About us

Bachelor of Urban and Regional Planning (UNE), Master of Urban Development and Design (UNSW), Member Planning Institute of Australia

As director of Habitat, David brings his wide-ranging experience in town planning and urban design to clients in regional New South Wales and Victoria.

David combines an extensive knowledge of the planning and legislative framework with an appreciation of the drivers of development to achieve the best results. He understands the factors that influence decision-making in planning, and prides himself on being able to help clients work through the complexities and challenges of planning.

David leads Habitat projects across all sectors, including greenfield land development, residential, commercial, retail, aged care, agriculture and industry. He has also been responsible for planning existing and proposed regional centres, facilitating the preparation of strategic plans and amendments to several local environmental plans and planning schemes.

Matt is a versatile and experienced planner, having gained experience working in both local councils and consulting environments.

Building on this extensive experience within local government statutory and strategic planning, today Matt assists our local government clients with planning advice and the efficient production of strategy planning policy. He also brings his invaluable knowledge and expertise in statutory and strategic planning to guide complex projects of local and regional significance from inception all the way through to approval for private sector clients.

Matt has contributed to projects at various stages through the preparation of structure plans, master plans, planning policy, planning advisory, statements of environmental effects, rezoning applications, planning scheme amendments and environmental impact statements.

Kathleen is an experienced urban planner whose career spans statutory and strategic planning across state, territory, and local government, alongside roles in policy, program delivery, and private sector urban development. She brings strong experience to Habitat, supporting councils and communities across regional New South Wales, particularly within growth and cross-border contexts.

Drawn to the multidisciplinary nature of planning, Kathleen enjoys Habitat’s collaborative approach and shared commitment to creative, team-based outcomes. She is passionate about contributing meaningfully while continuing to grow professionally within our progressive regional consultancy.

At Habitat, Kathleen leads the Wagga Wagga team, delivering quality projects that help shape the future of the broader Riverina. She enjoys the variety which the planning industry offers as well as problem-solving alongside clients and communities to achieve purpose-led outcomes.

A fun fact about Kathleen is that she has competed in the World Finska Championships and she is a published author!

Haydon brings over 15 years planning experience at both local and State governments. He has extensive experience in managing urban planning matters right through the planning system, having the opportunity to prepare and implement State regional plans, councils local strategic planning statements, local strategies and structure plans, planning proposals and complex development applications.

Haydon, a self-confessed planning enthusiast, prides himself on his problem-solving ability and his talent for mapping clear, practical solutions to complex planning challenges, working closely with clients to achieve positive development outcomes.

Raised in the Riverina Murray region, Haydon has called Canberra home for the last 16 years. At Habitat he is our Capital Region presence, helping our clients work through planning matters on both sides of the NSW and ACT borders.

When not in Canberra or the surrounding area, you’ll find Haydon at the South Coast catching a wave or on the golf course with his kids.

Originally from North Queensland, Shannon studied at the University of Queensland in Brisbane where she graduated with a Bachelor of Regional and Town Planning in 2018. During her time in Queensland she gained both statutory and strategic planning experience working at Logan City Council and Mackay Regional Council, as well as a private consulting firm.

Craig is a qualified town planner with over 20 years industry experience in both local government and private consulting across regional NSW and Victoria.

He has a passion for sustainable property development and has extensive experience in large-scale, multi-disciplinary greenfield and brownfield development projects. Craig has extensive knowledge of how projects are developed from inception and feasibility stages through to delivery.

His intricate technical knowledge in the NSW planning system allows him to collaborate with industry professionals to seamlessly manage projects from the initial vision to the on-ground delivery.

Ash joined the Habitat team as a town planner.

His qualifications in Urban Planning and Architecture have equipped him to work in complex and nuanced environments. He is able to balance the visionary nature of architecture and design with the political and strategic underpinnings of urban planning.

He is driven by a strong set of values and motivated to contribute to the community, the environment and urban realm.

Ash is keen cycling commuter, average mountain biker and a strong proponent of active transport. He’s a firm believer in the power of good design and creative problem solving to underpin urban policy.

Brendan joined the Habitat team as a town planner and has an extensive background in health and management.

He works across the team on a wide range of development applications including mixed-use, education, commercial, and residential development applications including multi-dwelling housing.

Brendan is passionate about sustainable development which balances the needs of the community, the client and the environment. He approaches his work in a way that allows him to establish very strong relationships with clients and Councils, helping to achieve positive results for our clients.

Kelly is Habitat’s Marketing and Communication’s Manager.

With 10+ years’ experience in marketing and brand management, working alongside local and international brands, Kelly has a particular interest in brand and sustainability and the many nuances that cultivate strong communities.

A lover of antique finds, great coffee and slow travel, she says ‘yes’ too often, enjoys listening to people’s stories, and building relationships through all areas of her work.

Her skills span marketing, communication, strategy, stakeholder engagement and account management, working across corporate, professional services and non-for-profit organisation’s.

Emily is part of our Wagga team. Originally from South East Queensland, she has spent the last 3 years living and working in Wagga Wagga, building a strong foundation in both strategic and statutory planning assessments.

Emily graduated from the University of Queensland in 2021 with a Bachelor of Regional and Town Planning.

With 5 years of experience in town planning, Emily has a diverse skillset spanning commercial, residential, and educational projects. She considers herself an all-rounder who enjoys taking on new challenges and has a passion for bringing client projects from concept to reality.

Her strong background in customer service ensures a client-focused approach, driven by a deep understanding of individual project needs. Outside of work, Emily enjoys camping and developing her amateur photography skills.

Patrice is part of our Wagga team. She grew up in Wagga Wagga and briefly lived and worked in Wollongong before returning to her roots.

Patrice holds a Bachelor of Arts and graduate certificates in psychological science and criminology, which have allowed her to provide social responses to planning through Social Impact Assessments (SIA) and Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) Reports. She has extensive work experience in post-consent management for planning matters and leads project management and coordination components of projects. She has 3 years experience in planning with private consulting prior to joining Habitat Planning.

She has a background in customer service and client management from several roles across different fields and enjoys providing quality outcomes to clients in an efficient manner.

She has recently taken up boxing classes to improve her fitness, but you wont see her in the ring anytime soon.

Brad joined Habitat in early 2024 as a town planner based in our Albury office. A native of the Riverina, he has three years of planning experience in the region, commencing his career in Wagga Wagga.

With a background in resource and environmental science, Brad has worked on community development and civic engagement projects locally and abroad. This experience helps him guide clients through urban and environmental concepts, encouraging favourable planning and compliance outcomes. Brad has also gained significant experience with a range of planning and compliance tasks, including complying development certificates, development applications, statements of environmental effects, bushfire assessment reports, biodiversity tests of significance, review of environmental factors, construction certificates, subdivision certificates, rezoning scoping reports, and local environmental plan advice.

He enjoys helping clients understand the planning process, ensuring they feel confident and supported throughout their project.

Outside of work, Brad enjoys cinema and live performances, seeking out new cafes and spending time with his loveable Labrador, Howie.