James Lidis

Managing Director

James is well-versed in all areas of statutory planning, with over 30 years of experience in Local Government and private practice in New South Wales. He is particularly adept in the preparation of planning controls and environmental assessments, and frequently appears as an Expert Witness for the Land and Environment Court.

David Rippingill

Director

David started his career as a student planner with Design Collaborative after graduating with his Bachelor of Environmental Planning in 2007. His journey to Director includes obtaining a Juris Doctor and extensive experience in all areas of development applications. He regularly serves as an Expert Witness in Land and Environment Court proceedings and with a particular focus on development assessment, social impact and due diligence.

Jody Scanlan

Associate

Jody has over 30 years of planning expertise,  giving her comprehensive experience with statutory and strategic projects for private clients and councils alike. As Design Collaborative’s longest-serving employee, Jody specialises in the provision of planning and developmental advice with an emphasis on environmental assessment, valuation and Aboriginal land claim matters. Jody also has an expertise in the area of Liquor and Gaming.

Denise Tse

Senior Planner

Denise joined Design Collaborative after graduating with Honours from UNSW’s Planning program and completing internships in Hong Kong and Sydney.Fluent in both Cantonese and Mandarin, Denise’s time with Design Collaborative has seen her gain valuable skills and expertise in Statutory and Strategic planning, and allowed her to develop new skills and extensive knowledge within hospitality and liquor licensing.

Bryant Dinglasan

Planner

Bryant Dinglasan brings to Design Collaborative and to our clients, a strong research driven approach via thorough cross-checking historic development and liquor licensing files to locate all conditions relevant to client applications to ensure approvals. 

Other benefits to our clients, include communicating complex planning concepts and issues and simplifying them through custom-made maps or figures. 

Bryant holds a Bachelor of City Planning (Honours) and is committed to providing excellent outcomes on the projects he works on.   

Kristina Simic

Planner

Kristina Simic is a qualified Urban Planner with experience in private consulting, particularly within the liquor and hospitality sectors. She plays a leading role in the preparation and management of development and liquor licencing applications for projects of varying sizes across NSW.  

With a Master of City Planning and a Bachelor of Science (Maj. Geography) /Law, Kristina brings a holistic understanding of the planning system to the Design Collaborative team and can assist clients with more complex technical and legal matters.  

Justin Yao

Assistant Planner

Justin is following his passions of making vibrant places people enjoy and building active stronger communities while gaining practical hands-on experience assisting Directors and Senior Planners. His time at Design Collaborative sees him developing a strong foundation in statutory, social and heritage planning. Currently finalising his planning degree at the University of New South Wales, Justin is proving to be a valuable addition to the team.