Open Lines has worked on strategic assessments since the founding of our company. Our team has worked on many of these projects across Australia both as consultants and within government as proponents and implementers. We developed the Commonwealth’s Guide to undertaking strategic assessments. Our experience and understanding in this field is unparalleled.

Strategic assessments typically make conservation commitments and guide development over 30 years or more. They can take years to complete. The potential benefits of a well crafted strategic assessment are enormous. But projects of this scale and consequence depend on resolving some key issues:

• These projects require years of effective coordination between regulators, proponents, consultants and other experts. Excellent project management and strong working relationships are crucial to ensure that work proceeds smoothly and small disruptions don’t spiral into major delays.

• Strategic assessments grapple with big questions about how to balance the development and conservation. How much conservation is enough? How much development is acceptable? How do we fit sustainable development around existing development that wasn’t well planned? Who pays? These are difficult questions that call for clear thinking, careful analysis, and a real understanding of the key issues.

• The plans and programs that are assessed need to be practical and implementable for 30 years. It’s no good getting a plan approved if it relies on funding or offsets that won’t be available when they’re needed. Strategic assessments need to satisfy regulators and work on the ground.

We have the skill and experience to guide your project through these challenges:

• We have worked on and led some of Australia’s largest strategic assessments. Our project management skills and proven network of specialist partners allow us to navigate projects from start to finish. You will know what’s being done, what it will cost, when it will be finished, and what you need to do to make that happen.

• We have the critical thinking and insight to answer with the big questions. Through community consultation, engagement with experts, and careful analysis we sift through the big issues to find solutions that deliver for communities, developers and the environment. This gives you the best chance of approval and development and conservation plans that work.

• Our team have experience implementing strategic assessments. We know what works in reality and can deliver plans and programs that go beyond ticking the regulatory boxes. Our assessments balance the certainty that regulators and developers want with the flexibility that proponents need to deliver their programs for 30 years or more.

• We know what to expect. This has been our core business for ten years. We can identify and resolve the little issues before they turn into big problems. We can set out the key decisions you’ll need to make with plenty of time for you to consider them. Our insight can be the difference between working steadily towards a result or stumbling from one crisis to another.

To get the most out of a strategic assessment you need a partner who will work alongside you and guide you towards success. Our case studies provide a few examples of how we have helped clients with these problems before. We know this road better than anyone.

Contact us to apply our experience and insight to your strategic assessment.