David Cunningham

As Manager, Development Assurance and Outcomes, I am responsible for managing a team of 40 officers across the areas of Trunk Infrastructure Calculations, Infrastructure Agreements, Plan Sealing and bonding of works, the appeals unit for Planning and Environment Court matters and the Building and Construction Management Team (BCMT) which is responsible for ensuring development projects across Brisbane are compliant against Development Approvals.

Providing leadership and specialist advice that contributes to the overall management, operation and strategic direction of the Development Services Branch of the Brisbane City Council

Mentored junior team members for career advancement, fostering a pipeline of future leaders within the organization.

Carried out several acting General Manager roles including Development Services (320 staff), Natural Environment and Waterways (150 staff), City Planning and Economic Development (160 staff) and City Parklands and Strategic Support (14 staff).

Responsible for managing and mentoring the Arcadis planning team with a focus on growing this part of the business across Australia.

Responsible for growing the client service offering of the team to include due diligence services for property acquisitions including highest and best use assessments, market research, feasibility analysis and development management services.

Responsible for project managing between 25 to 30 planning and feasibility jobs and oversee the planning work portfolio of approximately $750,000 in value.

Some of the more complex projects I managed included the development of a new airport in Western Australia for Shell Asia Pacific, a planning and financial divestment strategy for a 10 hectare Siemens Business Park in Melbourne and a 20 year community infrastructure feasibility study for the Queensland State Government

Responsibility of managing the Queensland Division of the Property Economics arm of the business and developing new relationships across the various Queensland property markets.

Project Managing a number significant projects for the business which included proposal development, client relationships, management of sub-contractors, invoicing and the timely delivery of key deliverables including reports, excel databases and financial feasibility models

One of the more complex projects I managed was the Mary Harbour feasibility assessment and preferred delivery model. Mary Harbour is a 1,300 lot masterplan community located along the Mary River in Maryborough, The project involves the creation of a $30 million harbour and is one of the largest and more complex projects to be undertaken in the Fraser Coast Region. It is forecasted to be developed over the next 30 years. The role involved feasibility option testing based on various staging scenarios against key development benchmarks

Responsibility of managing the HillPDA Queensland office which also takes in the Northern Territory. This role involves me winning work, establishing new relationships, preparing proposals and tender responses as well as managing projects throughout Queensland and northern New South Wales.

Part of the HillPDA Executive Team and have the responsibility of reporting all facets of the Queensland Business.

Some of the more significant projects I worked on included the Royal Botanic Gardens masterplan Business Case for NSW Treasury (which included cost benefit analysis modelling); providing economic inputs into the Newcastle University masterplan. This involved analysing several divestment strategies and recommendations to the University Board.

To carry out the Development Manager’s Role for the $38 million Andergrove PDA and the $80 million Bucasia PDA, both in the North Queensland city of Mackay. I carried out this role for both sites from initial feasibility, constraint analysis and preliminary design options right through to the delivery of infrastructure, affordable housing options and bushland rehabilitation works. As part of this role, I was responsible to both EDQ and Mackay Regional Council for achieving commercial financial returns and timely delivery of affordable and innovative housing options to the Mackay housing market.

To project manage all facets associated with the $5 billion Northshore Hamilton PDA development scheme, the largest urban renewal project undertaken in South East Queensland. Key deliverables included the finalisation of the NSH Development Scheme, the NSH Masterplan prepared by the Hassell Consultant Consortium and the NSH Interim Land Use Plan. This role included a comprehensive analysis of financial feasibility models associated with the EDQ masterplan over a 30 year development period. Catalyst infrastructure to facilitate the PDA re-development was identified and costed whilst funding options to ensure no net cost to Government also identified. In 2032, the Northshore Hamilton Precinct will host the Brisbane Olympic Games.