National Capital Design Review Panel
The National Capital Design Review Panel (NCDRP) is a joint initiative by the ACT Government and the National Capital Authority (NCA) to provide a single city-wide design review panel process. The NCDRP also offers an efficient and consistent approach to delivering independent design advice for development proposals across Canberra. Visit Design Review for information about the process of design review.
Under the supervision of the ACT Government Architect and the NCA's Chief Planner, the NCDRP provides design advice to decision makers, developers and their design teams. The NCDRP offers a structured process of design review, involving site inspections, independent review of a proposal, and the issuing of independent written advice to proponents and government.
The NCDRP supports decision-makers in delivering high quality, inspiring development and public spaces that meet the needs of the broader community and ensure integration with the surrounding environment. Through the process of peer-review by a panel of highly experienced design professionals, design review assists with achieving good design outcomes for development proposals.
The experience in other jurisdictions demonstrates that design review is most effective early in the design process, when there is still an opportunity to make efficient and cost-effective changes to achieve the best possible outcome for a development proposal. When proponents genuinely engage with the design review panel's advice, design review will streamline the development assessment process by enabling issues to be identified at an early stage, thereby reducing the risks and costs that can be associated with the planning process.
Who is the panel?
The Chair
The NCDRP review of development proposals occurs under the supervision of the ACT Government Architect (GA) and, for proposals under the jurisdiction of the NCA, the NCA’s Chief Planner.
Where conflicts arise or the Chair is unavailable, a suitably qualified panel member will be identified to chair design review meetings.
The Panel
The panel is composed to achieve a balanced representation of skills and experience in professions including Architecture, Landscape Architecture, Planning, Urban Design and Civil Engineering. A minimum of two and a maximum of four panel members will attend each NCDRP session, with additional panel membership sought by the Chair, based on the scope of a project.
Where a specific skill set is required, additional panel members are called in on an as-needs basis. These may include advice from fields such as heritage, education, sustainability and environmental services, universal design, structural engineering and transport. The panel also draws on First Nations design professionals and cultural advisors, whose perspectives are essential to achieving respectful and inclusive design outcomes that reflect Country, culture, and community.
Panel Refresh
In 2024/ 2025, the ACT Government undertook a formal procurement process to refresh the membership of the NCDRP. This process is to ensure the panel continues to reflect a diverse and contemporary range of expertise across architecture, landscape architecture, urban design, sustainability, and planning.
The refreshed panel includes newly appointed members selected through the competitive tender process and returning members whose contributions remain highly valued. This update supports the delivery of high-quality, independent design advice for significant development proposals across Canberra. The NCDRP thanks all previous panel members for their contributions.
Panel Members
| Name | Employer | Field of Expertise |
|---|---|---|
| Adam Haddow | SJB Architects | Architecture, Master Planning |
| Andrew Hayne | ARM Architecture | Architecture |
| Andrew Mackenzie | Andrew Mackenzie | Landscape Architecture |
| Andrew Nimmo | Lahz Nimmo Architects | Architecture, Urban Design |
| Andy Fergus | Andy Fergus Design Strategy | Architecture, Urban Planning |
| Annabel Lahz | Lahz Nimmo Architects | Architecture, Urban Design |
| Barbara Norman | Barbara Norman | Planning, Urban Planning |
| Brendan Baxter | Brendan Baxter Architecture | Architecture, Urban Design |
| Brendan Randles | Brendan Randles Architect | Architecture, Urban Design |
| Bronwen Hamilton | Bronwen Hamilton Urban Designer | Landscape Architecture, Urban Design |
| Caroline Pidcock | PIDCOCK Pty Ltd | Architecture |
| Cassandra Keller | CK Architecture | Architecture |
| Cathryn Chatburn | Urban Enquiry | Urban Design |
| Claire Martin | OCULUS | Landscape Architecture |
| Clare Cousins | Clare Cousins Architects | Architecture |
| David Clarke | David Clarke Architects | Architecture |
| David Islip | David Islip Architect | Architecture |
| Dean Thornton | Architectus Australia Pty Ltd | Architecture, Landscape Architecture, Urban Design |
| Elisabeth Peet | Elisabeth Peet Urban Design Pty Ltd | Architecture, Urban Design |
| Emili Fox | Architectus Australia Pty Ltd | Architecture |
| Erik Innes | Munns Sly Moore Architects | Architecture |
| Erin Owens | MAKO Architecture | Architecture |
| Esther Dickins | Architectus Australia Pty Ltd | Landscape Architecture |
| Gay Williamson | Gay Williamson Planning and Landscape Architecture | Landscape Architecture, Urban Planning |
| George Gallagher | Tract Consultants Pty Ltd | Landscape Architecture, Urban Design |
| Gerard O'Connell | Cox Architecture | Architecture |
| Gordana Nesic-Simic | Gordana Nesic-Simic Urban Design-Planning | Urban Design, Planning |
| Graeme Dix | Johnson Pilton Walker Pty Ltd | Architecture, Urban Design |
| Gweneth Leigh | University of Canberra | Health, Landscape Architecture, Urban Design, Specialisation - Education |
| Hamish Lyon | NH Architecture | Architecture |
| Helen Lochhead | Helen Lochhead Urban Projects | Architecture, Landscape Architecture, Urban Design |
| James Hayter | OXIGEN | Landscape Architecture, Urban Design, Urban Planning |
| James Longkwang | WSP | Specialisation - Civil Engineering |
| Jane Irwin | Jane Irwin Landscape Architecture | Landscape Architecture |
| Jason Cuffe | Moir Landscape Architecture Pty Ltd | Landscape Architecture |
| Jason Fraser | Woods Bagot Pty Ltd | Architecture |
| Justine Cox | CK Architecture | Architecture |
| Ken Maher | Ken Maher Consulting | Architecture, Landscape Architecture |
| Kerry Hunter | Hill Thalis Architecture + Urban Projects P/L | Architecture, Urban Design |
| Kerstin Thompson | Kerstin Thompson Architects Pty Ltd | Architecture |
| Kevin Lloyd | HASSELL, Sydney | Architecture |
| Kiong Lee | Johnson Pilton Walker Pty Ltd | Architecture, Urban Design |
| Koos de Keijzer | DKO Architecture (NSW) Pty Ltd | Architecture, Urban Design |
| Kylie Legge | Place Score Pty Ltd | Architecture, Planning |
| Laura Harding | Hill Thalis Architecture + Urban Projects P/L | Architecture, Urban Design |
| Malcolm Middleton | Malcolm Middleton Architects | Architecture, Urban Design |
| Malcolm Smith | Arup Australia Pty Ltd | Master Planning, Urban Design |
| Matthew Howard | Johnson Pilton Walker Pty Ltd | Architecture, Urban Design |
| Matthew Lindley | Lindley Planning & Property | Urban Planning, Specialisation - Community, Master Planning |
| Neil Hobbs | Harris Hobbs Landscapes | Landscape Architecture |
| Nick Bourns | NH Architecture | Health |
| Nick Tridente | Tridente Boyce | Architecture, Master Planning, Urban Design |
| Noam Maitless | Noam Maitless Architecture | Architecture, Urban Design |
| Peter Mould | Peter Mould Architect Pty Ltd | Architecture |
| Peter Sullivan | FURTADO SULLIVAN | Architecture |
| Philip Vivian | Bates Smart Architects Pty Ltd | Architecture, Health, Master Planning, Urban Design, Urban Planning |
| Rachel Jackson | GML Heritage Pty Ltd | Specialisation - Heritage |
| Rob Adams | Adams Urban | Urban Design |
| Rosemary Burne | Rosemary Ann Burne | Architecture |
| Sandra Furtado | FURTADO SULLIVAN | Architecture |
| Sannah McColl | Architectus Australia Pty Ltd | Architecture, Health |
| Shelley Penn | Shelley Penn Architect | Architecture |
| Simon Shiel | SSDA | Architecture |
| Sophie Cleland | Architectus Australia Pty Ltd | Architecture |
| Susan Phillips | Phillips Pilkington Architects | Architecture |
| Toby Lodge | Toby Lodge | Urban Design, Urban Planning |
| Wade Sutton | Sutton Consultants Pty Ltd | Specialisation - Health |
How does the design review benefit the ACT?
The intent of the NCDRP is to ensure that each development proposal is realising its full potential through independent peer review for the benefit of the ACT community. The panel will consider each project in terms of surrounding context and character, built form and scale, density, sustainability, landscape, amenity, safety, housing diversity and social interaction, and aesthetics. The NCDRP will provide constructive and independent design advice in consideration of project history, site context, design proposition, and the relevant planning framework.
The NCDRP process will provide key benefits to stakeholders that include:
- Community – enhanced design quality of development proposals that result in increased amenity for occupants, neighbours and the broader community and provide further confidence in the development assessment process.
- Developers – reduction in risk, time and potential costs by identifying issues early in the design process to gain a level of certainty with a proposal before investing in detail design and development application.
- Design professionals – receiving early recommendations for change when it is most useful and more easily implemented. Design review is also an opportunity to gain support for innovative
design intentions. - Government – ensuring that design quality is important by promoting independent expert advice for development proposals. Ultimately, design review panels help to enrich the design industry with fresh perspectives and advice arising from the professional examination of projects through
peer review.