Lisel Thomas

Lisel Thomas is an urban planner with 20 years experience working for both local and State government. She had worked for a range of different councils, and spent 18 months at the Municipal Association of Victoria as Melbourne 2030 Liaison Officer, liaising between State and local government. Lisel has also been a sessional member of Planning Panels Victoria. Lisel currently works in the Infrastructure Coordination team with the Growth Areas Authority. Her responsibilities include providing technical input to the precinct structure planning process - particularly around the provision of education and lifelong learning - and working closely with infrastructure providers to encourage the timely delivery of co-located and integrated community facilities. Lisel also has an interest in the provision of affordable housing in Melbourne’s growth areas, and has been a regular attendee at Housing and Local Government Network meetings.

The Growth Areas Authority (GAA) is an independent statutory body established in 2006. The GAA’s mission includes fostering new communities in Melbourne’s growth areas by ensuring that infrastructure, services and facilities are provided in a coordinated and timely manner. The GAA is responsible for developing Precinct Structure Plans (PSPs) which are master plans for new communities in the growth areas of Melbourne. PSPs map community facilities, roads, shopping centres, schools, parks, housing, native vegetation, employment and connections to transport, with the goal of creating diverse, compact and well connected communities. One of the overarching objectives for Precinct Structure Plans is to create greater housing choice diversity and affordable places to live.