What Cogency does

Cogency Australia is a boutique planning, stakeholder engagement, and environmental and social impact assessment consultancy founded in 2022 and headquartered in Melbourne, Victoria. The firm delivers integrated professional services across planning and development approvals, social and environmental impact assessments, community and stakeholder engagement, due diligence, strategic planning, policy review, site selection, subconsultant management, project communications, and benefit sharing programs. Its client base spans renewable energy developers, property developers, government agencies, clean tech firms, and circular economy businesses, with project delivery observed across Victoria, NSW, South Australia, and Tasmania, and a cumulative $9 billion+ in supported renewable energy projects. The business is run on a sales-led, director-engaged model with Founders and Directors Rebecca Wardle and Adam Terrill personally involved from inception through completion, supported by a team of approximately 14 including associate directors, senior associates, planners, and planning assistants. Cogency generates revenue through project-based consulting fees determined by scope and complexity; pricing is not publicly disclosed, and there are no funding rounds, parent entities, or external capital arrangements indicated in available material — the firm appears to be independently founder-owned. Memberships in PIA, Clean Energy Council, VPELA, IAP2, NELA, and EIA, combined with multiple 2024-2025 industry awards, indicate strong positioning within Australian planning and environmental law professional circles.

Name

Cogency

Legal name

Cogency Australia

Website

https://cogencyaustralia.com.au

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Cogency Australia is a Melbourne-based boutique consultancy providing planning approvals, stakeholder engagement, and environmental and social impact assessment services for renewable energy, property, clean tech, and circular economy clients across Australia.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Planning and Environmental Consulting

NAICS

Management Consulting Services (54161), Environmental Consulting Services (541620)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742), Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Sustainability & ESG Consulting (BPAHACAK)

akta.pro secondary industry

Permitting, Siting & Environmental Impact (EIA/NEPA) Advisory (EUAMANAB)

Keywords

• Planning and engagement consultancy
• Environmental impact assessment
• Stakeholder engagement services
• Renewable energy consulting
• Social impact assessment

Headquarters

HQ city

Melbourne

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Professional Services: Consulting fees for planning, stakeholder engagement, and environmental and social impact assessment services. Revenue derived from project-based engagements serving renewable energy, property, clean tech, and circular economy sectors.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Cogency is a boutique consulting firm that delivers planning, stakeholder engagement, and environmental and social impact assessment services for renewable energy, property, clean tech and circular economy projects across Australia. Its offering comprises integrated service modules including planning and development approvals, social and environmental impact assessments, community and stakeholder engagement, due diligence, strategic and structure planning, policy review and reform, secondary consents, subconsultant management, site selection using GIS, project communications, and benefit sharing programs.

Product overview

Cogency is a boutique planning and engagement consultancy offering a unified suite of professional services rather than a software product platform. The company's offering consists of integrated consulting service modules including Planning and Development Approvals/Consents, Social Impact Assessments, Environmental Impact Assessments, Community and Stakeholder Engagement, Due Diligence Assessments, Strategic Planning and Structure Plan Implementation, Policy Review and Reform, Secondary Consents and Condition Compliance, Subconsultant Management, Site Selection, Project Communications, and Benefit Sharing Programs. These services are delivered by experienced planning and engagement specialists and are focused on the renewable energy, property, clean tech, and circular economy sectors. The company is not a software or technology product provider; all offerings are professional consulting services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Planning and Development Approvals / Consents Preparing, lodging and coordinating the full suite of planning, development and environmental approvals and permits for clients across renewable energy, property, clean tech and circular economy projects.
• Social Impact Assessments Delivering social impact assessments that build social licence, meet regulatory expectations and position projects for success, primarily for infrastructure, mining, oil and gas, and renewables projects.
• Environmental Impact Assessments Preparing comprehensive environmental impact statements that address stakeholder concerns, target key issues and assess projects against relevant policy for renewables, clean tech, circular economy and property developments.
• Community and Stakeholder Engagement Managing technical matters with relevant parties and developing responsive strategies to deliver meaningful engagement opportunities for renewable energy, clean tech and circular economy projects.
• Due Diligence / Red Flags Assessments Providing clear and comprehensive advice to assist developers in assessing the suitability of new sites for development.
• Strategic Planning and Structure Plan Implementation Preparing structure plans and masterplans for urban renewal precincts and activity centres, and implementing them into planning schemes.
• Policy Review and Reform Assisting governments to formulate, review and implement planning policy including planning scheme reviews.
• Secondary Consents and Condition Compliance Seeking approval for permit conditions and making applications for amendments to plans and permits on behalf of clients.
• Subconsultant Management Using Cogency's network of qualified consultants to offer a one-stop-shop consultant management service for complex multi-disciplinary projects.
• Site Selection Helping developers identify new sites for development using GIS tools and deep local knowledge.
• Project Communications Positioning projects through informative narratives and attractive collateral to increase understanding, engagement or adoption by stakeholders and communities.
• Benefit Sharing Programs Developing, implementing and reporting on projects and initiatives that share community benefits and leave a lasting legacy for host communities.

Quantifiable outcome

• Multiple projects fast-tracked through planning approval processes
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• Planning Institute of AustraliacoreOthersProfessional membership organization for planners. Cogency maintains membership and staff hold professional memberships including MPIA designation.
• Clean Energy CouncilcoreOthersIndustry body representing clean energy sector in Australia. Cogency staff have experience with renewable energy projects that align with CEC's focus areas.
• VPELA (Victorian Planning & Environmental Law Association)coreOthersProfessional association for planning and environmental law. Adam Terrill is a former Vice President and Fellow of VPELA. Staff actively participate in VPELA committees including YPG Committee.
• IAP2 (International Association for Public Participation)coreOthersInternational organization for public participation professionals. Cogency staff are IAP2-accredited engagement practitioners.
• NELA (National Environmental Law Association)supportingOthersNational organization for environmental law practitioners. Bronya Lipski serves as Chair of the Biodiversity Working Group at NELA.
• EIA (Environmental Institute of Australasia)supportingOthersProfessional institute for environmental practitioners in Australia and New Zealand.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves2 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Ethos Urban: Australian planning and urban design consultancy delivering planning approvals, stakeholder engagement, and EIA services. Comparable boutique-mid positioning with a similar property and infrastructure focus.
• Hansen Partnership: Melbourne-headquartered town planning consultancy with deep renewable energy and infrastructure approvals experience. Most directly comparable on geography (Victoria), scale (~20-30 staff), and renewable energy approvals focus.
• Urbis: Australian planning, engagement, and economics consultancy operating across property and infrastructure. Closely comparable to Cogency's planning, social impact, and stakeholder engagement service lines, though at meaningfully larger scale.
• Mecone: Australian planning, urban economics, and engagement consultancy. Directly comparable service mix (planning approvals, social impact, community engagement) and similar mid-market positioning.
• 4Sight Consulting: Australian environmental and planning consultancy with strong renewable energy client base. Comparable on environmental impact assessment and approvals work for wind, solar, and BESS developers.
• Umwelt: Australian environmental and social consultancy providing EIA, planning, and stakeholder engagement services. Overlaps strongly with Cogency's environmental assessment and renewable energy practice.
• Planisphere: Australian town planning consultancy focused on strategic and statutory planning, particularly for property and infrastructure clients. Comparable boutique planning and engagement offering.

Broad incumbents

• GHD: Global engineering, architecture, and environmental consultancy with a large Australian planning and EIA practice. Competes for the same renewable energy approvals mandates but at much broader scale and as part of a full-service offering.
• WSP Australia: Global professional services firm with an Australian planning, environment, and renewables practice. Competes for similar projects but typically as part of multi-disciplinary teams on larger mandates.
• Aurecon: Global engineering and infrastructure advisory with Australian planning and environment teams serving renewable energy and property clients. Overlaps on planning approvals and EIA but across a far wider service portfolio.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cogency-australia
• Instagraminstagram.com/cogencyaustralia

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 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 Cogency