Engaging an access consultant at the start of projects is essential to creating truly inclusive spaces. And yet, all too often in Australia, accessibility is treated as an afterthought, coming late in the project timeline when opportunities for meaningful impact have already passed. This approach creates problems not only for end users but also for project teams, sometimes with embarrassing and costly consequences.
Why access isn’t just a tick-box
Accessibility is no longer just a nice-to-have. It’s a legal and moral obligation, covered by the Disability Discrimination Act and corresponding building standards. Despite this, accessibility is routinely left to late-stage reviews or remedial fixes, which are inevitably less effective, more expensive and sometimes not fit for purpose. The industry recognises the requirement, but treating it as a last-minute compliance hurdle means issues often arise.
Lessons from real projects
Take, for example, a major Australian rail development where, after a $13 billion spend, a gap between the platforms and the trains was uncovered. A project of this scale should have been a flagship for universal access, but this oversight means some users literally can’t board the train independently. Arguably, this would have been avoided by embedding accessibility expertise from day one.
Another example comes from a well-known Australian public precinct. Although the design team created fantastic spaces, the cobblestone paving, difficult travel routes and gradient transitions made it confusing and sometimes unsafe for people to move around, especially those with mobility or vision challenges. In the end, fixes and repairs were needed after opening to address these issues. Again, had qualified access consultants been part of the design team from the outset, a more functional, dignified outcome would’ve been possible from the start.
Internationally, London’s Elizabeth Line project provides a more encouraging story. It has set a strong example by making step-free access a standard across all new stations, aiming to ensure everyone, including people with disability, can use the network confidently and independently. The project prioritises inclusive design features such as intuitive wayfinding and thoughtful layouts throughout the network. It’s a great model for ongoing best practice and proof that major infrastructure can deliver on its promises when the right voices are at the table from day one.
Why engaging early can change project outcomes
Complying with accessibility standards is mandatory, but bringing in access consultants early isn’t just about regulatory compliance. Early engagement unlocks opportunities for creativity and cost-efficiency, and more fundamentally, for social inclusion. It elevates the discussion from “what do we need to do to comply?” to “how do we create something remarkable that works for everyone?” The earlier the engagement, the greater the options for technical innovation and design solutions that meet the needs of all users without compromise or expensive rework.
Performance solutions that enhance the design vision
One of the things I’m most passionate about is the role of performance-based solutions in keeping great design alive. Too often, compliance is seen as the enemy of creativity, like it’s a brick wall designers have to work around. But that’s just not the case in the real world. If designs don’t meet the prescriptive standards, performance solutions give project teams a tool to think outside the box, ensuring end-user needs are met without sacrificing design intent.
Whether it’s working on a complex heritage restoration where conventional solutions would have butchered the character, or resolving technical access constraints in a new public building without ruining the architect’s vision, the goal is always the same: meet requirements in a way that’s elegant, efficient and right for the place.
That’s where our approach at DDEG really stands apart—we’re able to balance rigour and flexibility so design intent isn’t lost to a checklist or a blunt workaround. We also offer performance solutions for over 90% of the building code, including fire safety, acoustics, façade engineering, building solutions and sustainability, so you can streamline almost all your compliance through one team, saving time and hassle.
Having the confidence to offer performance-based compliance and bespoke solutions comes from experience. You need to know when to hold the line, when to innovate and how to ensure the integrity of both access and design. The most successful projects are the ones that engage early, explore alternatives and trust that access doesn’t have to mean compromise. It can actually lift the whole project.
DDEG’s lessons from the coalface
As the largest access consulting team in Australia, we’ve seen it all, from being called in late to retrofit compliance (never as effective as if we’d been on board earlier) to helping shape some of the country’s most complex and successful projects from the outset. Across sectors, from health to sport to heritage restoration, we can confidently say that the best outcomes always follow early engagement.
Take our recent work on significant transport and education projects. Where we’ve joined at the concept stage, universal access is seamlessly integrated—no awkward gaps, no patchwork fixes, no missed opportunities for inclusion. On the other hand, projects where we were brought in after design sign-off inevitably involve more negotiation and, sometimes, concessions on both sides that could have easily been avoided.
It’s time to do better
Australia deserves public spaces that don’t just technically comply but genuinely work for everyone. International benchmarks show it’s possible, and the DDEG team is committed to raising the standard here. It’s not enough to keep repeating the same mistakes, hoping for a better outcome. As an industry, we owe it to ourselves and our communities to get accessibility right, from the ground up.
If project teams are serious about delivering places that truly welcome all, the solution is clear: engage access consultants early, put universal design at the core, and treat inclusion as fundamental—not optional. It’s time to get this right, together.
Looking for practical tools? Use DDEG’s free accessibility calculators to check ramp grades and luminance contrast on your projects.