Meet Our All-Star Team
Today, after 25 years in business, our team of over 20 town planners, architects, and local government specialists have helped over 30,491 people navigate council approval. We have a collective 387 years of council approval history.
Our in-house team specialises in helping property and business owners like yourself navigate the approval process from any council.
We proudly continue the mission that Max Fragar envisioned when he started our consultancy all those years ago. You will find strength in the depth of our team and confidence in the breadth of our experience.
Council Approval Group was proud to host former Planning Minister Rob Stokes, as a honorary guest speaker at our 2024 Conference. This photo was taken at our annual 3-day retreat, which included a focus on health and wellbeing, professional development and social engagement.
30,491 +
People
Helped
Helped
387+ YRS
Collective
Experience
Experience
2.5 DAYS
How Often We
Get Approval
Get Approval
$500K
Potential Value
Added to Clients
Added to Clients
Max Fragar
LIFE FELLOW PIA, REGISTERED PLANNER PLUS (EIA), FOUNDER
Max Fragar, the guru and head honcho, is our principal consultant. With over 50 years experience he is a Registered Town Planner Plus (EIA) and one of Australia’s most experienced town planners.
Colin Fragar
CO-FOUNDER
Colin Fragar is a best selling author, graduate lawyer and experienced property developer, having purchased his first investment at age 19.
Tracy
DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS & HR
With over a decade of experience in the property world, which includes working for the Australian Property Institute, Tracy has a wealth of knowledge and a love of all things property.
Ken
DIRECTOR OF PLANNING
Ken is a highly experienced town planner having worked for local government entities in Australia and the United States spanning the breadth of the profession including strategic planning, development planning and social planning. You will find Ken to be friendly, helpful and knowledgeable as he works pragmatically to bring your development dream to fruition.
Giuseppe
SENIOR ARCHITECT
Giuseppe Calabrese is a registered architect in NSW & Vic. Having previously worked for both boutique and major award winning firms in Sydney, he has a wide range of experience across project types. His in depth knowledge and experience with Council makes the approval process fast efficient and reliable.
Sam
TEAM LEADER / TOWN PLANNER
With over 10 years experience across multiple jurisdictions, Sam has a strong appreciation for the principles that underpin sound planning. He excels at explaining complex matters in an engaging manner and is most passionate about delivering results that achieve client goals.
Jane
SENIOR TOWN PLANNER
Jane is a fully qualified town planner with over 20 years planning experience having worked at the local and state government levels in statutory, strategic, planning policy and research, planning law and heritage planning, in three states including New South Wales, Tasmania and Victoria.
Katrina
TOWN PLANNER
Katrina has been consulting in Town Planning since 2009. Her years of experience combined with a Masters in Project Management have seen her work on a broad range of developments from concept through to completion. She's a team player driven to achieve positive client outcomes.
Ritta
TOWN PLANNER
Ritta has significant development and construction experience predominantly in residential projects and commercial projects. A passionate PIA member, she has been a mentor for young planners since 2020.
Krstyna
TOWN PLANNER
Krstyna has over 10 years in the planning industry predominantly working as a local government planner. Her experience across statutory, strategic and master planning has developed her skills as a strong diplomatic mediator, focused on problem solving.
Shayne
TOWN PLANNER
Shayne is an urban planning practitioner with over 30 years' experience in development assessment & related planning policy at local and state government level.
Rebecca
TOWN PLANNER
After working across both local and state levels, Rebecca has over 13 years experience in Queensland planning. She has a strong interest in preserving heritage buildings and promoting sustainable outcomes for our clients.
Tiarne
TOWN PLANNER
Tiarne is an accomplished Town Planner with extensive experience in both private and government sectors across QLD and NSW. She excels in navigating complex regulations and building strong relationships to achieve favourable outcomes for clients and communities alike.
Daniel
TOWN PLANNER
Daniel has over 17 years experience working as a town planner, spanning local governments in NSW and QLD, as well as private consultancies.
Albert
TOWN PLANNER
Albert has 5 years of experience as a statutory development assessment officer. He enjoys listening to people's ideas, providing innovative solutions, and resolving problems to help them achieve great planning outcomes.
Suzette
TOWN PLANNER
With over 24 years in planning and property development across government and private sectors in Australia and the U.S., Suzette specializes in project management, strategic planning, and sustainable development, focused on problem-solving and achieving optimal outcomes.
Michael
ARCHITECTURAL DRAFTSMAN
Michael is a passionate and creative architectural designer with 10 years experience in the design industry, along with international project experience.
Ojie
ARCHITECTURAL DRAFTSMAN
A Computer Engineering Technology Graduate and Data Researcher, Ojie has been applying his skills as an Architectural Draftsman for over 5 years. Ojie's driven to deliver all-inclusive project plans to meet clients property needs.
Fay
ARCHITECTURAL DRAFTSMAN
Fay is a career driven person with 6 years of experience as a draftsperson. She excels in multiple residential design typologies, she has a strong interest in the challenge of coming up with a unique design for each individual client's needs and design requirements.
Rey
ENVIRONMENTAL MAPPING OFFICER
Rey's lends his expertise as our Environmental Mapping Officer, providing comprehensive EMC Reports on client properties for our Town Planning Team.
Klara
CONSTRUCTION CERTIFICATE COORDINATOR
Klara brings a wealth of knowledge and experience in Building & Construction, predominantly across New Homes, Subdivisions, Renovations & Extensions. Her background in Project Management shines through in her coordination of the Construction Certificate process.
Natasha
CONSULTANT SERVICES COORDINATOR
Natasha project manages the third-party consultants we work closely with for our projects, often working beyond her responsibilities to make the team more efficient and successful.
Anthony
PROPERTY CONSULTANT
Anthony has over 30 years experience investing in property both personally and professionally. Riding the highs and lows of the market, he understands the unbeatable strength of property as an asset and is driven to help clients reach their goals.
Christina
PROPERTY CONSULTANT
Along with her keen interest in business and property development, Christina enjoys listening to people's stories. Her genuine interest in their projects enables her to support clients to achieve their desired outcome.
Justin
PROPERTY CONSULTANT
Justin takes great pride and satisfaction working in an environment where he has the opportunity to help people. His extensive property experience and positive attitude allow him to guide clients through the often complex approval process with ease.
Emily
PROPERTY CONSULTANT
Emily brings a wealth of customer service experience to our team, coupled with a passion for property development. With her understanding and empathetic nature, she finds fulfillment in helping people navigate the council approval journey.
Emma S
MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS
Emma is a media and marketing professional with over 20 years local and international experience. With a keen interest in property, she is focused on engaging and fostering genuine relationships and simplifying the council approval process for clients.
Tracy D
DIGITAL MARKETING SPECIALIST
Tracy had a background in sales before deciding to pursue her passion for Digital Marketing. She is passionate about resolving communication issues and meeting our customers' needs.
Angelique
EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT
Angelique has been with the Council Approval Group for over 10 years, providing exceptional service for both our team and clients alike.
Eden
ASSISTANT TO THE CEO
Eden has over 10 years combined experience in Customer Service, Sales and Operations. Her goal is to provide efficient support and excellent customer satisfaction.
We Make Council Approval as Easy as...
1
Claim Your FREE 30 Minute Consult with one of our Property Consultants
2
Let’s Us Conduct a Preliminary Planning Assessment (PPA)
3
We Prepare & Submit Your DA or CDC with a 98% Success Rate*
To Get Approval, Call 1300 008 138 Now
Or click below to schedule a time to chat to our team