Strategic planning is often constrained by the strengths of the market and landowners’ assumed rights and expectations. This paper examines such conflicts through a review of the relationship between property rights and social responsibilities.

This paper highlights the experience of some high profile case studies in Sydney to demonstrate regular intervention by government in the planning process in projects involving the disposal and redevelopment of public land – to ensure that such government backed proposals proceed quickly through the development approval process.

The impending waterfront redevelopment of Port Adelaide is a local manifestation of a global phenomenon. Through a carefully managed place marketing process, the Port’s industrial landscape is to be reconceptualized as a future landscape of cosmopolitan consumption and professional occupancy.

This paper makes the case that an approach that focuses on the development industry role is needed to complement existing perspectives and because it is highly relevant if not necessary for effective policy making.

The paper analyses the forces that have led to the NSW government’s creation of another urban development corporation in Sydney, the Redfern-Waterloo Authority.