​​How to develop a property plan

Approach

Key milestones and steps are mapped out and investments needed during or between each of those steps are outlined.

Property plans should be a combination of unique content, together with content drawn from strategic planning such as Statement of Intent, LTIPs, 4YPs, annual plans and related functional planning such as workforce, ICT and service delivery.

The agency perspective should also be combined with any cross-government perspective informed by engagement with GPG during plan development. GPG can advise on accommodation projects, procurement of goods and services, and support services underway which should be included in the detail of the property plan.

Governance

While an effective governance structure is important to developing a quality property plan that’s integrated with other planning processes in the agency, the property plan should also outline a robust governance structure that supports the ongoing management of the property portfolio.

Engaging with stakeholders

A key component to meaningful and integrated property planning is engaging the right people and areas of responsibility early in, and throughout, the planning process. The property planning process should involve people from:

• strategic and corporate planning – strategic thinking and outcomes planning that the property portfolio is supporting
• service delivery – customer-centric strategy and channel planning, including how ‘front of house’ areas need to support service delivery
• infrastructure and asset management – any asset plans that interface or integrate with property planning
• information and technology – management of ICT strategy and integrating workplace design with technology planning
• financial and vote management – integrating property planning and budgeting within organisational budget and resource planning
• human resource or workforce – management for workforce strategy and planning; the workforce the property portfolio needs to accommodate now and into the medium- and long-term, and integrating workplace design with organisational culture and wellness programmes
• health, safety & security – ensure organisational security considerations and staff health and wellbeing are included in planning
• risk management and internal audit – ensure property planning is incorporated within organisational risk frameworks and internal audit is familiar with the property plan.

How the property plan fits with other planning processes

The property plan is one element of the agency’s overall planning, management and reporting activity. The plan should clearly align and integrate with agency or sector strategic processes such as:

• strategic thinking and strategic intentions (eg, Statement of Intent)
• long-term investment planning
• medium-term planning (eg, a department’s four-year plan)
• workforce planning, and
• annual business planning.

Strategic intentions as well as looking at how to achieve those intentions are reviewed and refreshed on a regular basis. Strategic planning (eg, LTIP, 4YP) uses this thinking and these discussions to plan out the investments and interventions needed to meet the agency’s strategic intentions. Property planning expands on strategic planning to provide functional-level detail, such as that summarised in the details of property plans.