. Students will be provided with a subject outline once they enrol in the subject.

Subject handbook information prior to 2024 is available in the Archives.

UTS: Design, Architecture and Building: School of the Built Environment
Credit points: 6 cp
Result type: Grade and marks

There are course requisites for this subject. See access conditions.
Anti-requisite(s): 17135 Property Development Process

Description

This subject introduces the planning framework and demonstrates its impact on development decision-making. Demographic and market analysis are explained and applied in the assignment tasks. Development feasibility is demonstrated and applied to a project scenario. It also considers how development assessment and approval supports and regulates the planning, design and development processes.

Subject learning objectives (SLOs)

On successful completion of this subject, students should be able to:

1. Communicate effectively using written and online communication strategies
2. Apply demographic and market analysis research to inform property development decision-making
3. Demonstrate an understanding of the planning framework and its development impact on potential development projects
4. Apply the property development process and the planning framework
5. Evaluate the feasibility of a potential development project

Course intended learning outcomes (CILOs)

This subject also contributes to the following Course Intended Learning Outcomes:

  • Communicate with people with a wide variety of cultural, social, economic, and political perspectives and interests using verbal, written, and visual media (C.2)
  • Develop creative solutions to complex problems based on research and evaluation (I.1)
  • Apply a wide array of analytic tools (which may include spreadsheets, geographic information software, three-dimensional simulations, or negotiation tools) to determine constraints and opportunities (P.3)
  • Analyse dynamics driving land and property markets and articulate this to planning proposals (P.8)

Contribution to the development of graduate attributes

The term CAPRI is used for the five Design, Architecture and Building faculty graduate attribute categories where:

C = communication and groupwork

A = attitudes and values

P = practical and professional

R = research and critique

I = innovation and creativity.

Course intended learning outcomes (CILOs) are linked to these categories using codes (e.g. C-1, A-3, P-4, etc.).

Teaching and learning strategies

This subject is taught fully online. Each week is self-paced through the learning management system. You are expected to complete a range of different learning activities throughout the week. Activities provide opportunities to learn, apply and discuss the knowledge gained in a practical manner. Feedback is provided from both peers and teaching staff throughout the activities. You are encouraged to actively provide feedback and interact with staff and students in the exercises and on the discussion board(s). Online Zoom sessions will be held regularly throughout the subject to allow you to interact with staff and students, ask questions and receive clarification and formative feedback on your assignments.

Content (topics)

1. Introduction to Urban development: from the general to particular

1.1 Urban development in Australia

1.2 Urban development in action

1.3 Planning and the development process

1.4 Understanding the development process

1.5 Bringing it all together

2. Demographic analysis

2.1 Property market research

2.2 Demographic indicators

3. Urban planning framework

3.1 Understanding the planning and regulatory context for development

3.2 Strategic planning

3.3 Development control planning

4. Property development and economics

4.1 Basics of (price) economics

4.2 Property development process

4.3 Property and the economy

4.4 Macroeconomics policies and tools

4.5 Key economic indicators

4.6 Key economic indicators – COVID 19 impact

4.7 Market segments

4.8 Selecting the site and product

4.9 Understanding property market dynamics

5. Feasibility

5.1 To develop or not to develop

5.2 Property feasibility

5.3 Development feasibility principles

6. Development assessment: The final stage

6.1 What is a development assessment and why is it important?

6.2 The development assessment process

6.3 Development assessment in practice

6.4 The future of development practices

6.5 We are all planners

Assessment

Assessment task 1: Online Tests

Intent:

Assessment 1 is comprised of three online tests to assess your understanding of the content of modules 1-4 concerning the themes on urban development, demographics and property and market analysis and economies.

Objective(s):

This task addresses the following subject learning objectives:

2, 3 and 4

This task also addresses the following course intended learning outcomes that are linked with a code to indicate one of the five CAPRI graduate attribute categories (e.g. C.1, A.3, P.4, etc.):

P.8

Type: Quiz/test
Groupwork: Individual
Weight: 20%
Criteria linkages:
Criteria Weight (%) SLOs CILOs
Urban development - correct test answers 33 2 P.8
Demographics - correct test answers 33 3 P.8
Property development and?economics 34 4 P.8
SLOs: subject learning objectives
CILOs: course intended learning outcomes

Assessment task 2: Due Diligence Critical Analysis

Intent:

Students are expected to do desktop research about an urban development project and apply the knowledge gained through the content of Modules 1 to 4 to develop the critical path of a due diligence process. Students must critically analyse and develop a step-by-step review.

Objective(s):

This task addresses the following subject learning objectives:

1, 2, 3 and 4

This task also addresses the following course intended learning outcomes that are linked with a code to indicate one of the five CAPRI graduate attribute categories (e.g. C.1, A.3, P.4, etc.):

C.2, I.1 and P.8

Type: Report
Groupwork: Individual
Weight: 40%
Criteria linkages:
Criteria Weight (%) SLOs CILOs
Quality, clarity, professionalism & coherent structure of presentation: Use of effective written, oral or visual communication to present analysis & recommendations. 10 1 C.2
Demonstrates understanding of how legal, practical, professional applications of planning framework may impact the site's potential and viability. Considers opportunities for challenging existing regulations and potential impact on site viability. 20 3 P.8
Demonstrates understanding of property economics and market analysis in the analysis of the studied project. Properly identifies the market requirements of a due diligence critical path. 40 2 P.8
Thoroughness and synthesis of the analysis of the critical path and the due diligence process. Inclusion of variances and alternatives and/or mitigations with strong fundamentals, proper discussion and supporting references. 30 4 I.1
SLOs: subject learning objectives
CILOs: course intended learning outcomes

Assessment task 3: Analysis and Evaluation of Feasibility

Intent:

Students will be required to use the analysis of the due diligence they developed for assignment 2 and investigate the feasibility for developing a short-term accommodation project within this location. They are not expected to produce a full-scale feasibility study with a complete cash flow, rather analyse and evaluate the preliminary cost-benefit analysis for the proposed accommodation. The idea is for students to familiarise with the structure and processes of a feasibility process by doing a preliminary analysis and recommendation of development.

Objective(s):

This task addresses the following subject learning objectives:

1, 2, 3 and 5

This task also addresses the following course intended learning outcomes that are linked with a code to indicate one of the five CAPRI graduate attribute categories (e.g. C.1, A.3, P.4, etc.):

C.2, P.3 and P.8

Type: Report
Groupwork: Individual
Weight: 40%
Criteria linkages:
Criteria Weight (%) SLOs CILOs
Quality, clarity, professionalism & coherent structure of presentation: Use of effective written and/or visual communication to present analysis & recommendations. 10 1 C.2
Analysis of property markets & cycles. Demonstrate an understanding of the impact on the potential of the case study location and the proposed site/project viability and recommendation. 20 2 P.8
Evaluate how planning considerations of the case study influence decisions for the proposed development. 30 3 P.8
Evaluate data to a property market in a feasibility assessment of the proposed development. Discuss how the results influenced the recommendation decisions related to the proposed development (yes/no). 40 5 P.3
SLOs: subject learning objectives
CILOs: course intended learning outcomes

Minimum requirements

Students must achieve at least 50% of the subject’s total mark.

Required texts

Bertaud, A. (2018). Order without design?: how markets shape cities. The MIT Press. (Chapter 6)

Coiacetto, E. (2012). Understanding land development a project-based approach. CSIRO Pub. (Chapter 4).

Gurran, N. (2011). Australian urban land use planning?: principles, systems and practice (Second edition.). Sydney University Press. (Chapters 2 & 3).

Holsen, T. (2020). Negotiations Between Developers and Planning Authorities in Urban Development Projects. DISP, 56(3), 34–46.

Serkin, C. (2020). The Wicked Problem of Zoning. Vanderbilt Law Review, 73(6), 1879–1908.

Myers, D. (2009). Economics for the Modern Built Environment. Construction Management and Economics, 27(12), 1267–1269.

Recommended texts

Bertaud, A. (2018). Order without design: How markets shape cities. The MIT Press. (Full book).

Coiacetto, E. (2012). Understanding land development: A project-based approach. CSIRO Pub. (Full book).

Eklund, JE. (2012). "The Use of Knowledge in Investment Theory", Emanuel Andersson, D. (Ed.) The Spatial Market Process (Advances in Austrian Economics, Vol. 16), Emerald Group Publishing Limited, Bingley, pp. 335-351.

Gurran, N. (2011). Australian urban land use planning: Principles, systems and practice (2nd ed.). Sydney University Press. (Full book).

Jacobs, J. (1972). The economy of cities. Penguin.

Jacobs, J. (1992). The Death and Life of Great American Cities: Vintage Books.

Palmberg, J. (2012). "Spatial Concentration in the Financial Industry", Emanuel Andersson, D. (Ed.) The Spatial Market Process (Advances in Austrian Economics, Vol. 16), Emerald Group Publishing Limited, Bingley, pp. 313-333.

Potts, J. (2012). "Novelty-Bundling Markets", Emanuel Andersson, D. (Ed.) The Spatial Market Process (Advances in Austrian Economics, Vol. 16), Emerald Group Publishing Limited, Bingley, pp. 291-312.

Wilkinson, S., & Reed, R. (2008). Property development (5th ed.). Routledge.