What makes a ‘Good Developer’?
Written by Riye Arai-Coupe – Bluebird Co-Founder & Partner
This month, we are over the moon to report that impact assessable apartment project we’ve been involved with in inner-Brisbane has been approved, without appeal. This may not be incredibly newsworthy in some locations, however for New Farm it’s an outcome we are proud to have achieved.
Those who know us well at Bluebird know that we are avid believers in the importance of community engagement. When done well, it can be incredibly rewarding and save time, stress and money. When done poorly (if at all), it can lead to time and cost overruns, ruined reputations, soured relationships and ultimately poor outcomes for all.
These days, the community and media’s ability to access development information is so much greater. And, when combined with Council’s ever-growing expectations, ‘Community Engagement’ has quickly grown to become an important cornerstone of the development process.
Since our inception, Bluebird has invested heavily in our ongoing commitment to, and understanding of, our social responsibilities as property development Advisory and consultants. This has led to numerous rewarding projects with great clients who have an aligned approach. We have worked hard on many of our projects to achieve the win-win balance between Community and Developer. While it is not always easy, at the end of the process, we can hand-on-heart say ‘Although we may not always agree on everything, we listen, educate, collaborate, adapt and work incredibly hard to improve outcomes for all.’
So what makes a ‘Good Developer’?
Through our many years of experience we have developed a process to help us establish who we are willing to work with and where we can best add value to improve the ‘outcomes’. By taking the time to really understand Developers, how they think and operate, and what their motivations and skills are, we are able to place ourselves in a better position to advocate for the best possible projects for our communities.
To give us a good idea of what type of Developer they are and what they are seeking to achieve, here are some common questions we ask:
What are you trying to achieve from the development? Is there a ‘purpose’ that drives you?
What is your track record, and do you have any future projects planned?
How important is reputation to you?
What other communities have you developed in?
Were you supported by the locals, and do you have good relationships with site neighbours?
Do you authentically engage with the community or has it been a ‘check-the-box’ approach?
Do you have good relationships with local council representatives and their consultant team?
What is your previous quality like and what do past customers think?
Are you open to feedback?
At the end of the day, we want to work with Developers who are able to tell us about their work, their personal philosophy, and what their project means to them. We need to know that their approach is more than a box-ticking exercise. Because when we can identify and work toward a common goal of betterment, we can improve the quality of the project, earn the support of the locals, and improve the wider community – which you will ultimately become a part of.
We would love to know what you think makes a ‘Good Developer’.
Teneriffe Photography: Mitchell Guy Kemp
Event Photography: Tribe
Bluebird Property is a residential development management and advisory company, based in Brisbane. We provide a dedicated and personalised service to developers and landowners who may not have the time, expertise or resources to oversee their projects.
We have extensive experience, networks and the resources to manage all or any part of the development process.
We are your ‘one stop shop’.