With a decade of combined experience, Meliora Projects is NSW’s trusted partner in planning and development consulting. We streamline approvals, craft tailored strategies, and bring your vision to life with clarity and confidence. Partner with Meliora Projects today to transform your ideas into reality.
Trusted NSW Consultants | Proven Strategies | Project Success
Meliora Projects is an NSW-based town planning consultancy helping property owners, developers, and businesses streamline the approvals process. With decades of combined experience and in-depth knowledge of NSW planning regulations, we turn complex requirements into clear, practical outcomes.
Our consultants combine in-depth local knowledge of NSW planning systems with strategic insight to manage every stage of the planning process. From preparing Development Applications (DAs), feasibility assessments, and rezoning or subdivision strategies to liaising with councils, community and stakeholders, we provide practical advice that streamlines approvals and reduces delays.
We understand that every project is unique. That’s why Meliora Projects offers personalised guidance, ensuring compliance with NSW planning regulations while maximising your project’s potential. Whether you’re pursuing a residential build, commercial development, subdivision, rezoning or State Significant project, our focus is on practical outcomes that create long-term value.
Trusted by clients across Sydney, Newcastle, the Hunter, and regional NSW, Meliora Projects delivers planning solutions that balance compliance, creativity, and functionality. Partner with us for expert planning support that reduces risks, accelerates approvals, and turns your vision into reality.
NSW has diverse planning rules across councils and regions. From metropolitan Sydney to regional centres, our consultants understand the local planning instruments that shape development outcomes. By partnering with Meliora Projects, you gain consultants who can anticipate challenges, deliver clear strategies, and build trust and confidence with councils and with decision-makers.
At Meliora Projects, we go beyond regulatory compliance to deliver planning solutions that create long-term value. Our projects are designed to align with NSW’s environmental objectives, housing supply priorities, and community needs, ensuring developments contribute positively to urban growth and essential infrastructure.
We are committed to making your project a success—guiding you from concept to approval with strategic planning insights and professional expertise.
Before buying land or progressing with a project, our consultants assess zoning, council controls, and planning pathways. We deliver detailed feasibility reports and pre-acquisition advice that reduce risks, clarify approval options, and maximise development outcomes across NSW.
Every project is unique. We identify the right approval pathway and prepare tailored planning reports to support your application. By managing the authority requirements and minimising risks, we help you achieve approvals faster and with fewer setbacks.
Meliora Projects delivers SEARs-compliant SIA and Engagement Reports for all types of developments across NSW, including major developments and State Significant projects. We assess community impacts, risks, and benefits while guiding stakeholder engagement to strengthen approval outcomes and reduce objections.
Explore our full range of services to see how we can assist at every stage of your project.
[MEH-lee-OR-ah] Noun
is derived from Latin, meaning “towards better things”.
We adopted this philosophy for the company as it embodies the idea of continuous improvement and striving for excellence—always pursuing the better in everything we do.
We provide clear, tailored planning advice and early-stage assessments to help you understand risks, opportunities, and approval pathways—ensuring your project starts on the right track.
We deliver comprehensive town planning assessments and specialised reports to support development approvals, address regulatory requirements, and provide expert guidance across a range of statutory planning matters.
We provide Social Impact Assessment (SIA) services to help clients understand and respond to the potential social effects of their developments. From early-stage scoping to full SIA reporting, we offer tailored, evidence-based analysis and guidance to ensure projects reflect community needs, meet regulatory requirements, and align with principles of social equity and responsible planning.
We facilitate meaningful engagement processes that build trust, gather insights, and inform planning outcomes. Our tailored strategies support inclusive participation, address stakeholder concerns, and ensure projects are developed with transparency, collaboration, and community awareness at the forefront.
We offer a range of supporting services to streamline your project.
Access our consulting services on a recurring basis, through a monthly fee or based on the established hourly rate. Please enquire about our subscription based services by contacting us.
Our Case Studies dive into actual projects, sharing clear and practical lessons from real-world experiences.
At Meliora Projects, we break down each project’s challenges, solutions, and outcomes. You’ll find detailed overviews, project timelines, regulatory hurdles, and planning strategies that delivered results.
Battery recycling has become essential to managing Australia’s growing stockpile of electronic and energy waste. In regions like Port Stephens,
The Market Garden Relocation – North Richmond project centres on a family-run farm, a primary producer in NSW, forced to
Heavy Industries
Waste and Resource Recovery
Extractive Industries and Mining
Energy Generation and Supply
Agriculture and Animal Processing
Forestry and Timber Processing
Infrastructure and Transport
Water-related Developments
Contaminated Land and Hazardous Facilities
Marine and Coastal Developments
Reach out to us today to see how you can turn your project into reality.
(Torrens, Strata & Community Titles)
Reach out to us today to see how you can turn your project into reality.
Early-stage project feasibility assessments and risk analysis to give you a clear picture before committing to the development process. We identify constraints, approval pathways, and risks upfront so you can make informed, cost-effective decisions.
Specialist guidance through complex approval pathways – our planners tailor strategies to your project’s scale, location, and planning context, helping you reduce delays and increase your chances of approval.
A comprehensive suite of town planning services to streamline development approval processes while addressing social impacts and broader public interest.
A Statement of Environmental Effects (SoEE) is a key planning document required for most Development Applications (DAs) lodged with councils in NSW. It explains the nature of the proposed development, how it complies with planning rules, and what environmental or social impacts may arise.
– A clear and well-prepared SoEE reduces the risk of requests for further information (RFIs) and delays.
– It can help prevent objections by proactively addressing likely issues.
Meliora Projects prepares SoEE reports to demonstrate how your development meets planning and environmental requirements. A comprehensive SoEE ensures council approvals are smooth and compliant.
Yes – strategic rezoning can significantly increase a property’s value, but it depends on the site, the surrounding context, and whether the rezoning aligns with council and state planning objectives.
Meliora Projects advises on strategic rezoning to optimise land use and maximise development potential. We guide clients through rezoning applications, feasibility studies, and council consultations to unlock property growth opportunities.
An EIS is required when a project is likely to cause significant environmental impacts. This may include:
An EIS provides detailed studies on potential impacts – from traffic and noise to ecology, heritage, and community outcomes – along with mitigation strategies.
At Meliora Projects, we prepare comprehensive EIS documents to ensure projects meet statutory requirements, address risks, and gain council and community confidence.
A Plan of Management (PoM), also known as an Operational Plan of Management, is a formal document required by councils to explain how a land use or development will be operated and managed once approved.
It’s common for developments such as:
Why a PoM is Important
A View Loss or View Sharing Impact Assessment evaluates how a proposed development will affect the views enjoyed by neighbouring properties – particularly scenic or iconic views such as ocean, river, escarpment, or landmark outlooks.
The aim is not to guarantee a neighbour’s view remains unchanged, but to assess whether views are shared fairly under planning principles.
Councils often request a View Loss/Sharing Assessment when:
The Key Principles (NSW Planning Case Law – Tenacity Principles)
When assessing view impacts, planners and councils consider:
We prepare independent, evidence-based View Loss and View Sharing Impact Assessments. Our reports apply the Tenacity planning principles, include visual analysis and justifications, and support DA approvals while minimising neighbour conflicts.
Meliora Projects assesses whether your project qualifies as exempt development under NSW planning rules. We provide clarity on controls, compliance, and next steps, helping you save time and costs.
This is a really important question – and one that comes up often in NSW when people purchase a property only to discover that unauthorised building works or unapproved developments exist.
Discovering unauthorised works after buying a property or the business use didn’t have an approval can be stressful – but it’s not uncommon. Councils may still require a DA, a Building Information Certificate (BIC), or a retrospective approval.
Meliora Projects provides preliminary advice for unauthorised developments. We identify compliance options, potential risks, and steps to regularise the development with the council, helping you minimise penalties and secure approvals.
Clause 4.6 of the Standard Instrument Local Environmental Plan (LEP) allows an applicant to request a variation to a development standard (such as building height, floor space ratio, or lot size) if strict compliance is unreasonable or unnecessary.
To be successful, the applicant must show:
Why It Matters
We prepare Clause 4.6 Variation Requests that are clear, evidence-based, and tailored to council requirements. Our reports demonstrate why your proposal should be supported, giving you the best chance of success.
Have questions? Let us guide you through the process—request a callback at your preferred time!
Wherever your project is located, we provide trusted guidance tailored to local Council requirements.
With extensive experience across metropolitan, regional, and growth areas throughout New South Wales, we offer clear, informed planning advice that supports smooth approvals and successful project delivery.
Formerly Ryan Planning & Development.
Now Meliora Projects.
Full website coming soon.
1300 713 581
