Creating Sustainable
Communities
An Overview: Planning & Design for Contemporary Communities
Introductions
Definitions
Creating Sustainability Communities
Planning Careers
BRTP Program Information
Introductions
Slide sub-heading (manual text box)
Laurel Johnson l.johnson3@uq.edu.au
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 different
individuals and communities; they also
have a responsibility to respond 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 Labourersaverage life
expectancy for all
citizens 18 years
MODERN TOWN PLANNING
Where it began
Foundation in the industrial revolutionreaction to appalling living conditions
– 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 CommunitiesSelected Planning & Design Tools
Separate incompatible land uses
Provide social infrastructure-parks,
recreation and community facilities
Ensure employment and service access
Appropriately mix land uses
Deliver a range of housing types
Deliver affordable and social housing
Design inclusive public spaces
Deliver safe environments
Target areas of social disadvantage
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
National PIA award for Child and Youth Friendly
Redlands project
Driven by a strong sense of social justice and a
desire to create safe, fun neighbourhoods for kids
and families
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
4 year undergraduate program
Same cohort of students throughout
the 4 years
Fixed program with some elective
(some choice)
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conceptualising planning
writing & research skills and
group work
Lecture Review
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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