Meet the Team

Sam is an associate at HillPDA working across the feasibility and planning teams with approximately eight years’ experience working in planning and development across Australia. Sam combines economic foundations and urban planning practice to find evidence-based solutions to development challenges.

Prior to joining HillPDA in August 2022, Sam advised on policy, development, land-use planning matters across the infrastructure, housing, and employment sectors working at the Department of Planning and Environment, IPART and the Urban Development Institute of Australia. He has previously prepared feasibility assessments, strategies, submissions and a range of policy documents.

While at the Department he was responsible for a range of reform initiatives focused on improving economic outcomes and public accountability within the planning system. He was also the project lead for the Employment Land Strategy Guideline and an economic evaluation of the Planning Reform Action Plan.

His NSW experience is supported by a period working for the Northern Territory Government where he advised government on housing strategy, development feasibility for land-release, social housing renewal, and housing delivery in remote communities.

A positive advocate for planning reform, Sam has built stakeholder coalitions that achieved reforms to create a simpler planning system and improved housing supply and affordability, by developing and managing working groups of industry stakeholders.

Major projects

• Upper Hunter Employment Land Strategy for Muswellbrook, Upper Hunter, Singleton, Dungog Councils
• Port Macquarie-Hastings Strategic Property Investment Portfolio for Port Macquarie-Hastings Council
• Economic Impact Assessment, Northern Beaches Industrial Land for a private client
• Review of the Aboriginal Land SEPP for Department of Planning and Environment
• Demand Analysis for Seniors Living Housing for a private client
• Growth Areas Contribution Plan for Camden Council
• Affordable Housing Contribution Feasibility for Hills Shire Council
• Shellharbour Airport and South Nowra Economic Profiles for Department of Planning and Environment

Committees and accreditations

Sam has participated in several industry committees including:

• Member, UDIA NSW Planning Committee (2023)
• Member, Complying Development Expert Panel, DPE (2017-2020)
• Member, Endeavour Energy, Customer Council (2017-2020)
• Member, Ausgrid, Peak Customer and Stakeholder Council (2018-2020)
• Councillor, Geographical Names Board (2017-2020)
• Member, Reference Group for Certifier Practice, Construct NSW (2019-2020)