RLPP members

The Randwick Local Planning Panel consists of four (4) voting members:

  • Chair
  • Two (2) expert members
  • A community representative

Randwick Development Assessment Panel

The members for each meeting will be selected by the Chair from the pool of members  appointed to the RLPP. Here is a list of all members appointed to the RLPP, together with a brief overview of their  skills and experiences.

Chairs and alternates

Sue Francis (Chair)

Sue has over 44 years’ of experience in planning and local government in New South Wales and the United Kingdom. She has worked at executive levels at Woollahra, North Sydney & Warringah Councils. Sue is a qualified Town Planner and is currently Executive Director at Gyde Consulting (formally City Plan Strategy and Development). Sue has expertise in planning, law and government and public administration. Sue has been a member of several Local Planning Panels and Regional Planning Panels, including Chair of Georges River and Wollongong Local Planning Panels.

Steven Layman (Alternate Chair)

Steven has over 40 years’ experience working in architecture and planning. Steven is a Registered Architect and qualified Town Planner, and has been a member of Local Planning Panels, including Alternate Chair of City of Sydney and Hornsby Local Planning Panels, and Expert Member of Ryde Local Planning Panel. Currently Consultant Town Planner & Architect at Steven Layman Consulting Pty Ltd.

Julie Walsh (Alternate Chair)

Julie is a qualified lawyer with over 35 years’ experience in private practice acting principally for Councils, but also for corporate and individuals, in all areas of local government, planning and property law. Julie is a practicing Solicitor of the Supreme Court of NSW. Julie has been a member of several Local Planning Panels, including in the position of Chair of The Hills and Wingecarribee Local Planning Panel, Alternate Chair of Cumberland, Liverpool and Paramatta Local Planning Panels, and Expert Member of Burwood, Geroges River, Northern Beaches, Camden Canada Bay and Waverley LPPs.

Independent expert members

Stephen Alchin

Stephen is an experienced infrastructure and urban development executive who has worked across all three levels of government and in the private sector, with a strong record in project appraisal; strategic planning, conceiving new means of funding infrastructure and translating these into commercially-viable projects. Stephen is a qualified Town Planner and his experience also covers land use planning, ranging from land use strategy to zoning and development control matters under relevant legislation. Stephen has expertise in planning, environment, economics, traffic and transport, law and government and public administration. He is currently Director of SD Alchin Advisory Pty Ltd. Stephen has been a member of Local Planning Panels, including Alternate Chair of Georges River and Liverpool Local Planning Panels.

Clare Brown

Clare has over 30 years’ experience working in planning across both public and private sectors. She is a qualified Town Planner, and a trained mediator and lawyer. Clare is a skilled strategic planner, with expertise in preparing environmental planning instruments and development control plans, feasibility studies, due diligence investigations, drafting and review of contributions plans and statutory drafting. Clare has expertise in planning, law and government and public administration. Clare has experience as an Alternate member of Sydney and Regional Planning Panels and is currently a Director at Urbis Pty Ltd.

Kim Burrell

Kim has over 30 years’ experience as a Town Planner and has worked in planning across both local government and private practice. He has experience as an expert member of Wollondilly Shire Local Planning Panel. Kim is currently a private Town Planning Consultant.

Tina Christy

Tina has over 30 years’ experience working in planning in both local government and private planning practice. She is a Qualified Town Planner and accredited Mediator. Tina has expertise in planning and government and public administration. Tina has experience serving on Local and Regional Planning Panels including an Expert Member on Wollongong and Canada Bay Local Planning Panels, and Alternate member for the Southern Sydney Regional Planning Panel. Tina is currently a Director at Gyde Consulting (formally City Plan Strategy and Development).

Stephen Davies

Stephen is an experienced heritage consultant. He has been an expert member of a number of government and local government committees and boards with responsibility for heritage items, including Chair of the Heritage Council of NSW. Stephen has expertise in planning, heritage and government and public administration. He has experience serving on Local Planning Panels including Alternate Chair of Wollongong and Georges River Local Planning Panel, and an alternate member of all Sydney and Regional Planning Panels. Stephen is currently Director of the Heritage Consultancy at Urbis Pty Ltd.

Marcia Doheny

Marcia is an experienced Lawyer with over 30 years’ experience in private practice and NSW Government, including local government. Marcia has expertise in a range of legal areas including construction, environment and planning, property, procurement, development, corporate, commercial law and employment. She has experience serving on Local Planning Panels, including Chair of Bayside and Strathfield Local Planning Panels.

David Epstein

David is a registered Architect and Qualified Town Planner with over 30 years experience in South Africa, the UK, and Australia including six years in local government in New South Wales. For the past 25 years David has been working as a design and planning consultant delivering a range of services including Architecture, Urban Design, Planning and Project Co-ordination for private and public sector clients. David has expertise in planning, architecture, and urban design. David has experience as an expert member of several Local Planning Panels, including Canterbury Bankstown, Hornsby Shire, Ryde, Northern Beaches and Bayside Local Planning Panels.

Elizabeth Kinkade

Elizabeth is a Qualified Town Planner with over 30 years’ experience in state and local government and consultancy practice across strategic and statutory planning, policy, governance and leadership. Elizabeth has expertise in planning and government and public administration. Elizabeth has experience serving on Local Planning Panels, including Chair of Wollondilly, and Alternate Chair of Cumberland and Campbelltown Local Planning Panels, and an expert member at The Hills Shire, Hawkesbury, Waverley, Hornsby Shire and Willoughby Local Planning Panels. Elizabeth is currently the Director of EK Strategy.

Michael Leavey

Michael is a Qualified Town Planner with over 35 years’ experience in local and state government and private practice. Michael has expertise in planning and government and public administration. Michael has experience serving on Local and Regional Planning Panels, and is Chair of the Cumberland Local Planning Panel, Alternate Chair of Mosman Local Planning Panel, an expert member on Blacktown, Burwood, Hornsby and Northern Beaches Local Planning Panels, and a former expert member on Georges River, Ku-ring Gai, and Ryde Local Planning Panels. Michael is currently Director at Coastal Planning and Consulting.

James Lidis

James is a Qualified Town Planner with over 30 years’ experience working in planning in local government and private practice. James is currently Managing Director at Design Collaborative Pty Ltd.

Alison McCabe

Alison has over 40 years’ experience as a Qualified Town Planner in statutory and strategic planning for state and local government and private practice. Alison has expertise in planning, urban design and law.  Alison has experience serving on Local and Regional Planning Panels, including Chair of Ryde, Canada Bay and Hawkesbury Local Planning Panels, and expert member of Fairfield, Canterbury Bankstown, Paramatta and Hornsby Local Planning Panels. Alison is currently a Director of SJB Planning.

Stuart McDonald

Stuart has over 39 years of experience in the planning profes­sion, in both government and private practice, in Australia and the UK and is a Qualified Town Planner. Stuart has held senior planning positions in NSW local government as Director of Planning at the City of Sydney and South Sydney City, and Director of Environmental Management at Leich­hardt Council. Stuart has expertise in planning and government and public administration. Stuart has experience serving on Local and Regional Planning Panels, including Chair of Camden and Cumberland Local Planning Panels, and expert member of Waverley, Blacktown, Liverpool, Penrith and Mosman Local Planning Panels. Stuart is currently a Director of SJB Planning.

Awais Piracha

Awais is a Town Planner and Engineer. He has a professional career spanning over two decades, and has participated in numerous projects as an urban planning spatial analyst. Awais has expertise in planning, environment, urban design, traffic and transport, and engineering. Awais was an expert member of Georges River Local Planning Panel. Awais is currently an Associate Professor of Urban Planning at University of Western Sydney.

Paul Vergotis

Paul has over 40 years’ experience as a practitioner in planning and environmental law, and is also a Qualified Town Planner. Paul worked in the areas of town planning, environmental compliance and corporate governance with local government for 17 years. Paul has expertise in planning, architecture, heritage, environment, urban design, law and government and public administration. Paul has experience serving on Local Planning Panels, including Georges River, Strathfield, and Northern Beaches Local Planning Panels. Paul is a Senior Partner of Piper Alderman.

Sue Weatherley

Sue has over 35 years’ experience in planning primarily in local government, including executive planning roles. Sue is a Qualified Town Planner with expertise in planning and government and public administration. Sue is also currently the NSW Division President at the Planning Institute of Australia.

Community representatives

  • Michael Berg
  • Heather Cappie-Wood
  • Edna Grigoriou
  • Clara Hawker
  • Richard Horton
  • Kate Kelly
  • Zofia Kuypers
  • Laurie O'Connor
  • Stephanie Schofield
  • Graham Turner
Last Updated: 9 October 2025
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