GSA Planning

What GSA Planning does

GSA Planning is a Sydney-based urban and traffic planning consultancy founded in 1988, headquartered at 467 Oxford Street, Paddington, NSW. The firm provides six integrated service areas — Development Advice, Statutory Planning, Expert Evidence, Strategic Planning, Project Management, and Master Planning — delivered primarily to developers, property owners, architects (including MHNDU, Luigi Rosselli Architects, Cox Architecture, Smart Design Studio), and legal teams across New South Wales, with a concentration in Sydney's Eastern Suburbs. Deep expertise in the NSW planning framework and Land and Environment Court processes underpins recurring work on contested approvals, Clause 4.6 variations for height and FSR exceedances, and Planning Proposal amendments.

The firm monetises through a professional services revenue model combining hourly-rate advisory fees and fixed lump-sum pricing for planning reports. Day-to-day delivery is led by Managing Director George Karavanas (30+ years, recognised as a pre-eminent town planning expert witness), supported by a tiered bench of Senior Associates, Associates, Senior Planners, Urban Planners, and Assistant Planners totalling approximately 22 staff. Distribution is direct-to-client via fee proposals submitted through email, with growth reliant on professional referrals, project portfolio marketing, and earned media (ABC, Coffee Club interview series).

GSA reports over 9,000 successful outcomes across NSW, with multi-decade relationships spanning clients such as Luigi Rosselli Architects, Stafford Architecture, Oxanda Education, and Eterno Property Group. The firm operates a UNSW practice-year talent pipeline, recently completed a new Paddington office fit-out (January 2026), and is publicly positioning around NSW Low and Mid-Rise Housing Planning Reforms. No external funding or parent ownership is disclosed; the business is founder-led and independent.

Name

GSA Planning

Legal name

GSA Planning

Website

https://gsaplanning.com.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

1988

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

GSA Planning is a Sydney-based urban and traffic planning consultancy, founded 1988, serving developers, architects, and legal teams across NSW with statutory planning, expert evidence, and strategic planning services for residential, mixed-use, and infrastructure projects.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Urban Planning Consultancy

NAICS

Other Specialized Design Services (541490)

SIC

Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700)

akta.pro primary industry

Regional & Land Use Planning (BPAHAKAE)

Keywords

• Town planning consultancy
• Urban planning services
• Development assessment advice
• Land Environment Court representation
• Planning permit approvals

Headquarters

HQ city

Paddington

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Planning Consultation: Hourly rate fees for planning advice and meetings with clients, providing upfront insight and strategic guidance before design or construction.
2. Planning Reports: Fixed lump sum pricing for planning reports and documentation that interpret complex legislation and turn proposals into approvals.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

GSA Planning is an urban planning consultancy that advises developers, architects, property owners, and legal teams on NSW planning approvals. Core services span Development Advice, Statutory Planning (planning reports and DA preparation), Expert Evidence in the Land and Environment Court and Supreme Court, Strategic Planning (rezonings and state-significant developments), Project Management across multi-disciplinary teams, and Master Planning for large complex sites.

Product overview

GSA Planning is a Sydney-based urban planning consultancy offering a unified suite of professional planning services. The core offering comprises six integrated service areas: Development Advice (strategic pre-design consultation), Statutory Planning (DA preparation and navigation of NSW planning framework), Expert Evidence (Court appearances as expert witnesses), Strategic Planning (rezonings and policy shaping), Project Management (multi-disciplinary coordination), and Master Planning (large-site holistic planning). Planning Reports are prepared as supporting documentation across these service areas. The firm works with architects, developers, property owners, councils, and legal teams across NSW, with particular expertise in the Land and Environment Court and high-profile residential and mixed-use developments in Sydney's Eastern Suburbs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Development Advice Strategic pre-design consultation providing upfront insight before design or build, helping clients make confident and informed planning decisions from day one.
• Statutory Planning Expert guidance through the NSW planning framework, preparing reports and documentation that interpret complex legislation and turn proposals into approvals.
• Expert Evidence Provision of recognised expert witness evidence in appeals before the Land and Environment Court and Supreme Court of NSW, balancing client goals with planning outcomes.
• Strategic Planning Rezonings, state-significant developments, and large-scale planning strategies that shape places and policies with a deep understanding of the NSW system.
• Project Management Coordinated, multi-disciplinary project management from start to finish, managing consultants and communication to keep projects on track.
• Master Planning Holistic planning for large and complex sites, collaborating with architects and designers to deliver masterplans that balance vision and practicality.
• Planning Reports Comprehensive planning documentation prepared for development applications and statutory submissions, typically delivered under fixed lump-sum pricing.

Named customers10 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• UNSW (University of New South Wales)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOngoing partnership with UNSW for student placements and talent development. The firm hosts Assistant Planners who are third-year students joining full-time for their practice year. GSA describes this as a collaboration they are genuinely proud of and committed to growing.
• MHNDU (MHN Design Union)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-term architectural collaboration on numerous residential and mixed-use projects. MHNDU Principal Kevin Ng describes working with George for over 20 years with professionalism, integrity, and collaborative approach.
• Luigi Rosselli ArchitectscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOver 20-year collaboration on luxury residential developments including Hillside Vaucluse, Ode Double Bay, Vaucluse House, and Rose Terraces Bondi Junction. Luigi Rosselli describes GSA as having intelligence and skill of founding directors and talented team.
• Cox ArchitecturemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDesigned 33 Cross Street Double Bay - transformative eight-storey mixed-use development revitalizing former InterContinental Hotel site into luxury residences, boutique accommodation, premium offices, and retail.
• Smart Design StudiomajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on Clovelly Apartments - contemporary residential flat building approved through Randwick Local Planning Panel with sophisticated Art Deco-inspired design.
• Antoniades ArchitectsmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSuccessful partnership resulting in amended Woollahra LEP through Planning Proposal. Double Bay Planning Proposal and Apartments project permanently shaped local planning controls with uplifted development controls.
• FortiscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor development partner on multiple projects including Restoration Hardware Gallery (RH's first Asia-Pacific gallery), Ruby House, Woollahra Collection, Bronte Collection, and award-winning Pallas House.
• Clutch CapitalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTen residential and mixed-use projects in Sydney's Eastern Suburbs including AVRA Bondi Beach. Described as a trusted and valued partnership.
• AddenbrookemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMultiple residential, commercial, and marine projects including North Harbour Marina development. Described as having practical, solutions-focused approach to town planning.
• Oxanda EducationcoreExtended partnership securing approvals for childcare centres across multiple LGAs. Described as over a decade with 100% success rate on matters.
• Eterno Property GroupmajorDeveloper of Halcyon Bondi, Florian Bellevue Hill, and Ode Double Bay projects in Sydney's Eastern Suburbs.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• Architectus: Australian architecture and urban design practice with a planning and urbanism discipline that delivers master planning, urban design, and statutory planning work. Comparable in offering master planning and large-site planning services for mixed-use and residential developments similar to those GSA handles.

Direct peers

• Ethos Urban: Australian urban planning consultancy formed from the merger of RobertsDay and SJB Planning, operating across NSW and other states with similar master planning, statutory planning, and development advisory services to developers, architects, and councils. Directly competes for the same enterprise client base and project types as GSA Planning.
• Mecone: Sydney-based urban planning consultancy specialising in NSW development applications, rezoning, and planning advice to developers and landowners. Operates in the same NSW statutory planning market with comparable services to GSA Planning, including Clause 4.6 variations and Land and Environment Court work.
• JBA Planning: Australian town planning consultancy providing development application, rezoning, and expert witness services to developers and architects. Directly comparable in service mix and customer segments to GSA Planning, with overlap in Sydney and broader NSW markets.

Broad incumbents

• Urbis: Major Australian property and urban planning consultancy offering planning, economics, and social advisory services at significantly greater scale than GSA. Competes in the same NSW master planning and statutory planning categories but serves a broader portfolio of government, infrastructure, and large-scale developer clients across multiple states.
• WSP Australia (Planning Practice): Global consulting firm with a substantial urban planning and land use practice in Australia offering statutory planning, strategic planning, and approvals advisory services to government and large developers. Overlaps with GSA Planning's development application and rezoning work but operates at much larger scale and across more geographies.

Others

• Hassell: Global architecture and urban design firm with a planning and landscape practice delivering master planning and precinct-scale urban strategies. Adjacent rather than directly competing; comparable in master planning capability for the same developer and institutional client base in Australia.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/gsa-planning
• Instagraminstagram.com/gsaplanning/?hl=en
• Xx.com/gsa_planning

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about GSA Planning