Social and Economic Impact Assessment

Social and Community Needs Assessment to accompany Planning Proposal for rezoning of land in the Waverley LGA
JSA has completed a Social and Community Needs Assessment to accompany a Planning Proposal to Waverley Council for rezoning of land to R3 Medium Density Residential. This Assessment Report seeks to fulfill Council’s requirement for a Social Impact Assessment, and has been prepared in consideration of the Waverley Social Impact Assessment Guidelines 2022 and the requirements for a Social and Community Needs Assessment as set out in the Local Environmental Plan Making Guideline (August 2023). The Report considers the projected increase in population from the proposed development on the site and the adequacy of community facilities and open space in the area, given the additional demand created by the population increase.

Social Impact Assessment for State Significant Development (proposed aged care facility) in Carlingford under (SEARS) Seniors Housing
Baptistcare
JSA completed a Social Impact Assessment for Baptistcare which assessed the likely positive and potential adverse social impacts of a proposal for an aged care facility in Carlingford which included seniors independent living units, a residential aged care facility and a range of community amenities. The SIA was prepared in accordance with the Planning Secretary’s Environmental Assessment Requirements (SEARS) Seniors Housing.
The SIA looked at, amongst other things: the supply and need for seniors housing in the locality; amenity impacts of the proposed development; and the need for, and provision of, relevant community facilities and open space in the area, including transport to those facilities and an assessment of accessibility. The Report also acknowledged the positive contribution of the proposed facility to the area and provided further recommendations.

AGL APA Gas Import Jetty and Crib Point – Pakenham Gas Pipeline Project, expert peer review of Social Impact Assessment
Mornington Peninsula Shire Council

JSA carried out an expert peer review of the social impact assessment prepared for the AGL APA gas import jetty and Crib Point to Pakenham gas pipeline project in Victoria for Harwood Andrews Lawyers acting for Mornington Peninsula Shire Council.  Often in order to provide expert peer review it is essential to undertake independent research and assessment. For this project, JSA reviewed preliminary design documentation, undertook our own demographic analysis and site visit to understand the social context of the development, identified and assessed the potential social impacts of the project in order to provide appropriate feedback and a thorough review of the assessment that had been prepared.

Proposed aged care facility in Neutral Bay, Social Impact Assessment
Cranbrook Care

We prepared an assessment of the likely social impacts associated with the expansion of an existing, private residential aged care facility from 25 to 87 beds in Neutral Bay. The assessment considered the need for, and supply of, aged care supports and facilities in the North Sydney LGA; and particularly the capacity of local residents to take up fee paying places and the potential benefits of freeing up publicly funded places and resources as well as larger homes in the locality to meet the deficit in supply of family homes.

Change of use to a methadone clinic and drug and alcohol counselling centre in Wollongong , Social Impact Assessments and Plan of Management
Denison Street Clinic

JSA carried out work for the Denison Street Clinic, a private methadone clinic and drug and alcohol counselling and rehabilitation service in Wollongong that provides treatment services to over 300 patients of the NSW Health Opioid Treatment Program; as it sought development approval to relocate its operations within the same locality following the sale of the building it had rented in the centre of Wollongong for 24 years.
We prepared Social Impact Assessments for two different sites that included extensive field research including an intercept survey of 200 pedestrians; intercept survey of patients visiting the clinic for treatment; early hours field observations of patient movement and behaviour; interviews with commercial neighbours, service providers and local police; as well as detailed site assessment and desktop analysis of relevant demographic and crime statistics. JSA also prepared an operational Plan of Management for the second application as part of the conditions of consent determined by the Wollongong Local Planning Panel. The Plan of Management sets out how any risk of amenity impacts on neighbouring properties will be mitigated, and makes provisions which are consistent with the Land and Environment Court Planning Principle for management plans.

New Generation Boarding House, Social Impact Assessment
Holmes by Design

We prepared an assessment for a proposed 66 room new generation boarding house in an accessible area of Auburn close to transport, shops and services. This included assessment against the NSW State Environmental Planning Policy (Affordable Rental Housing) 2009 and the relevant provisions of the Boarding House Act 2012 (NSW). As with all such assessments, we considered the suitability of the locality in terms of transport and facilities for future residents, the need for affordable housing in the locality, the amenity of the proposed design for future residents and neighbours, as well as providing the applicant with a draft Plan of Management, Occupancy Agreement and House Rules to ensure that the development is well managed.

New Generation Boarding House, Social Impact Assessment
Dreamscapes Architects Pty Ltd

We prepared a social impact assessment for a proposed new generation boarding house in the heart of Wollongong within walking distance to a range of transport, shopping, service, educational and employment opportunities. The assessment considered the need and demand for smaller, affordable accommodation in central Wollongong; the proximity of the site to transport options; and the amenity of the proposed development for both future residents and neighbouring land uses.

New Generation Boarding House, Social Impact Assessment
Evolve Housing, Pacific Link Housing

We provided an assessment to accompany a Community Housing Provider led development application for a new generation boarding house on the NSW Central Coast. The assessment considered the need for affordable housing in the locality; the internal and external amenity of the proposed design; the character of the locality; access to local services, transport and facilities for future residents; support for the local economy and the proposed management plan for the development. The proposal would provide genuinely affordable, secure and well managed accommodation for very low and low income households in an area with unmet need for this type of housing.

NDIS Provider Group Home, Social Impact Assessment
Sunnyday Carers Pty Ltd

We delivered a social impact assessment for the proposed development of a group home for people with a disability in an existing four bedroom dwelling in the Blacktown City Council area by an NDIS approved provider. The assessment considered the community need for a group home for people with a disability in the locality; the proposal’s demographic context and accessibility to transport and services; safer design aspects of the proposal and its environs; the impact of the proposal on local services and facilities, as well as the potential impact on the cultural and religious values of the local community. The assessment also considered the economic effects of the proposal including employment opportunities in the locality; and the proposed plan of management for the facility.

Purpose Built Child Care Complex, Social Impact Assessment
D & G Preschool Pty Ltd

JSA undertook a comprehensive assessment for the proposed development of a purpose built complex at Rouse Hill in Sydney’s northwest that would include a child care centre, aquatic centre, gym and café. The project considered the need for a child care centre in the locality, transport access to the site, possible conflicting land uses and an assessment of the proposal against relevant planning documents.

Middleton Grange, Social Impact Assessment
The Manta Group Pty Ltd

We mapped baseline community demography and service provision, predicted future population, estimated additional demand for a range of community services and facilities. We undertook consultation with community & stakeholders to understand local issues and further identify impacts. We provided recommendations for mitigations and enhancements to the proposal.

Human Rights Impact Assessment
BHP/Illawarra Coal

We conducted a comprehensive Human Rights Impact Assessment (HRIA) for Illawarra Coal in relation to its direct and indirect operations in Australia and the potential upstream and downstream impacts in Australia and in other countries. We developed a HRIA Framework in accordance with the operating environment of Illawarra Coal, relevant company policy, procedures and human rights commitments, relevant international human rights instruments and principles, and legislation in host countries.

In accordance with BHP Billiton’s procedures, JSA engaged peer review services from an expert human rights specialist at the Castan Centre for Human Rights Law, Monash University. JSA’s HRIA Framework and HRIA Report received highly favourable comments from an expert peer reviewer.

Economic Cost Benefit Analysis of Community Legal Centres
National Association of Community Legal Centres

We prepared an evaluation of the national economic impact of Community Legal Centres using a Cost Benefit Analysis evaluation framework involving a detailed quantitative and qualitative assessment of the value of activities undertaken by diverse Centres in three Australian States.  Results showed that the economic benefits of the national CLC sector exceeded costs by a factor of 18 on average. The work has been highly influential at the national level and was the subject of an invited paper at Oxford University at the Legal Services Research Centre International Conference in 2012.

Exploring the relationship between community resilience and irrigated agriculture in the Murray Darling Basin
Cotton Catchment Communities Cooperative Research Centre

We worked closely with the Cotton Catchment Communities CRC to assess the relationship between community wellbeing, resilience and irrigated agriculture, and to quantify the likely social and economic costs and benefits of changes in water availability proposed at the time under the Murray Darling Basin Plan.

Dr Stubbs & John Storer presented our findings to the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Regional Australia’s inquiry of the socio-economic impact of the Proposed Basin Plan on regional communities.

http://trove.nla.gov.au/work/151396816?selectedversion=NBD46974042

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