Creating Sustainable Communities

An Overview: Planning & Design for Contemporary Communities

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Introductions

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Definitions

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Creating Sustainability Communities

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Planning Careers

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BRTP Program Information

Introductions

Slide sub-heading (manual text box)

Laurel Johnson [email protected]

Laurel- UQ Lecturer & Private Planning Consultant Rhiannon West Rhiannon- UQ final year (Honours) student in

Bachelor of Town and Regional Planning & BCC Cadet Planner & UQ Tutor

DEFINITIONS

SUSTAINABILITY/SUSTAINABLE

• Ecologically Sustainable Development

Development that improves the total quality of life, both now and in the future, in a way that maintains the ecological processes on which life depends. (Australian Government, National ESD Strategy)

• • •

Maintaining Future generations An aspiration

Sustainable Planning Act 2009

Queensland Land Use Planning Legislation

Purpose of the Act is the

seek to achieve ecologically sustainable development ….

(

Sustainable Planning Act 2009

Chapter 1, Part 2, pp.42-44)

Sustainable Planning Act 2009

Queensland Land Use Planning Legislation

Ecological sustainability is a balance that

integrates

—

(a) protection of ecological processes and natural systems at local, regional, State and wider levels; and (b) economic development; and (c) maintenance of the cultural, economic, physical and social wellbeing of people and communities. (

Sustainable Planning Act 2009 Part 3, Division 2, p.45)

Sustainable Planning Act 2009

Ecologically Sustainable Development

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Maintenance of the cultural, economic, physical and social wellbeing of people and communities

SOCIAL WELLBEING

Protection of ecological processes and natural systems at local, regional, state and wider levels

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

DEFINITION

THE

COMMUNITY (‘THE PUBLIC’)

WHAT IS YOUR COMMUNITY?

In Planning.....community is

A social network of interacting individuals, usually concentrated into a defined territory

(Johnston et al (eds.) (2000) The Dictionary of Human Geography, Blackwell Publishing, Malden)

Communities & Planning

“Not only must planners

understand

the characteristics and qualities of have a responsibility to

respond different

individuals and communities; they also to their varying needs, hopes and aspirations.”

Susan Thompson (2007) Planning for Diverse Communities in Thompson S (ed.) Planning Australia: An Overview of Urban and Regional Planning , Cambridge University Press, Melbourne, pp.199-223

Planning for Diversity

• • • • • • • •

Communities are diverse Age Culture Religion Beliefs Families Abilities Incomes Values Do we plan for people ‘just like us’?

TOWN PLANNING....

Town Planning, Land Use Planning, Spatial Planning, Urban Planning, City and Regional Planning or just plain

planning Planning works to improve individual and community wellbeing by creating more convenient, equitable, healthy, efficient and attractive places for

present and future generations (based on American Planning Association definition accessed at www.planning.org/aboutplanning/whatisplanning.htm

).

Shaping the built environment in the

public interest

WHY DO WE NEED PLANNING?

Because Somebody Lives Here

MANCHESTER 1835 Child Labourers average life expectancy for all citizens 18 years

MODERN TOWN PLANNING

Where it began

Foundation in the industrial revolution reaction to appalling living conditions

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HEALTH AND SANITATION

–

EFFICIENCY AND ORDER

–

BEAUTY AND CONTACT WITH NATURE

Planning & ESD

–

Town planning is a forward looking process that guides future development and manages land use change to shape settlements.

–

Town planning is an important mechanism for delivering ESD as it guides development decisions.

Planners- an object of blame and hostility and the subject of hope for effective community regulation (Healey, 1997:3)

Creating Communities-

Selected Planning & Design Tools

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Separate incompatible land uses

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Provide social infrastructure-parks, recreation and community facilities

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Ensure employment and service access

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Appropriately mix land uses

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Deliver a range of housing types

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Deliver affordable and social housing

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Design inclusive public spaces

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Deliver safe environments

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Target areas of social disadvantage

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Include people in decision making

Separate incompatible land uses

Plan & Deliver Social Infrastructure

–

Standards for social infrastructure

–

Early delivery in new development areas

•

Child care

•

Primary school

•

Sport & recreation

•

Community meeting spaces

•

Public transport

•

Open space and movement networks

•

Community events and organisation

Multi-Purpose Social Infrastructure

Parks, open space and recreation

Accessible employment and services

Appropriate mix of land uses (scale)

Mixed housing in local areas

Involve Communities in Planning

Target areas of social disadvantage

•

Apply Indices of disadvantage to target areas

•

Specific Interventions relevant to needs and local values/issues

Identity & Pride

Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) Code/Guidelines

Child & Youth Friendly City Design Guidelines Include the Voiceless, Marginalised, Excluded

• Social (or Community) Impact Assessment • • • Set Development Parameters

% of family dwellings in medium and high density residential configurations Design of medium and high density units to accommodate children (outdoor play areas etc)

Community Building

•

Spatial

strategies for

creating

and sustaining communities AND • Community building offers complementary strategies such as: –

Community Development (creating connections)

–

Community Governance (organisations and spaces)

–

Community Engagement (ongoing)

Planning Careers

A Range of Specialties in Planning

Strategic Planning Transport Planning Environmental Planning Infrastructure Planning Social Planning Community Planning Parks and Open Space Planning Urban Design Development Assessment Policy Development Planning Law Planning Education & Research

Planning Careers

Employers Public Sector

Commonwealth, State and Local Government

Private Sector

Development Companies Consultancy firms Resource sector

Non-Government Sector

International Non-Government Organisations

Planning Careers

Locations International possibilities (NGOs, & Consultancy firms) Demand in regional and rural areas (State & Local Government & Consultancy firms) Demand varies in City areas, depending (to some extent) on land development cycles

Planning Graduate Stories

Stephanie Wyeth

Director, Social Planning URBIS

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National PIA award for Child and Youth Friendly Redlands project

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Driven by a strong sense of social justice and a desire to create safe, fun neighbourhoods for kids and families

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Passionate about creating communities through planning and design

Planning Graduate Stories

Guy Gibson

Director, Lend Lease

He sees a new path opening up for future graduates of the discipline.

“

There is a huge opportunity for planning students to look at the potential of new media to communicate and consult better with local communities to provide clear guidance to development proponents and enable more efficient assessment of their proposals. This is something that the current practitioners of the profession are unfortunately neglecting

”.

It was a

love of Geography

in high school set Guy on the route to become an urban planner and his studies at UQ laid the foundations for his career.

Guy Gibson

UQ- BRTP Program

Opening Doors to a Planning Career

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4 year undergraduate program

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Same cohort of students throughout the 4 years

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Fixed program with some elective (some choice)

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For high achievers, option to do a 1 semester research project (Honours)

BRTP

Pre-requisites

• http://www.gpem.uq.edu.au/bachelor-regional-town-planning • Year 12 English • OP 12 (2012) • Intake 80 domestic students • 20 International students (varies according to demand)

BRTP Program- Uni Life

Pre-requisites

OBSERVATIONS

Challenges for first year BRTP students-

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conceptualising planning

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writing & research skills and

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group work

Lecture Review

Slide sub-heading (manual text box)

Definitions Town planning strategies for creating communities Planning Careers UQ Graduate Planners BRTP Program

Lecture References

• •

American Planning Association website accessed at www.planning.org

• •

City Plan 2000 website accessed at www.brisbane.qld.gov.au

• P Healey (1997)

Collaborative Planning: shaping places in fragmented societies,

Palgrave, Hampshire

PIA (Qld Division) website accessed at www.planning.org.au

Sustainable Planning Act 2009 website accessed at www.dlgp.qld.gov.au

CREATING A SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITY WORKSHOP

2 Activities

1. How Sustainable is Your Neighbourhood?

2. Childhood Memories

THANK YOU & ENJOY LUNCH

See you back in this room at 12.30pm