if u can remember more specific examples then thats great. Eg: CSR sugar refinery becomes apartments, name harris st to give a location of some of the gentrified townhouses etc.
In regards to planning, i really can't judge how good your planning is myself. But if you're getting good marks then that's ok i guess. However, "good" is a subjective term depending on how high one's standards are. Geography is one of those subjects where you feel like you can include a great deal of information into one essay. My writing is sort of big also, and i used to write 6-7 pages on average. I would judge this as an acceptable amount, depending on the question and how relevant your essay actually is.
My advice to you is to make sure you know your syllabus. Make sure you know the parts required for each of the dot-points. These are often named in the syllabus itself or they should be in your notes.
For the example about urban dynamics in a suburb, our class chose urban renewal in Pyrmont, Sydney. This is what i would probably write as a plan:
Intro: define Urban renewal
P1: Urban decay (necessary precursor for Urban Renewal)
- Definition
- Suburbanisation
- Decentralisation
- Containerisation (1960s)
P2: Gentrification
P3: Adaptive Reuse
P4: Site Conversion
P5: Government Policy
P6: Urban Sprawl
(Paragraphs 1-6 outline the causes for and evidence of Urban renewal in Pyrmont)
Conclusion.
Using these key words i can create a logical essay, as long as i understand the meanings of the words and relevant examples to support them.
Some people might require more detailed planning, some require no plan. Do what is comfortable and what gets the best results.