EmStyles Projects:

EmStyles’ Director, Malcolm Styles has these more unusual projects under his belt:

• leading the design and construction of a $3.5 million combined library and community centre at Wangaratta in conjunction with TAFE during 2006 and 2007;

• Key negotiating role to land a major retail development at a regional Central Business District. This included undertaking a transparent expression of interest process; the process subjected to a strict independent probity audit. It also required negotiating complex land transfer agreements, relocating elderly persons to new premises, and the construction of under building carparks for public use;

• core participant in completing the concept design, then detailed design and construction of a $6 million indoor sports and aquatic centre (2001 to 2003);

• instigated the design and construction of a $2.5 million Ovens Riverside project at Wangaratta. This included redevelopment of a major parkland, major streetscaping and power undergrounding works, and river embankment stabilisation works;

• running significant community Best Value reviews of waste management services and road maintenance services;

• rationalised municipal works depots and rural landfills;

• led and encouraged organisational improvement initiatives. These have included values and behaviours programs, Business Excellence organisational application, process improvement programs, quality assurance contract specification writing, organisational and departmental restructuring, performance reviews process improvements, 360 degree reviews application, development of performance indicators and measures. Assisted in the development of higher level visionary, corporate, strategic, business and management plans;

• established a state of the art and innovative regional landfill which met new stringent State Environment Protection policies for the siting and management of landfills. This included undertaking land use rezoning and EPA Works Approval processes, and successful Independent  Planning Panel and Appeals Tribunal defences. The landfill design was premised upon re-establishing a ridge that had been degraded by earlier gold sluicing activities over many years. A rolling buffer concept was introduced to allow progressive nearby land development to occur as the landfill cells were progressively filled;

• developed a brief, and oversaw the development of the Wangaratta Airport masterplan;

• established a measureable Asset Management Plan to underpin ten year financial plans at Wangaratta;

• pipe jacking of a 2100 millimetre diameter stormwater pipe under a railway line at Bendigo;

• pipe jacking of a 2400 millimetre high box culvert for a bicycle/walking path under a two track railway line at Castlemaine;

• instigation of a $500,000 early flood warning system at Wangaratta in 2002;

• established Municipal Emergency Management plans for three different municipalities;

• surveyed, designed, set out works and supervised the construction of arterial and State highway road duplications and reconstructions within urban areas of Bendigo, Mildura and Castlemaine;

• specified a brief, called for expressions of interest, and supervised the development of a conservation analysis and strategic management plan for the Castlemaine Botanical Gardens;

• specified a brief, called for expressions of interest and overviewed the revamping of a fifty year old swimming pool complex;

• investigated, secured a suitable site, undertook the process to rezone the land, and overviewed the detailed design of a major saleyards relocation;

• oversaw bridge strengthening and replacement projects. This included the renovation of an historic stone/steel/timber decked bridge (Zeal Bridge) at Castlemaine;

• planned and led a formal delegation to the remote sub-district of Lacluta in East Timor that established a formal Friendship relationship;

• undertook a significant flood mitigation improvement program at Wangaratta from the initial planning phase through community consultation , presentations at an independent appeal  process to implementation. Malcolm chaired a ministerially appointed community steering committee and subsequently managed an investigation consultancy and implementation program of the works;

• obtained joint funds and grants for the Murray to the Mountains Rail Trail project at Wangaratta and Alpine Shire;

• obtained Federal government funds to develop an industrial estate infrastructure at Castlemaine, Victoria;

• negotiated with major airline companies to introduce charges to be used for the development of a new terminal at the regional Mildura Airport;

• led ‘Pride of Place’ urban design framework planning and obtained State government funding for Wangaratta, Victoria’s Central Activities Area;

• assisted in the development of North-East Victoria’s Timber Roads Strategy and development plan;

• supervised the successful completion of a $7 million streetscape project in the Central Business District of Wangaratta, Victoria (1995);

• provided input into Mildura (Victoria) residential outline development plans;

• devised and implemented a staff rehabilitation program at Mildura (1989). This was possibly the first of its kind for local government in Victoria;

• undertook subdivisional outline development planning at Doncaster and Templestowe, Victoria;

• facilitated the compilation of a developer contribution strategy at Castlemaine, 1994;

• surveyed and designed soccer pitches, football ovals, netball courts, and playgrounds;

• investigated and composed engineering and infrastructure conditions for town planning permit conditions for developments and subdivisions; 

• processed formal subdivision permit applications and certificates of compliance statements; and

• investigated, reported and implemented landfill improvements and rationalisations at Mildura during 1988 and 1989