ABH452 Community Planning
To view more information for this unit, select Unit Outline from the list below. Please note the teaching period for which the Unit Outline is relevant.
| Unit code: | ABH452 |
|---|---|
| Prerequisite(s): | (ABB254 or UXB231) and (ABB303 or UXH331) and (ABN402 or UXB330). ABN402 can be enrolled in the same teaching period as ABH452. |
| Equivalent(s): | UXH432 |
| Credit points: | 12 |
| Timetable | Details in HiQ, if available |
| Availabilities |
|
| CSP student contribution | $1,192 |
| Domestic tuition unit fee | $4,704 |
| International unit fee | $5,436 |
Unit Outline: Semester 2 2026, Gardens Point, Internal
| Unit code: | ABH452 |
|---|---|
| Credit points: | 12 |
| Pre-requisite: | (ABB254 or UXB231) and (ABB303 or UXH331) and (ABN402 or UXB330). ABN402 can be enrolled in the same teaching period as ABH452. |
| Equivalent: | UXH432 |
| Coordinator: | Jade Bebbington | jade.bebbington@qut.edu.au |
Overview
In this unit you will apply community planning skills to real-world spatial investigations. The unit integrates contemporary planning theory & fieldwork enabling you to analyse complex community tensions shaped by power, inequality, governance structures, and competing knowledge systems, including Indigenous and place-based perspectives. Through interactive studio-based practice, you will translate these insights into persuasive advocacy material, strategic master planning frameworks, and statutory planning documentation. The unit applies key theories & concepts in community planning & supports you to develop analytical drawings, publication‑ready planning reports, and live professional simulation defending your strategic plan to an external assessor. You will demonstrate the ability to synthesise theory, field evidence, & planning policy into coherent, implementable, community‑responsive planning outcomes.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit you will be able to:
- Apply key community planning theories, strategies and policy frameworks to evaluate and respond to complex community issues.
- Identify community assets, issues and conflicts from the perspective of various stakeholders.
- Effectively communicate through visual and written communication methods.
- Identify and respond to complex community issues through the effective use of planning tools, spatial reasoning, and strategic decision‑making
Content
The unit will develop students understanding of contemporary community planning theory while grounding that knowledge in real-world spatial practice. You will discuss and examine principles of community planning, including the relationships between community development, community organising, and the politics of participation. The unit explores how power, inequality, and competing forms of knowledge – including Indigenous, local, and professional expertise – shape planning decision and community outcomes.
The unit will also explore specific topics such as liveability, inclusion, socio-spatial equity, and planning for diverse communities, including Country‑centred and culturally responsive approaches. Through fieldwork, community mapping, spatial analysis, and iterative design practice, you will learn how to observe, diagnose, and respond to complex community planning scenarios. The unit builds capability in engagement, facilitation, problem solving, and applied planning techniques, preparing students to produce persuasive advocacy material and strategic planning frameworks grounded in real community tensions.
Learning Approaches
This unit employs a combination of lectures and tutorials to engage students in immersive, practice‑based learning, that blends conceptual teaching with hands‑on spatial investigation. This provides opportunities to advance your skills in analysis and evaluation, problem solving, advocacy, collaboration, and effective communication.
Your participation in the unit will include:
- Independent preparation for lectures and tutorials through online learning resources, pre‑readings, and site‑based observation tasks
- Attendance at weekly lectures to introduce key concepts, theories, and frameworks in community planning
- Engagement in tutorials focused on applied spatial analysis, trace‑layer development, engagement simulation, and iterative master‑planning
- Field audits of contested sites to ground your assessments in real community tensions
- Individual tasks that progressively build your analytical, reflective, and statutory planning skills
- Participation in individual and group-based tasks that align with the unit assessments, supporting the development of reflective, analytical, and applied planning skills
- Participation in live simulations, including a public consultation exercise and a professional oral defense of your strategic plan
Through this structure, you will progressively build the practical and theoretical skills required to diagnose community issues, analyse community dynamics, facilitate engagement processes, design equitable planning responses, and communicate strategic planning decisions with clarity and professional confidence.
Feedback on Learning and Assessment
Weekly tutorials, field‑based tasks, and staged assessment milestones provide multiple opportunities for ongoing feedback as you develop your analytical, spatial, and professional planning skills.
You will receive feedback in various forms throughout the semester which may include:
- Rubrics provided to show the expected standard for each criteria in an assessment item.
- Comments returned to you via Canvas.
- Weekly tutorials provide opportunities to receive feedback from peers and teaching staff on staged assessments, as well as on the concepts and theories that underpin them.
- Lecture / consultation sessions will be available for group and individual feedback prior to assessment due dates and on completion of assessments.
- Real‑time verbal feedback with assessment task, supporting your final demonstration of authorship and planning capability for each project and refining communication skills.
Assessment
Overview
The summative assessment items in this unit are designed to develop your capacity to analyse real community tensions, and understand and apply contemporary planning theory, through spatial reasoning, advocacy and strategic planning. Through two sequential individual assessments, you will engage directly with contested sites, diagnose complex socio‑spatial issues, and translate these insights into persuasive advocacy material and a comprehensive strategic master plan. While the unit requires the use of hand‑drawn trace layers, the focus is not on artistic skill but on how drawing functions as a planning tool—supporting spatial thinking, problem‑solving, and the communication of policy and code‑related reasoning.
The assessments are structured to progressively build your skills in field observation, spatial analysis, engagement, community-centred reasonsing, statutory justification, and professional communication, culminating in a live oral in-class defense of your strategic plan.
Your learning will be assessed through Criteria Referenced Assessment (CRA) sheets that are based on the application of the unit learning outcomes.
Unit Grading Scheme
7- point scale
Assessment Tasks
Assessment: Community Advocacy Pitch
You will assume the role of an independent Community Planning Advocate tasked with investigating a high-stakes spatial and social controversy in Brisbane. You will select a study area from a list of sites and physically conduct a field audit of your chosen site to uncover a core community tension (e.g., lack of accessible green canopy, pedestrian exclusion, or cultural erasure). You will synthesise your findings into a highly visual, persuasive advocacy package designed to influence local planning authorities.
The use of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) tools is prohibited during this assessment.
This assignment is eligible for the 48-hour late submission period and assignment extensions.
Assessment: Strategic Master Plan & Report
Building directly upon the community insights and spatial deficiencies identified in Assessment 1, you will assume the role of a planner tasked with developing a formal Strategic Master Plan Framework for your chosen site. You will synthesise creative, layer-based spatial problem solving with rigorous statutory writing. You will produce a professional, publication-ready planning report that details a phased strategic layout, placing Country and socio-spatial equity at the core of your planning intervention. You will also complete a 10-minute face to face oral examination of your plan to simulate a real-world presentation and defense of a master plan framework to a council committee.
The use of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) tools is prohibited during this assessment.
Due to the presentation component, the assignment is NOT eligible for the 48-hour late submission period and assignment extensions.
Academic Integrity
Academic integrity is a commitment to undertaking academic work and assessment in a manner that is ethical, fair, honest, respectful and accountable.
The Academic Integrity Policy sets out the range of conduct that can be a failure to maintain the standards of academic integrity. This includes, cheating in exams, plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion and contract cheating. It also includes providing fraudulent or altered documentation in support of an academic concession application, for example an assignment extension or a deferred exam.
You are encouraged to make use of QUT’s learning support services, resources and tools to assure the academic integrity of your assessment. This includes the use of text matching software that may be available to assist with self-assessing your academic integrity as part of the assessment submission process.
Breaching QUT’s Academic Integrity Policy or engaging in conduct that may defeat or compromise the purpose of assessment can lead to a finding of student misconduct (Code of Conduct – Student) and result in the imposition of penalties under the Management of Student Misconduct Policy, ranging from a grade reduction to exclusion from QUT.
Requirements to Study
Costs
There may be costs associated with travel to visit the site. There may also be costs to purchase drawing materials.
Resources
Assigned Readings
Additional assigned readings will be available on the unit Canvas site.
Resource Materials
Other
Yellow trace, scale ruler, and drawing pens are recommended
Risk Assessment Statement
All commencing students are required to complete the Mandatory Safety Induction
There are no extraordinary risks associated with the classroom/lecture activities in this unit.
Course Learning Outcomes
This unit is designed to support your development of the following course/study area learning outcomes.AB01 Bachelor of Built Environment (Honours)
- Apply theoretical, practical and cultural knowledge and skills across a range of disciplines and specialist knowledge and skills in one built environment area.
Relates to: Community Advocacy Pitch - Design and critically evaluate sustainable and creative solutions to social, economic, technological and environmental challenges.
Relates to: Community Advocacy Pitch - Communicate knowledge, ideas and creative solutions in diverse modes, for a range of contexts and diverse audiences.
Relates to: Community Advocacy Pitch - Strategically collaborate with diverse stakeholders and communities, including First Nations peoples.
Relates to: Community Advocacy Pitch