What Watermark Planning does

Watermark Planning is a town planning consultancy headquartered in Forestville on Sydney's Northern Beaches, operating since 2000. The firm assists property owners, developers, and local councils across NSW with statutory planning services including the preparation and lodgement of Development Applications (DAs), Statements of Environmental Effects, preliminary planning reviews, Building Information Certificates, and section 149 / 10.7 certificates. Its customer base is dominated by residential and small commercial property owners undertaking renovations, dual occupancies, secondary dwellings, and similar projects, alongside a smaller set of commercial and maritime clients.

The firm's service mix has expanded beyond its core DA lodgement heritage into adjacent regulated verticals — most notably liquor licensing assistance and maritime development planning — leveraging the planning expertise of the founder (active since 1996) and a Senior Planner with 33+ years of experience. There is no proprietary technology platform; client engagement is driven through organic search and direct enquiry, with Calendly used as the only disclosed digital integration for appointment scheduling. Output is delivered entirely by human planners, with pricing conducted on a project-by-project quote basis rather than via published rates or subscription.

Watermark Planning operates as a founder-controlled professional services firm with a self-reported 1-10 employee headcount, no external funding events, and a 25-year operating history. The business model is conventional professional services — referral and inbound enquiry-driven, project-based fee engagements, with no recurring SaaS, platform, or licensing revenue component. Recent activity (dated 2025-2026 blog content, new vertical service lines) suggests active but incremental expansion rather than a structural growth pivot.

Name

Watermark Planning

Legal name

Watermark Planning

Website

https://watermarkplanning.com.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Watermark Planning is a Forestville (Northern Beaches, Sydney) town planning consultancy founded in 2000 that prepares and lodges Development Applications, Statements of Environmental Effects, and related NSW planning approvals for residential, commercial, and maritime property owners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Town Planning Consulting

NAICS

Landscape Architectural Services (541320)

akta.pro primary industry

Urban Planning & Master Planning (BPAHAKAD)

Keywords

• Town planning consulting
• Development application lodgement
• Statements of environmental effects
• Preliminary planning review
• Building information certificates

Headquarters

HQ city

Forestville, NSW

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Town Planning Consulting Services: Professional consulting fees for development application preparation, preliminary reviews, statement of environmental effects, building information certificates, and project management services

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Watermark Planning is a town planning consultancy that prepares and lodges Development Applications for residential, commercial, maritime, and hospitality clients across Sydney and New South Wales. It produces Statements of Environmental Effects, conducts Preliminary Reviews and feasibility assessments, manages Building Information Certificates for unauthorised works, handles Liquor Licence applications, and provides end-to-end project management through the council approval process.

Product overview

Watermark Planning is a professional town planning consultancy, not a software product company. Their service offering consists of advisory and lodgement services for Development Applications in NSW. The core service portfolio includes Statements of Environmental Effects (planning reports required for DAs), Development Assessment and Application Lodgement, Preliminary Reviews (pre-DA feasibility analysis), and Building Information Certificates (retrospective approval for unauthorised works). Specialised services cover Commercial & Industrial Premises, Maritime Development, Liquor Licence Assistance, Pre-Purchase Planning Advice, and Review of Development Proposals/objections. These services are delivered by a team of qualified town planners who guide clients through the NSW council approval process, leveraging 25 years of experience and regular contact with local planning officers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Statements of Environmental Effects Detailed planning report that accompanies Development Applications, providing assessment against all state and local planning provisions, including justification for any variations. Used by property owners and developers seeking council approval for proposed developments.
• Development Application Lodgement Preparation and online lodgement of Development Applications through the NSW Planning Portal, with ongoing Council liaison until assessment is finalised. Used by property owners and developers pursuing formal council approval.
• Development Assessment Assessment of Development Applications against planning controls, including peer reviews of Council Officer reports for local Councils. Used by property owners and local Councils seeking independent assessment of planning applications.
• Preliminary Review Planning assessment provided before the Development Application process, advising on development potential and highlighting planning controls affecting the property. Used by property owners and developers seeking early-stage feasibility guidance.
• Building Information Certificates Application to Council for retrospective approval of unauthorised building works completed without consent. Used by property owners seeking to legitimise completed building works.
• Review of Development Proposals (objections) Review of neighbouring development proposals against planning controls, with preparation of objections for submission to Council on behalf of affected property owners. Used by residential and commercial property owners concerned about adjacent developments.
• Commercial & Industrial Premises Planning Support for commercial, retail, and industrial development projects including changing hours of operation and new building construction. Used by commercial and industrial property owners and operators in NSW.
• Pre-Purchase Planning Advice Planning assessment for property buyers to understand development potential, constraints, and planning controls before purchase. Used by prospective property buyers conducting due diligence.
• Liquor Licence Assistance Assistance with determining required liquor licence type, preparing reports, completing forms, and liaising with Liquor and Gaming NSW. Used by hospitality businesses seeking micro brewery, bar, small bar, BYO restaurant, producer/wholesaler, or special event licenses.
• Maritime Development Approval process for waterway structures including jetties, pontoons, seawalls, and ramps through Roads and Maritime Services. Used by waterfront property owners seeking approval for maritime structures below mean high water mark.
• Development Feasibility Assessments Analysis of site development potential and assessment of feasibility for proposed projects. Used by property owners and developers evaluating whether to pursue a development.
• Project Management End-to-end management of development projects from conception through to Council approval. Used by property owners and developers seeking a single point of coordination through the planning process.
• Unauthorised Works Assistance with gaining retrospective approval for building works completed without required development consent. Used by property owners needing to rectify unauthorised construction.

Quantifiable outcome

• Reduces development application assessment time when application is complete and thorough
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Urbis: Large Australian planning, economics, and social advisory consultancy with offices in Sydney and other major cities. Directly comparable as a town and statutory planning services provider, but operates at materially larger scale and broader service portfolio than Watermark.
• Ethos Urban: Australian urban planning, property economics, and design consultancy with national reach. Comparable core town planning services but materially larger scale, broader disciplines, and bigger commercial and infrastructure client base than Watermark.
• Architectus: Australian architecture and urban design practice with planning advisory capabilities across major Australian cities. Comparable in statutory planning expertise but materially broader service offering and larger scale.
• Elton Consulting: Australian planning, environment, and community engagement consultancy with NSW and national presence. Directly comparable in DA and planning advisory services but offers broader environmental and stakeholder engagement capabilities than Watermark.

Direct peers

• Mecone: NSW-based town planning and development advisory firm specializing in Development Applications, planning reports, and feasibility assessments. Closely comparable in service mix and target client base to Watermark's residential and commercial DA work.
• City Plan Services: Sydney-based town planning consultancy providing Development Applications, complying development, and planning advice for residential and commercial clients. Closely comparable in service mix, geography, and target client segment.
• JBA Planning: Independent NSW town planning consultancy providing Development Application, SEE, and planning advice services. Comparable boutique scale, similar client mix, and overlapping service offering with Watermark Planning.
• Planit Consulting: Australian town planning consultancy offering DA lodgement, feasibility assessments, and planning advisory services across residential, commercial, and industrial sectors. Comparable mid-sized peer with similar core service portfolio to Watermark.
• SJB Planning: NSW town planning consultancy operating within broader architecture and urban design practice. Closely comparable in statutory planning, DA preparation, and Statements of Environmental Effects for residential and small commercial clients.

Emerging players

• Hughes Trueman Architects: Northern Beaches-based architectural and planning firm offering integrated design and DA services. Comparable through overlapping residential development focus in the same geographic market as Watermark.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/wp.liquorlicencing
• Instagraminstagram.com/wp.liquorlicencing
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/watermark-town-planning

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 Watermark Planning