APDI Program Unit – Development Management

Development Management covers the lifecycle of the development process and strategies for managing this process within financial, regulatory, and contractual frameworks.

Students are exposed to the relevant stages of the development process through the utilisation of case studies, introduced at the beginning of the unit and developed throughout the semester allowing students to apply practical management strategies to industry examples.

Development Management focuses on the planning process, from the acquisition of raw land, financing, obtaining planning approval, preparing and managing a budget, right up until the construction, marketing, sales and settlement stages.

Furthermore, this course asks students to delve into the environmental considerations of property development management and look at ways to operate ethically and within a framework of sustainability.

Topics

Introduction to Development Management

The skills, attributes, and characteristics of a successful development manager and an overview of the tools and stages of development management, from raw land to completion.

• Identify, manage, delegate and control risks
• Contribute to and implement delivery strategies
• Conceive and recommend solutions
• Multi-discipline stakeholder management and communication
• Documentation management
• Observe reporting protocols
• understand and appreciate how to secure debt funding for a development project
• Maintain compliance with relevant legislation and contractual obligations

Development Implementation Strategy

Recognise the stages of property development and identify elements of a property development business plan.

Appreciate the importance for the development of a project plan, the design stage including consultant contracts and consultant schedule.

Understand the key components, stages, and process of:

• Organisational objectives
• Development strategy
• Developing a project brief
• Stakeholder identification and engagement strategy
• Design programme
• Consultant team procurement
• Design and documentation process

Time and Cost Management

Budgeting, acquisition costs, the pricing of construction work, stamp duty, rates and taxes, interest, marketing costs, using cost data and the strategies used to manage costs during design, development, and construction.

The following areas are also explored in this module; 

• Understanding the importance of finance and its metrics
• Identify the sources of finance available to developers
• Understanding construction loan terms and conditions
• Qualify prospective residential buyers
• Understand how to minimise the chances of failing to secure debt finance

Planning, Approval and the Industry

The regulatory framework, the mechanisms and requirements for obtaining approval, the associated issues and strategies to address them:

• Statutory Planning Control framework(s)
• Consent Authority Planning Controls
• BCA and relevant codes
• Australian Standards
• Sustainability and Heritage Requirements

Sales, Marketing and Analysis

The importance of market analysis and identifying a developments target audience using demographics. A closer examination of the following is included also;

• Understanding spatial precinct analysis, data visualisation, patterns, heat mapping
• People and property analysis
• Property marketing – know the market, sales v marketing
• Project close out
• The art of persuasion

Marketing Implementation

Developing a marketing strategy, branding and communicating with a target audience. Understanding online and offline media, channel marketing, and other considerations. A closer examination of the following is included also;

• Monitoring Marketing
• Handover and Inspections
• Understanding settlement risk and how to manage it
• The role of Real Estate Agents and how best to manage their use

Price Cost Value Attributes

Understanding the difference between cost, price, and value. A closer examination of the following is included also;

• Identify the role of the cost planner (QS)
• Forecast and cost to complete
• The pareto principle
• The attributes of land

Sustainability in Development

The relevance of Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainable property development. A closer examination of the following is included also;

• Building lifecycle management
• Building information management
• Design for environment and design for disassembly and deconstruction
• Green star, BEEC, CBD, NABERS, NatHERS

Construction (Part 1)

The management of the construction discipline. A closer examination of the following is included also;

• Delivering building quality
• The fundamentals of the critical path analysis
• The project initiation document

Construction (Part 2)

The importance of construction market cycles. A closer examination of the following is included also;

• The relevance of benchmarking
• Procurement strategies
• How to evaluate tenders
• The basics of construction contracts
• Cashflow monitoring

Risk Management

Understanding and identifying risks involved in development. A closer examination of the following is included also;

• Risk management practices
• Risk reduction strategies
• The concept of the risk register
• Response strategies to risks
• The risk management plan
• Project Governance