Focus CDS Consultants – Jack Kraan

CMPA Honorary Voting Member, JACK KRAAN reports on his career in planning and the growth of his business.

I began my association with the extractive industries in the mid 1970’s, not long after graduating from Latrobe University with an honours degree in Agricultural Science. I commenced working with the then Soil Conservation Authority at Gisborne. One of my duties was to administer soil removal activities pursuant to the Soil Conservation and Land Utilisation Act.

After a couple of years I joined the Melbourne and Metropolitan Board of Works which was the regional planning authority for Melbourne at the time. I worked in the Environmental Management Section of the Planning Branch administering planning in the non-urban areas of the region. This role included provision of advice on extractive industry proposals. While at the Board I obtained a Masters of Urban Planning from Melbourne University.

Looking back at the late 70’s and early 80’s, planning was much simpler than now. For example, the complete planning scheme for metropolitan Melbourne was contained within an A5 sized booklet which was about two centimetres thick. There were a limited number of land use zones and prescriptive controls for each of those. No need to interpret pages of policies. Compare that to now!

My pragmatic nature led to a desire to make things happen, rather than regulate them. This saw me move into private practice with Kinhill Engineers Pty Ltd in 1985 as an environmental planner. My role here saw me participate in and lead various multi-disciplinary teams preparing planning permit applications and Environmental Effects Statements (EES) for industrial, mining and extractive industry proposals, both within Victoria and interstate. Projects included an EES for the Fosterville Gold Mine near Bendigo and an EES for a zinc smelter at Risdon in Tasmania.

In 1990 I became a director and principal of KLM Development Consultants, a firm of town planners, civil engineers and land surveyors. This subsequently led to the formation of KLM Planning Consultants which now trades as Focus CDS Consultants and specialises in obtaining town planning and environmental approvals for development proposals including extractive industries, landfills and industrial plants.

Much of my work involves project management of multi-disciplinary teams of specialist consultants contributing advice into the approvals process.

Services that my practice offers its clients include:

• Feasibility assessments for new and expanding extractive industries.
• Advice on requirements of Municipal Planning Schemes.
• Strategic and statutory planning advice.
• Project management for specialist environmental studies.
• Preparation of all documentation required for planning permit applications.
• Negotiation of approvals through Councils and authorities.
• Preparation of Environmental Management Plans.
• Preparation and presentation of submissions to Councils and VCAT.
• Preparation and presentation of expert witness evidence at VCAT and the Supreme Court.

Over the years, I have worked with extractive industry clients ranging from large corporations to small businesses. I particularly enjoy working with the independent sector of the industry because the people I work with are close to the coal face and tend to be the decision makers in the business. Recently I have been instrumental in obtaining approvals for quarries at Tyers, Neerim North, Woori Yallock and Gooram.

In late 1999 I was invited by Basil Natoli to attend a meeting of a group of independent quarry operators and suppliers of services to the extractive industry. The intention of this meeting was to establish a peak industry body to promote the interests of independent operators.

I was pleased to be able to support the establishment of the CMPA because I believed that it would assist the smaller operators in getting access to government to provide input into decision making and policy. It was difficult for the independent operators to be heard in government as individuals. The large operators appeared to have much easier access to government to put their views.

In the early days it was the persistent ‘banging on doors’ that got the CMPA’s views heard. This led to the gradual acceptance within government circles of the Association as being a legitimate peak body representing the industry. The Association is now routinely invited to participate in government reviews and inquiries. Th is is testament to its success.

One of the issues frequently raised with government by the CMPA and its members was the duplication of referrals within the planning permit approval process and the Work Authority approval process. I believe that this advocacy was instrumental in the establishment of the new Statutory Endorsement process introduced by DPI.

While it is early days yet, this should improve the efficiency of the approvals process.

There are still many issues that face the industry today. In the planning and environmental area these include:

• The identification and protection of extractive resources.
• Lack of strategic planning for the proper utilisation of resources.
• Urban encroachment on existing and potential quarry sites.
• The lack of extractive industry experience amongst municipal planners.
• Rationalisation of native vegetation and cultural heritage controls.
• The extent of third party participation in the planning process.
• Time delays associated with the VCAT process.

Clearly there is ample opportunity for the CMPA to promote the industry and to advocate issues of concern for planning and environmental in the future.

For further information contact Jack Kraan, Focus CDS Consultants 03 8794 9911

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