September 2013 Issue No. 96 new planner

Adding up the numbers Demographics Sydney Metropolitan Strategy

Contents IssueThis 83 issue contents

Guest Editorial - Rose Saltman 4 Telecommunications: essential plank in NSW infrastructure strategy 24 President’s Message 5 The feasibility of housing in Executive Officer’s Report 6 green field areas 25 Planning Perspectives 7 Healthy Built Environments 26 Norton Rose Fulbright Review 8 PlannerTech 27 Infrastructure Matters 9 Inbox 27 In the Courts 11 International Snippets 28 Sea change, tree change or no change 12 NSW Consulting Planners 29 International migration of regional NSW 14 No Monorail? Walk Darling Drive 30 Sydney shapes its future 16 Working for community wellbeing in Sydney 31 More than numbers 18 BasePlan 32 Opinion - John Freeman 20 In the news 34 Opinion - Ian Bowie 21 Snapped 35 Population forecasting and long term strategic planning 22

Editorial Team Nicole Philps Brigitte Buchholz Andrew Wheeler Robyn Vincin

Each quarter New Planner invites a Guest Editor to comment Editorial on the theme of that issue. NSW Executive Officer PO Box 484, North Sydney NSW 2059 Contributors Suite 3, 221 Miller St, North Sydney NSW 2060 Deadline for December 2013 edition is: Tel: 02 8904 1011 Fax: 02 8904 1133 Friday 1 November 2013. The theme for December 2013 issue Email: [email protected] is “The year in review” Email: [email protected] The views expressed in New Planner Design and Production are those of the authors and do not Nationwide Advertising Group necessarily reflect the views of the Tel: 02 9955 4777 Fax 02 9955 7055 Planning Institute of Australia. Email: [email protected] Cover Photo: Brigitte Buchholz

Subscriptions 2013 New Planner is available on subscription to non members of PIA NSW at a cost of $88 per annum,GST inclusive. Email: [email protected]

ISSN 1324-8669 PP a233-867-00015 newplanner | SEPTEMBER 2013 | 3 Guest Editorial Rose Saltman MPIA Urban and social planner, director of RM Planning Pty Ltd

who are leaving Sydney and the particular to consumers. Ray Williams explores the qualities of destinations in NSW to which need to work smarter with infrastructure, they are attracted. Through the provision citing the example of incorporating parts of incentives, governments can influence of sensitive riparian corridors into private the direction of migration flows. Simon ownership, with benefits to both the Massey discusses how Federal and State environment and land owner. Government programs to address skills Technological change will continue to play shortages have resulted in spatial population a key role in any infrastructure strategy. shifts to regional areas. Rodney Jensen suggests that the economic 2013 has been a big year for change in benefits of the National Broadband NSW with the release of the government’s Network (NBN) – which will support more White Paper and draft exposure bill for flexible work routines from home offices a new planning system, as well as a new or dedicated hobs – have yet to be fully Welcome to the September edition Metropolitan Strategy for Sydney. canvassed but will extend at least to reduced of New Planner and its topic, adding Bob Meyer’s retrospective on Sydney’s long traffic congestion, air pollution, energy use up the numbers. The themes of term planning initiatives over the past 100 years and road accidents. this topic – economics, growth and gives pause for reflection while Norma Shankie- Joanne McNeill and Ingrid Burkett suggest demographics – embody one of the Williams homes in on some of the challenges for that social impact assessment (SIA) has key challenges that face a planner Sydney’s future such as creating more than half the potential to move beyond its current throughout his or her professional a million new homes and jobs across the Region, application as a negative screening tool life: how to deal with change. and integrating growth with infrastructure and to one that explores how positive social transport to provide a denser, more connected impacts – or the creation of shared value Understanding what characterises and city – and liveable - city. - can be generated through planning and motivates communities helps us get a The current high cost of developing land development. Shared value involves creating handle on how cities and regions evolve. for housing is a key theme of the White economic value in a way that also creates Kim Johnstone notes that migration – one Paper which has introduced the notion value for society by addressing its needs and of the most important drivers of change – of contestable infrastructure for the challenges. This involves a quantum shift in can occur very quickly, with different types development of growth infrastructure.1 A key SIA thinking and one which, in my opinion, is of migration offsetting each other. Byron objective of this policy is to ensure that the worth exploring further n Kemp, comparing data from the 2006 and provision of such infrastructure offers the 1NSW Government A New Planning System 2011 Census, focusses on some of the best value to the government and, ultimately, for NSW Chapter 7 April 2013 demographic characteristics of people

4 | SEPTEMBER 2013 | newplanner President’s message Sarah Hill, President PIA NSW Division editorial

how all of the numbers ‘added up’ whilst by the NSW profession, at this year’s PIA genuinely communicating to the community what Local Government Forum we will be hearing the trade-offs were for all planning scenarios. from the Deputy Director General of the This related to the need to not replicate the poor Department of Planning and Infrastructure, culture of previous planning reforms which far Jill Reich regarding the Department’s progress from ‘simplifying’ the system had in fact led to on the topic and the work the Department has greater misunderstanding and a lack of trust. been doing in conjunction with PIA NSW. To avoid reverting back into old traps or the I have also been discussing culture change ‘business as usual’ mode in NSW I was recently with local government planners who have quoted as highlighting the importance of doing shared with me the many wonderful initiatives our homework to truly understand the details they are already implementing. I am hoping of the proposed new planning system. By doing we can build on this strong base and share It is funny how some things resonate our analysis as leaders in the industry we would experiences during the Local Government with you and stick in your mind. For ensure the correct information was passed on Forum in Mudgee this month. me one such thing was a simple and as opposed to the misguided opinions of some I So in closing, whilst we are on the verge of the succinct comment made by a member have heard preach on the topic. exposure Bill being tabled in Parliament, in my some 18 months ago regarding By getting our facts right, we would also mind the journey is only beginning. planning reform. This PIA member ensure that when advising others or debating I have counselled that for the culture change simply stated that in the process of the parameters of the new system we would agenda to be successful, we have a minimum designing the new Act and reforming continue to consider the bigger picture within 10 year journey ahead of us. In fact others the NSW Planning System, we needed a framework of education and engagement. believe that changing the culture in NSW to be careful that we do not replicate In the spirit of these thoughts, your PIA Committee requires a generational change. Either way the problems of the existing system. has continued to proactively implement PIA the journey will be more akin to a marathon NSW’s action list for culture change with great than a sprint and consequently I believe This struck a chord with me and the importance support from a wide range of affiliated industry we should take the time to reflect, discuss of not replicating a ‘quick fix’ culture that sought and stakeholder groups. Of note, the importance of and ensure that we give these monumental to create band aid solutions to legislation and culture change was recognised in the State budget changes the consideration they deserve. After practice. It also resonated with the need to this year and is gaining notable traction more all we want to be sure we get this new system establish a culture that did not rely on hearsay broadly in PIA with the national ‘Planning Matters’ right – rather than work hard to default back from the loudest voice but was based on evidence agenda being launched at National Congress. to the system we already have. and scenario analysis that sought to understand Building on the strong base established I look forward to catching up with you in Mudgeen

newplanner | SEPTEMBER 2013 | 5 Executive Officer’s report Robyn Vincin, PIA NSW Executive Officer

the latest in innovation, technology, new way of thinking about how we work. We ideas, cutting edge thinking, leadership have started working in conjunction with and engagement in the planning arena. The other associations, with the Department Congress website piacongress.com.au/ is and with other key stakeholders, to identify being regularly updated and we encourage training needs and potential partners in you to visit often. delivery of a professional development program into 2014. The Global Planners Network biennale congress will form part of the 2014 Of course, we will continue to run our Planning Congress. The Global Planners regular regional seminars and evening As we go to press with this issue of Network is a network of national planning events in the City. Hunter and Central New Planner, we are approaching the associations formed in order to facilitate Coast Planners, we’re aiming to bring an annual NSW Conference. the sharing of planning ideas, approaches event to a venue near you in early October. and good practices. Our fortnightly eNews and the website This year we have badged the two day forum provide dates, topics and registration as a Local Government Planners Forum – Awards for Planning Excellence details. for two reasons; firstly, in recognition of the significant role local government planners Do you know of a standout project or a The value of informal networking play in the planning system and secondly, planning professional who has made opportunities is something our Members acknowledgement that the PIA National a significant contribution to planning regularly identify as one of the benefits of Congress 2014 will be held in Sydney. in NSW? The annual NSW Awards membership, and this is particularly so in for Excellence in Planning are an times of change. We consciously build that The annual conference always provides a important opportunity to showcase the component in to our seminars, particularly great opportunity for planners across the great contributions that individuals, the regional meetings where delegates often sectors to meet, network and to learn from organisations and agencies make to the travel some distance. Of course we welcome each other. We look forward to welcoming places where we live and work - from your feedback on topics, locations and many of you to Mudgee at the end of recognition of individuals in the Planner speakers for our seminars and workshops. August. The program we have developed of the Year, Young Planner of the Year and aims to provide a wide range of topics Service to the Institute categories, to Best A voice for the profession while at the same time providing a focus Planning Ideas, Great Place and Cutting on key issues of the day. This year we have Edge Research –there are 15 categories in We are both pleased and excited with the assembled keynote presenters to address all. The call for nominations closes on 9th increasing interest in the New Planner the planning reforms and the culture of September. The 2013 Awards for Planning magazine. Thank you to our regular planning. Our Keynote speaker will bring Excellence winners will be announced at contributors who provide insights and a fresh external perspective to the Forum a Gala Dinner to be held on Thursday 7th industry news each quarter. Thank you to – Mark McCrindle is a social researcher November at Doltone House Jones Bay the contributors for this issue. While we with an international renown for tracking Wharf, Pyrmont. plan our themes in advance, we aim to emerging issues, researching social trends make the content topical while providing and analysing customer segments. Seminars and networking a voice for the profession. The December issue is traditionally our “Year in Review” PIA has a strong commitment to and there has been enough happening National Congress 2014 professional development and ongoing during 2013 to make it a bumper issue – we 2014 will see the PIA National Congress professional support to the profession. We look forward to receiving your thoughts and return to Sydney and the call for papers are mindful that the new planning system your comments. closes on 23rd August. Registrations are in NSW will not only require information now open. The 2014 Congress theme is and training sessions on the new Act and We look forward to meeting up with you in Connecting people & ideas, focussing on related policy, it will also require a fresh Mudgee at the end of August. n

6 | SEPTEMBER 2013 | newplanner Planning Perspectives– NSW Budget 2013-14

Steve O’Connor, KDC and ERM Australia review

When Robyn Vincin and I attended the NSW Budget lockdown on behalf of PIA a few months ago we were loaded up with several volumes of budget papers and brochures. Making sense of a mountain of information and understanding what it might mean from a “Planning Perspective” took several hours. However, the new Planning System for NSW did get a special mention for reasons which may not be well understood. In the last edition of New Planner I referred to the White Paper (A New Planning System for NSW) and made mention of the reference in the Minister’s forward to the Productivity Commission’s report Performance Benchmarking of Australian Business Regulation: Planning, Zoning and Development Assessment (2011). Not surprisingly productivity is a key issue for the Productivity Commission and it is a key issue for the Commonwealth and competition and reform regulation. low interest rates, rising dwelling prices and NSW Governments as evidenced in their solid household income growth as laying respective budgets. When referring to the new Planning Act the foundation for a recovery in the housing Budget Paper No 2 states “For the first construction sector over the next two years. Productivity time, promotion of economic growth and productivity will be embedded in the This is already happening as Chart 1.6 from Australia’s and NSW’s productivity Planning Act, and plans will be tested for Budget Paper No 2 illustrates (see graph). The performance has been poor in the last decade economic viability.” annualized building approvals for NSW have when compared to the previous decade risen from an average of 30,000 dwellings over (the 1990s). Between 1991 and 2001 NSW’s Thus the planning system is being seen as the last five years of the previous State Labor productivity was 3.5%. This compares with just a means of improving productivity and the government to 40,000 in 2013. 2% recorded between 2001 and 2011. overall economic wellbeing of NSW. Conclusions Strong productivity in the 1990s was driven Amendments to Mining SEPP by the floating of the Australian dollar, the The NSW Budget provides an insight into lowering of tariffs, banking deregulation and This move to give greater weight to the importance being attached to reforming competition policy. An ageing population is economic considerations in the planning the NSW Planning System by the Coalition reducing workforce participation and making process is happening in advance of the State government. With almost $20m of it more difficult to improve productivity. So how introduction of the new Planning Act as additional money allocated to facilitating does this relate to the NSW Planning System? evidenced by the proposed amendments the introduction of a new Planning Act in to the State Environmental Planning Policy times of budget cuts when government Competition and Regulation (SEPP) Mining, Petroleum Production and agencies are being required to deliver Extractive Industries which have drawn efficiency dividends, the value of planning in The budget papers tell us that the NSW strong criticism from some quarters. Planning System has restricted the supply promoting economic growth and enhancing of buildings in a relatively high market. Investment in Housing productivity is clearly being recognised. This has contributed to higher office rents, The Coalition government now has to guide more expensive housing, longer commutes The performance of the housing sector will improve according to the budget papers which this new legislation though both houses of and lower productivity. Hence the need to Parliament in order to deliver on this key reform the Planning System to improve refer to strong rental price growth, low rental vacancy rates, higher population growth, election promise n

newplanner | SEPTEMBER 2013 | 7 Norton Rose Fulbright Review Consideration of economic impact – the path ahead Jacinta Studdert Partner, Felicity Rourke Partner, Rosemary Bullmore Associate, Environment and Planning Group, Norton Rose Australia

Jacinta Studdert Peter Rigg Felicity Rourke The approach to assessment of existing retail centres. While decision Wales, released in April 2013. This theme the economic impacts of proposed makers have considered the economic is reflected in the accompanyingdraft development has been a critical issue benefits of proposed developments, those Planning Bill 2013 (the legislation proposed in the reform of the New South Wales benefits have not been a central theme in to replace the EP&A Act). case law. planning system and the subject of These reforms include changes to the recent media attention following the Refusal of the proposed mine way decision makers consider economic NSW Land & Environment Court’s expansion impacts as follows: refusal of a proposed expansion of However, in the recent decision of the (1) the principle of “ecologically a coal mine in the Upper Hunter. Land and Environment Court on a merits sustainable development” is replaced This decision prompted the NSW appeal against an approval granted under with the concept of “sustainable Government to propose amendments Part 3A of the EP&A Act to expand the development”. to clarify the approach of a decision operations of a coal mine in the Upper Hunter, the Court considered the positive The government has stated that maker in considering the economic “sustainable development” will impacts of mining proposals. economic benefits of the proposed mine expansion balanced against the likely promote a greater balance between Consideration of economic impacts of detrimental environmental and social consideration of environmental, proposed development impacts of that development. The Court economic and social impacts of decided to refuse the approval on the basis proposed development, and will The likely impacts of a proposed that the predicted economic benefits of the facilitate growth in the economy. development, including its “economic expanded operations did not outweigh the impacts in the locality” must be considered (2) further clarification as to how the likely detrimental environmental and social by a consent authority when determining “public interest” should be considered impacts of the expansion. a development application, as one of by decision makers when determining the mandatory considerations listed in Proposed amendment to State a development application under merit s79C of the Environmental Planning and Environmental Planning Policy assessment, by specifying that the Assessment Act 1979 (EP&A Act). (Mining, Petroleum Production and public interest should be considered “in particular whether any public The case law concerning the consideration Extractive Industries) 2007 benefit outweighs any adverse impact of the likely economic impacts of a On 27 July 2013, the NSW Government of the development”. development has been largely settled for announced amendments to State In light of the proposed reforms above, and some time. The principles established in Environmental Planning Policy (Mining, case law are that the threat of economic the clear intention of the NSW Government Petroleum Production and Extractive to promote economic growth in NSW, it competition to existing individual Industries) 2007. These amendments businesses is not a relevant planning appears likely that the economic benefits now attribute a weighting to certain of a proposed development will be a central consideration, as that matter is properly considerations. When considering a governed by competition and consumer consideration of decision makers under the development application regarding a proposed planning system. law. mining proposal, the “significance of the However, if the economic impact of the resource” must be the consent authority’s The proposed amendments to State proposed development is likely to cause “principal consideration”. That significance Environmental Planning Policy (Mining, a community detriment in the extent or is to be assessed having regard to the Petroleum Production and Extractive adequacy of facilities available to the relative significance of the resource in Industries) 2007 are on public exhibition local community, then that impact can comparison with other resources across until 12 August 2013 n be considered by a decision maker. An the State and having regard to the example of such a “community detriment” economic benefits (for NSW and the region) could be the adverse economic impact of developing that resource. of a proposed development on the retail NSW Planning reform: The White hierarchy of a town centre which has been Paper identified in strategic planning documents for commercial development. After a number of years of challenging economic conditions, emphasis on growth Until recently the Courts have considered and job creation is a key theme in the economic impact in the negative sense, NSW Government’s proposed reforms of namely the possible detrimental economic the planning system detailed in the White impacts of a proposed development on Paper – A Planning System for New South

8 | SEPTEMBER 2013 | newplanner Infrastructure Matters Regional area development contributions

Greg New, Director, GLN Planning review

GLN Planning has assisted councils consuming to prepare and they will usually maintenance levy is important in implementing contributions only be cost effective in high growth areas. for addressing the impacts major policies and plans designed However, there are two relatively cheap developments such as mines. In many specifically for rural and regional development contributions strategies that cases, the Minister, through the PAC, areas. can be developed that are available for is the consent authority for these regional councils to consider. developments; and while the Minister is Planning for development-generated The first is to consider preparing a section not bound to impose section 94 conditions infrastructure in regional and rural areas, 94 plan based on the council’s adopted in accordance with the contributions plan, and the levying of section 94 contributions long term (e.g. 10 year) capital works if the plan is grounded in good research in those areas, has its own particular program. These would be the works that: then there is a much better chance challenges. Some of these include: of contributions being imposed in the • the council views as the highest priority consent. • An existing substantial infrastructure works, backlog, with a heavy reliance on limited Some of the matters that need to be • may have been set as part of the government grants to address any addressed in any contributions plan for preparation of the Community Strategic deficiencies roads maintenance include: Plan, • A dispersed development profile, • The method and formula for • will serve a broad area of existing and often accompanied by erratic rates of determining the contribution rate(s) expected development, and development should be clearly shown • the council expects it will likely be able • Often slow growth leading to low • The specific information to be submitted to fully fund using a combination of the contributions income with the development application (such general fund, government grants, and as haulage routes, truck types) • Major employment generating projects other sources. (such as mines) which cannot be • The means by which periodic cash The reasonable section 94 contribution for always foreseen in the preparation of a contributions will be calculated such works can be determined by dividing contributions plan the total cost of the priority works program In regard to calculating cash payments, • Mines and other major development by the projected future total population in the method for determining tonnages can might have many FIFO (fly-in-fly-out) 10 years’ time. be via weighbridge receipts or another and DIDO (drive-in-drive-out) workers, method, such as a traffic classifier or Such an approach does not alter the with impacts on public infrastructure traffic counter. Many heavy haulage outcome of development contributing a which are difficult to quantify developments such as landscape and minor proportion of the cost of works. • Conflicting objectives of the local garden supplies or rural industries may However the works are much more likely not necessarily use weighbridges as part council: striking a balance between to materialise because they are works taxing at a low level to support economic of their business, so a traffic classifier which the council has identified as having that measures heavy vehicle movements growth, but not burdening ratepayers the highest priority. Too often, councils with the costs of infrastructure entering or leaving a bulk materials pursue separate general and section 94 operation may be a workable alternative n generated by new development works programs. Where key road links The most pressing infrastructure need that benefit a broad cross section of the in regional and rural areas is usually population is concerned, it makes sense to roads. Most of the infrastructure backlog pool funding from a number of sources to relates to roads and bridges. Section 94 deliver the works, including section 94. can only be used to meet the cost of road The second strategy to consider is upgrades directly attributable to new whether to levy the costs of accelerated development, meaning in many cases deterioration of rural roads caused by only a small apportionment of cost can be laden heavy vehicles. This is also called attributed to new development. Because levying for road maintenance. Generally the development contribution for roads is speaking, section 94 contributions can only so small, and the sourcing of the balance be applied to the infrastructure capital of funding that is required is so uncertain, costs, not maintenance costs. Levying many councils do not levy contributions for for roads maintenance is an exception roads. that has been allowed by the courts, and Some councils such as Ballina have is endorsed by the 2005 Development successfully developed contributions Contributions Practice Notes. plans based on regional traffic models. A contributions plan with a roads These models are expensive and time

newplanner | SEPTEMBER 2013 | 9

featurereview

n an objection to vary this standard. vary an objection to to the applied SEPPARH while Significantly, of any inconsistency in the event application of the LEP with the LEP, those provisions with SEPPARH not inconsistent that were These considerations. relevant remained of the plan, objectives included the aims of of the zone that the zone and the provisions In with SEPPARH. not inconsistent were which, in provisions, addition, the heritage with cl.43 of the LEP prevailed accordance the of the LEP to all other provisions over inconsistency, or indirect of any direct extent when determining be considered had to the application. to consent grant whether to existing of the of the significance In terms building as part of the environmental the Court of North Sydney, heritage at the higher that it was an item accepted It was a building significance. end of local and external with its internal that was intact of its original reflective highly features of the building As the interior construction. as be as important to was considered held that the proposal it was its exterior, impact on the heritage adversely would hall within ceremonial the of significance had the building, and that no consideration of walls, openings the location to been given inand servicing and the impact of that work (evidenced the initial design of the proposal of additional detail provision by the continual and horizontal during the hearing). Vertical to within the building subdivision proposed would rooms the boarding accommodate amenity internal unacceptable to also lead to floor impacts, in particular reduced rooms. heights within the boarding ceiling should that consent The Court concluded did not as the proposal not be granted aims of the LEP (environmental the achieve with the and was inconsistent heritage) commercial maintain to zone objective the development Importantly, floor space. significance the heritage affected adversely poor and provided item of the heritage rooms, the boarding amenity for internal item those within the heritage particularly to Zone B4 Mixed Use, this B4 Mixed Zone to over all other provisions of the LEP to the to of the LEP all other provisions over inconsistency. or indirect of any direct extent in the appeal included whether Issues the with was consistent the development in the LEP; contained planning controls upon the the impacts of the development values of adjoining and significance heritage building on and the existing items heritage development amenity of the internal the site; terms in and impacts on adjoining properties of and lack privacy of visual and acoustic the evidence, to Having regard information. of thethe aims of the LEP and the objectives that the Use Zone, the Court found Mixed of exception satisfied all with the proposal heritage for environmental the specific aims space. of commercial and the maintenance applied to Division 3 of SEPPARH 2 Part that houses and, as it was agreed boarding Use Zone under the LEP was anthe Mixed equivalent zone Division applied to the site. Clause 30 of the site. Division applied to boarding for standards contained SEPPARH was whether here houses and the contention of cl.30(1)(g), which related the provisions space, of commercial maintenance the to could that consent applied. This clause stated authority was a consent unless not be granted on land house is satisfied that “if the boarding purposes, no commercial for zoned primarily house floor of the boarding part of the ground residential will be used for a street that fronts another environmental purposes unless permits such a use.”planning instrument whether this clause applied Ascertaining a determination required the application to Use Zone of whether the land in the Mixed for under the LEP was land zoned primarily the Court held purposes. Here commercial ratio floor space that, as the applicable a building in the LEP permitted controls of residential proportion with a greater floor than non-residential floor space was not land primarily the site space, purposes. Thus, commercial zoned for use and residential cl.30(1)(g) did not apply house floor of the boarding on the ground lodge without the need to was permissible (SEPPARH) (SEPPARH) [2013] NSWLEC (SEPP1), although Faculty of the Built Environment, UNSW of the Built Environment, Faculty Modog Pty Limited v

. The Court considered the specific the . The Court considered North Sydney Local Environmental Plan

State Environmental Planning Policy North Sydney Council overrode those controls in the event of an in the event those controls overrode the policy and the between inconsistency in the LEP prevailed provisions Heritage LEP. State Environment Planning Policy No.1 –

The site was in the Mixed Use Zone under was in the Mixed The site the applications. In applications. issues in determining development development in determining issues competing planning objectives and planning objectives competing commonly facing planners of weighing planners facing commonly Court demonstrates the challenge Court demonstrates down by the Land and Environment and Environment by the Land down A recent merit review decision handed merit review A recent Peter Williams, Peter Heritage impacts in merit review impacts Heritage In the Courts:In the aims and objectives of the LEP applicable of the LEP applicable aims and objectives Use the Mixed and for development the to development as the relevant Zone, as well and heritage design controls standards, development Several in the LEP. provisions and consequently breached were standards under lodged those were objections to

was a listed heritage item. heritage was a listed on the site, a former Masonic Lodge, a former on the site, house purposes. The existing buildinghouse purposes. The existing floor and upper levels for boarding for boarding levels floor and upper office space and the remaining ground remaining ground and the space office building was to be used as commercial be used as commercial building was to a boarding house. The front part of the house. The front a boarding building, to facilitate its use primarily as its use primarily facilitate building, to alterations and additions to an existing and additions to alterations against refusal of consent to a DA for a DA to of consent refusal against 1134, the Court considered an appeal 1134, the Court considered Development Standards the applicant argued that the provisions that the provisions argued the applicant of 2001 (Affordable Rental Housing) 2009 Sea Change, Tree Change or No Change? Migration from Sydney to Regional NSW Byron Kemp,* Demographer, NSW Department of Planning and Infrastructure

Population growth in NSW continues to be uneven. With metropolitan Sydney dominating growth in NSW, the notion of a ‘sea change’ or ‘tree change’ has become popularised. These terms refer to attempts to create an alternative lifestyle by moving from Sydney to coastal or inland NSW. However, this trend is not a new phenomenon. While Sydney attracts the majority of NSW’s overseas arrivals, it has consistently lost people to elsewhere in the state since the 1960’s. But with the rising awareness of sea/tree changes, could this trend be gaining momentum? And what kind of person is more likely to leave Sydney? The answer to these questions represents an important consideration for planning in NSW. Figure 1 Migration trends from Sydney people decide to live when moving from possibility of deferred retirement due to In order to identify those moving away Sydney. Figure 2 shows the age structure economic conditions. Finally, those moving from Sydney, the Census can be used of ‘sea changers’, ‘tree changers’ and to Inland NSW are more likely to be young to compare people’s current place of those moving to Sydney’s fringe. Firstly, families with children, but these groups residence with where they lived five years those moving to the Peri-Metro region also declined during 2006-11. earlier. This provides a general measure are more likely to be students or young of migration behaviour. In the five years to workers (aged 20-34). These people may Another factor that might influence the the 2006 Census, about 244,000 people left move to this region with young children, decision to leave Sydney is work. People Sydney to live elsewhere in the country. bringing a greater need for childcare and are now less likely to be long-term This number fell to just over 200,000 schooling. In contrast, those moving to unemployed after leaving Sydney than by 2011. Part of the reluctance to leave the coast have a much older age profile, they were in 2006. This shows that people Sydney may be associated with a general with a larger number of retirees. However are likely to either have a job lined up or decline in mobility; people are now more between 2006 and 2011, the number of to find work soon after moving to a new likely to stay in their current place of people in these older age groups moving region. People leaving Sydney are also residence rather than move. However, to the coast declined. This suggests the more educated than they were five years some parts of NSW have seen a greater ago, with migrants to all three destination decline in migration from Sydney than others, as shown in Figure 1. The number of people moving to Sydney’s fringe areas (called the ‘Peri-Metro’ region, including Wollongong and Newcastle) has declined the least, down 10% to 29,000 people. This also reveals the desire of people to remain closer to Sydney. Meanwhile, ‘sea changers’ have had the largest decline between 2006 and 2011, down by almost one third to about 28,600 people. ‘Tree changers’ have also declined by 18% to 32,000 people during this period. Characteristics of Sydney-leavers How can these changes in migration behaviour be explained? One way to shed light on this question involves examining the socio-demographic characteristics of those moving from Sydney to different parts of the state. For example, age is a key factor that can influence where Figure 2

12 | SEPTEMBER 2013 | newplanner feature n | SEPTEMBER 2013 | 13 planner new be affected by economic circumstances circumstances by economic be affected may be more industries which some to by further supported This is immune. Sydney. from those moving of the income a ‘sea for NSW Coastal to Those moving income had lower change’ generally the other regions. to moving than those income those in the lower In addition, in Sydney stay to likely more were brackets shows in 2006. This were they in 2011 than to likely more are that those earning less due to behaviour change their migration conditions. economic * Since writing this article, Byron has left Conclusion that the popularity suggests This evidence on is dependent changes’ ‘tree or of ‘sea’ Global factors. a number of situational during 2006-11 conditions economic the declining for may be responsible The data Sydney. leaving number of people that employment indicates here presented influencing people’s factor is a key the influence and can of location choice of other parts of NSW. attractiveness paid, skilled well require people Generally, move to in order jobs in the right industries of these In the absence areas. regional to more cities will remain larger factors, retirees, e.g. some people While attractive. benefits, lifestyle due to move may still appear the decisions of these groups even It climate. the wider economic subject to healthy labour of a seems the presence economy local and stimulating market of regional the attractiveness increase can the future into areas the Department and moved to a research role with Anglicare Sydney. However, this was offset to some degree degree some to this was offset However, Social Assistance and Health Care by the fact the Despite industries. and Mining it still 2006-11, during grew that mining of each region’s a small portion represents region The Peri-Metro employment. overall 3, but Figure from has been excluded of range was a wider that there show data during that grew region in this industries migrants of attracting terms 2006-11 in Sydney. from blue- in more work to of people Movement such as construction, industries collar saw and retail/wholesale manufacturing 2006-11. This decline during the greatest may Sydney from that migration shows Figure 3 Figure those working in a number of industries. in a number of industries. those working Inland NSW, there was also a decline in Inland NSW, there and manufacturing. Of those moving to to moving Of those and manufacturing. particularly retail/wholesale, construction construction retail/wholesale, particularly NSW to work in almost all industries, but all industries, in almost work NSW to there were less people moving to Coastal Coastal to moving people less were there live in Coastal and Inland NSW. In 2011, and Inland NSW. in Coastal live people worked in after leaving Sydney to to Sydney leaving after in worked people from Sydney. Figure 3 shows the industries the industries shows 3 Figure Sydney. from an important factor impacting on migration on migration impacting factor an important The type of jobs offered in a region is also in a region jobs offered The type of encourage migration from Sydney. from migration encourage of skilled jobs in regional areas is likely to to is likely areas regional jobs in of skilled in 2006. This indicates that having a range having a range that This indicates in 2006. Bachelor Degree or higher than they were were they than or higher Degree Bachelor regions in 2011 being more likely to have a have to likely more being in 2011 regions International migration to regional New South Wales: a new source of population growth? Simon Massey BEc (Hons I), Demographer, NSW Department of Planning and Infrastructure

Regional NSW does not have ethnically diverse populations in the same way Sydney does. Anglo-Saxon populations dominate the landscape, despite the growth in international migration to Australia, particularly from our Asian neighbours. While there have been some exceptions, most notably the strong Italian heritage in the south-western town of Griffith, the majority of new international migrants to NSW have arrived into Sydney, and then stayed there.

This settlement pattern of international Figure 2: Recent international arrivals to NSW; Comparison between Sydney Metropolitan area and regional migrants has been a major contributing NSW Source: ABS 2011 Census of Population and Housing, Place of Usual Resident data. factor to the uneven levels of population growth in NSW. However, in the mid- programs. These programs have been 2011 Census, (see Figure 2). These data late noughties (2000-2009), a number of created in response to both the skill emphasise that the majority of recently indicators suggested that a slight shift in shortages in regional and rural Australia, arrived international migrants to NSW settlement patterns might be occurring. and the environmental and social critiques settle in the Sydney Metro region. This of urban migration (Massey & Parr, 2012; is consistent with the long-term trend Firstly, elevated levels of net overseas Hugo & Harris, 2011). The regional migration whereby Sydney receives approximately 90 migration [NOM] became a central driver programs also attract younger migrants, per cent of all new arrivals to NSW. of NSW’s population growth, with 2008-09 which promote natural increase and may While the significance of Sydney as an being the highest recorded level of NOM alleviate the extent of population ageing. in NSW’s history (ABS, 2012a). Increases arrival destination does not appear to be in the level of student migration were the International migration’s diminishing, recently there has been a main reason for this spike (Taylor, 2012). contribution to population growth in slight shift towards regional NSW as a regional NSW destination point on arrival. Since 2007, Secondly, during the inter-censal time the proportion of new migrants locating period (2006-2011) the published ABS Analysing the settlement location of in the metropolitan areas outside Sydney population estimates (ABS, 2012b) for international migrants is a complex (Newcastle and Wollongong) and regional many regional NSW populations began process, as current Department of NSW has increased from 11.5 per cent to increase, following years of static or Immigration and Citizenship [DIAC] and to almost 14.5 per cent. This shift may declining population change. Figure 1 Australian Bureau of Statistics [ABS] be attributable to the Government’s show’s that population growth was highest population estimates only calculate regional migration program, but additional in 2008, and that growth rates were directly migration data at the state level, and do investigation would be required. correlated with net migration (ABS, 2013). not provide a regional breakdown. The ‘regionalisation’ of international migration Further to the new arrivals, there has Thirdly, both the State and Federal been a movement of existing international Governments have been introducing a raft can only be calculated using overseas born and year of arrival data from the migrants out of the Sydney Metropolitan of state-specific and regional migration region and into regional NSW. From 2006- 2011, almost 10,000 existing international migrants (people born overseas) who were living in Sydney moved to a location in regional NSW. While these figures illustrate a net outward movement from Sydney, they distort the fact that the propensity for an existing international migrant to move from regional NSW to the Sydney Metro region still remains substantially higher than the outward move from Sydney. Spatial distribution of newly arrived migrants in regional NSW: The spatial distribution of newly arrived migrants is not uniform across regional NSW (Figure 3). The large regional centres Figure 1: Population Growth and Components of Growth in Regional NSW 2002-2011 attract the largest number of migrants. Source: ABS 2012a; ABS 2012c; ABS 2012d This includes places on the North Coast

14 | SEPTEMBER 2013 | newplanner feature

Figure 3: Spatial distribution of Newly Arrived International Migrants in regional NSW Source: ABS 2011 Census of Population and Housing, Place of Usual Resident data; ABS (2012b) like Tweed Heads and Coffs Harbour, and primary gateway city for new migrants to NSW. Hugo, G. & Harris, K., 2011, Population in the south such as Queanbeyan, Wagga It may be a while away before the dominance distribution effects of migration in Australia, Wagga and Albury. Many of these places of the Anglo-Saxon ‘white’ Australian Report for Department of Immigration and have an elderly age-profile and have large demographic diminishes in regional NSW. Citizenship March 2011, Canberra. Massey, S.J.L. & Parr, N., 2012, ‘The socio- service industry demands, or are regional References: University centres which typically attract a economic status of migrant populations in Australian Bureau of Statistics [ABS] 2012a, regional and rural Australia and its implications higher number of international migrants. Australian Demographic Statistics, Mar 2012, for future population policy’, Journal of Where to now for international Cat. No. 3101.0, Canberra. Population Research, vol. 29, no. 1, pp.1-21. Australian Bureau of Statistics [ABS] 2012b, Taylor, A., 2012 (unpublished), Temporary migration to regional NSW? Regional Population Growth, Australia, 2011, migration trends: What contribution will The data available do not reveal the full Cat. No. 3218.0, Canberra. temporary movers make to future NOM?, Australia and New Zealand Population story, but it appears that net overseas Australian Bureau of Statistics [ABS] 2012c, Workshop [ANZPW]. n migration has had a limited effect on regional Births, Australia, 2011, Cat. No. 3301.0, Canberra. population growth, despite a number of Paper initially presented at the 16th indicators suggesting otherwise. The Sydney Australian Bureau of Statistics [ABS] 2012d, Biennial conference of the Australian Deaths, Australia, 2011, Cat. No. 3302.0, Metropolitan region continues to be the Canberra. Population Association 5-7 December 2012.

newplanner | SEPTEMBER 2013 | 15 Sydney shapes its future A new Metropolitan Strategy for Sydney positions the city squarely for growth over the next two decades Norma Shankie-Williams, Director, Metropolitan Strategy, Department of Planning and Infrastructure.

becomes available, and the size of the revitalised, well designed centres that total population may change slightly, support our health and wellbeing; and the key factors driving Sydney’s growth improving the health and resilience and the make up of its population of the environment to sustain us into remain the same. We will therefore the future. By ensuring transport and continue to plan for faster growth in land use connections, focussing growth Sydney than elsewhere in New South close to infrastructure, we will make Wales, with continued domestic and the best use of major projects that international in-migration, movement are planned or under construction in Sydney is a city often considered of people between Sydney suburbs, Sydney. The draft Strategy works in synonymous with Australia itself and women having babies, and the close cooperation with the State’s Long is probably the most recognisable inevitable ageing from birthday to Term Transport Master Plan, providing birthday of the millions of people who a strong framework upon which face the nation presents to the world. live in our global city. Sydney’s Strategic Transit Network is However, with that global recognition based, progressively linking the key By 2031, Sydney is projected to have and promise of prosperity, Sydney centres of the region and setting a clear almost one million people aged 65 also holds the unenviable position path for a much denser, networked city and over, with 140,000 people aged (Figure 1 Vision for Sydney in 2031). of being the most expensive place 85 and older. At the other end of the to live in Australia. Competition for age spectrum, we will have just over a The draft Strategy introduces the a home is intense and congested million children and youth under the new concept of city shapers, nine roads the norm, as workers commute age of 15, creating a city that needs to areas of the city which, due to their long distances from outlying areas plan for and work hard for young and scale, strategic location, function to the jobs rich seam of the Global old alike. or opportunities for change and investment, play a critical role in Economic Corridor stretching from The big issues the Strategy confronts realising the vision for Sydney. are to do with meeting, and exceeding, the Airport and Port Botany up Major infrastructure projects such a target of 545,000 new homes across through the CBD to Macquarie Park. as the North West Rail Link and the the region; stimulating the economy The fabric of the city across much WestConnex motorway will directly to the tune of at least 625,000 new of the metropolitan region is ripe influence and shape growth and change jobs in places like the Sydney CBD, the in Sydney over the next 20 years and for renewal, and this renewal must Regional Cities of Parramatta, Liverpool will transform how we move around prepare the city for a different way of and Penrith and numerous Specialised the city. They will also allow us to living and an unforgiving climate. The Precincts; integrating this growth with revitalise and reinvent the many centres infrastructure and transport; creating new Metropolitan Strategy is aimed - large and small – impacted by their at stepping up Sydney’s performance to address these issues, to set the city on a strong growth trajectory and help it reclaim its place as the pre-eminent city in the nation. The vision is to deliver a strong global city, attracting domestic and overseas investment to boost the economy and increase employment, while ensuring we all enjoy the benefits of a liveable local city. The draft Metropolitan Strategy for Sydney was released in May this year, and has drawn widespread interest and comment from industry and community alike. The population of Metropolitan Sydney – all 41 local councils from Manly to the Blue Mountains – sits at 4.3 million and is projected to rise to 5.6 million by 2031. Recent population estimates from the Australian Bureau of Statistics indicate that future growth may be even higher than this. While population projections are reviewed on a regular basis as new information

16 | SEPTEMBER 2013 | newplanner construction, to ensure as many people as possible can benefit from the improved connectivity and transport choices the new infrastructure will bring (Figure 2). The draft Strategy also defines a Metropolitan Urban Area and for the first time, its counterpoint – a Metropolitan Rural Area. In the 15 years to July 2012, 97% of new housing in Sydney has been located in the Metropolitan Urban Area, and

although this is likely to be broadly the pattern over the life feature of the new Strategy, a new Land Release Policy will set the rules for future growth beyond the Metropolitan Urban Area. By defining the Metropolitan Rural Area, its value for a range of purposes such as national parks, rural towns and villages and small holdings and farms can be recognised, all of which will play an increasingly important part in sustaining the city into the future. Another aspect that marks a departure for this Metropolitan Strategy from previous plans is the critical attention that will be placed on monitoring and evaluating the progress we make over time by using agreed measures to test achievement of objectives. An annual, update report will be published and with such a strong emphasis on delivery, the full potential of the Strategy can be realised. Over 1,100 submissions have now been received on the draft Strategy, providing a wealth of views and opinions of immense value as we finalise the Strategy in coming months. The extent of community and stakeholder engagement over the last 6 months has been exceptional as we move to the higher benchmarks required by the White Paper on the NSW Planning System. These conversations and this engagement will continue on into subregional delivery planning next year. The intention will be that the final Metropolitan Strategy will be recognised as a Regional Growth Plan under that new planning system and create the right circumstances for Sydney to achieve its vision for 2031, of a strong global city Figure 2: The Parramatta Road Corridor city shaper –draft Metropolitan Strategy for and liveable local city.n Sydney to 2031

newplanner | SEPTEMBER 2013 | 17 More than numbers – a shared value approach to social impact assessment

Joanne McNeill, Doctorate in Political & Social Thought (Candidate), [email protected] Ingrid Burkett, Managing Director, Knode, [email protected]

The consideration of social impact • promoting community development and In responses to these changes, the is moving from a peripheral empowerment, building capacity and assessment of social impact has evolved concern towards becoming a developing social capital; significantly over the past decade - moving beyond being seen as a framework central consideration for business • taking a proactive stance to better development outcomes (not just focused on planned mitigation of negative sustainability (Porter & Kramer, identification or amelioration of negative impacts, i.e. AVOIDING negative social 20111). This paper explores this or unintended consequences), working consequences; and incorporating but going emerging interest in the planning and with communities to maximise positive beyond a focus on participatory processes development context, identifying a outcomes; that seek to consider triple-bottom-line considerations (but primarily separately); new ‘generation’ of SIA practice, and • building on local knowledge and to a more strategic focus on exploring looks at opportunities for integrating utilising participatory processes; how positive social impacts can actually social value more fully within the • involving stakeholders in the be GENERATED through planning and business of development. assessment of social impacts, the development projects. analysis of alternatives and monitoring Of course this is not an ‘either-or’ choice: Generations of SIA thinking and of planned interventions; and social impact assessment processes need practice • application to a wide range of situations, to consider both mitigation and generation, not just within a regulatory framework. and the whole concept may seem a bit Social Impact Assessment (SIA) processes, ‘Pollyanna’ in light of the tensions and including Social Impact Management However, SIA is now gaining greater attention as a process that has potential to contradictions that can exist between Plans, are the bread and butter of many generating economic value and creating planning professionals and are central integrate the ‘social’ even more fully into planning and development. Some of the positive social impact. This notwithstanding, to assessing, monitoring and managing social impact has moved from being seen the social impacts of diverse projects changes underpinning this focus on social impact include: primarily as a negative screening tool, to and developments around the world. In holding a more strategic position that is the planning and development sector, 1. social impact measurement is increasingly taking centre stage for gaining attention as an important process SIA is primarily positioned as part of for generating shared value. the environmental impact assessment funders, and for service delivery process, and is a well-established and agencies, and it has become clearer This evolution of SIA thinking and practice widely used practice. that ongoing monitoring and evaluation is conceived as ‘generations of impact’, as outlined in figure one. In this context the Planning Institute needs to be planned into any processes of Australia (PIA) defines SIA as “…the that are to deliver social benefit; Shared value assessment of the social consequences 2. constituents, community members, The central premise behind creating of a proposed decision or action, namely citizens are increasingly recognized shared value is that the competitiveness the impacts on affected groups of people as essential partners in the planning, of a business and the health of the and on their way of life, life chances, design and delivery of social impact communities around it are mutually health, culture and capacity to sustain and, as such, methods of co-production dependent. Porter and Kramer argue that these”. In its 2010 position statement 2, PIA and co-design are more readily being embedding this approach has the potential champions the importance of considering adopted across the development to transform innovation, business and social issues for planning and development process; society, and that shared value involves: projects, and outlines key principles for 3. the inclusion of social benefits are ensuring the quality of SIA outputs. increasingly considered as part of “…creating economic value in a way that also creates value for society by The PIA position statement references strategic decision-making in traditionally addressing its needs and challenges . . . and draws on the principles for SIA fiscally aligned activities such as shared value is not social responsibility, developed by the International Association procurement and investment; and philanthropy, or even sustainability, but a for Impact Assessment (IAIA)3. This 4. the consideration of social impact new way to achieve economic success. It broader and principles-focused definition has started to move from a peripheral is not on the margin of what companies do (2003) stresses that - along with the position in planning towards being ‘core but at the centre” (2011, p4). processes of analysing, monitoring and to the business’ sustainability strategy. managing intended and unintended social consequences - that the primary purpose of SIA is to bring about a more ecologically, socio-culturally and economically sustainable and equitable biophysical and human environment. This innovation in SIA thinking reflects a greater focus on undertaking more participatory assessments and engaging communities more fully in the whole process of development. The IAIA argues that important features of SIA therefore include: Figure 1: Three ‘Generations’ of Impact

18 | SEPTEMBER 2013 | newplanner Through the development of newer to do this in actual project settings. This The Loop Community Precinct - frameworks, proponents argue that takes time and will only happen through Belconnen Markets Redevelopment7 businesses should be exploring the doing it ‘for real’ and demonstrating potential for creating measurable business the benefits to stakeholders. This is The loop aims to demonstrate ecologically value by identifying and addressing social not a framework for the faint-hearted, sustainable development (ESD) principles by problems that intersect with their business and we are not suggesting any of this is activating ‘lost spaces’ that encourage healthy (see for example, www.sharedvalue. straightforward. Balancing the inevitable ‘walkable’ lifestyles within the existing urban org). In addition to intentionally seeking tensions and opportunities (see figure 2) is boundary of the city. The original concept to generate positive social impact, this a skill that we as individual professionals was to develop a vacant block that was being feature approach includes exploring potential and the planning and development sector used as a gravel car park at the Belconnen economic, social and environmental as a whole will only develop through Fresh Food Markets, but this was expanded impacts to identify opportunities to practice. to master planning scale due to the potential create positively reinforcing relationships Shared value frameworks can be developed shared value identified. between them, rather than seeing them as at both the project and the business level. The loop is a 40,000m2 precinct that necessarily competing with each other (see Here we are primarily focusing on the project includes 338 apartments, 8,575m2 of office 4 for example, Cadman and Bildfell, 2012 ). level. In this context, a pragmatic approach to space, plus space for retail, restaurants, cafes What does this mean in practice? getting started with integrating shared value and speciality stores. It will improve and expand thinking into your social impact assessment the role of the existing Belconnen Markets For planning and development work is to look for an opportunity that relates by providing small-scale retail and office professionals, ‘third generation’ SIA to one aspect of a project. tenancies, a new central park, affordable and thinking and practice is based on That might mean, for example, working sustainable housing, and a program of healthy seeing the process as integral to project with procurement staff to generate community activities. Major savings will be development. Integrating the shared opportunities for local social businesses achieved by providing new housing within the value framework moves the focus from and social enterprises through the project existing urban area which will utilise existing compliance, to working with stakeholders delivery, and showing how this could infrastructure, services, transport, education, throughout project planning and delivery to actually strengthen the overall value health and open space. In turn, occupants will identify opportunities to generate shared proposition of the project for the developer benefit from cost savings associated with ease value, rather than just avoid potential and the community i.e. the developer of access and close proximity to these services negative consequences. may increase their chances of success in and facilities This includes challenging the notion other contracts, and the community could Amongst the project’s successes are that there will always be trade-offs benefit through increased opportunities included: between economic benefits and social or for local employment and a stronger local • the integration within the precinct of environmental impacts. It asks us to do economy. Or it could mean assessing multi-use buildings including offices, more than consider social impact alongside how the inclusion of a local food system small-scale retail, markets, community economic and environmental value. It asks in housing estate plans could link to facilities, residential uses; us to look for ways in which we can actively better health outcomes and thereby • a 24/7 active public realm as its fundamental foster their integration and build positive result in a stronger value proposition and primary urban framework; feedback loops between the types of value for potential purchasers i.e. purchasers • ‘grass roots’ business and retail generated. This may not be possible for all may be more attracted to an estate projects, and it may not be possible across opportunities for enterprising where farmers markets and community individuals and businesses i.e. non all three value dimensions, but our roles gardens are integrated into the design, should include identifying the best balance corporate based, with opportunities for and the developer may thereby increase nurturing local businesses; that can be achieved for each given context. sales, and potentially also increase their • locally developed and locally designed, Again, this may sound a bit ‘Pollyanna’, as sustainability ratings for their projects5. by a locally based consultant team; those involved in SIA processes know well There is no one way to generate shared the realities of convincing internal project • the precinct is located within walking value as its dimensions are context- distance of major employment, retail, teams and/or external clients of the value specific and dependent on the unique of adequately resourcing a project’s SIA community, education, health and combination of assets and resources recreation facilities; and activities. Indeed, PIA identifies that in available to any particular project practice, many impact assessments still (similarly, the tools that will be useful for • the inclusion of child’s play and child omit the consideration of social issues communicating the impact of a particular friendly spaces throughout the loop. altogether, or consider a very narrow activity will also vary). Staged approaches range of issues. This reality is clearly far that focus on utilising the assets and removed from a shared value approach to resources6 that are available (rather than considering social impact. dreaming about those we’d like to have), The complexities of integrating shared are essential. This approach starts to value thinking and practice into project generate awareness of how social value planning and development are very real, can be created, and to build confidence and capacity needs to be built around how amongst project teams, clients and community members about how to work through a shared value framework. Bonnyrigg Living Communities – training & employment for local residents (photo accessed Brief examples from: www.newleafcommunities.com.au) A critical consideration is bringing the shared-value perspective to the table as Bonnyrigg Living Communities Project8 early as possible in the planning and/ or development process. This allows the The redevelopment of the Bonnyrigg housing project team, stakeholders and community estate in South West Sydney is a major long- members to apply their diverse knowledge term project, involving a significant public- and expertise to identifying where the private partnership, with contracts extending for opportunities may lay for creating shared up to 30 years (2007-2037). In 2007 a consortium value. We’ve included the two examples of five companies was chosen by Housing NSW below to illustrate how generating social to manage the ‘Bonnyrigg Community Living benefits can be integrated with improving Project’ (BCLP), a $733 million redevelopment economic value and environmental involving the integrated physical and social Figure 2: Generating shared value involves balancing impacts. renewal of an 81 hectare site. both tensions and opportunities Continued overleaf

newplanner | SEPTEMBER 2013 | 19 Opinion The NSW Mars Project John Freeman MPIA

A prominent NSW property developer, in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space, on Earth are still the subject of argument and maddened and frustrated by the State including the Moon and Other Celestial procrastination after 110 years. After all, as government and planning system, Bodies regarding development by non- early as 1 January 1903, the Wagga Wagga governmental entities.” The developer finds Advertiser reported the following Prime dreams of a project on Mars far beyond that the Treaty indeed exists and that Article Ministerial activities on its front page: the reach of Macquarie Street. He VI states that: MURRAY RIVER INTERSTATE COMMISSION consults the rocket scientists, who tell The activities of non-governmental entities Sir Edmund Barton spent a considerable him they can get the people and materials in outer space, including the Moon and other portion of Tuesday at the Commonwealth to Mars in under a month, but query celestial bodies, shall require authorization and Government offices in Macquarie-st, whether he can get the finance. So he continuing supervision by the appropriate State where he found a good many matters of Party to the Treaty. goes to his bank. The bank assures him more or less importance to occupy his that it can finance the expedition, but what In disbelief, the developer telephones the attention. Late in the afternoon he received Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. the letter from Mr. Jenkins (Premier of about the infrastructure? So he consults “Yes, Prime Minister Harold Holt’s idea. South Australia) with regard to the protest the engineers. They say they can provide Australia ratified the convention in 1967. made by some of the leading public men of the sewerage, waste disposal etc. but Your project would require authorization Adelaide against the majority report of the nevertheless worry whether people can by the Commonwealth Government, being Inter-State Royal Commission, appointed stay healthy on Mars. So the developer ‘the appropriate State Party to the Treaty’. to inquire into the best way of utilising It might take some years to complete the waters of the Murray River and its gets medical advice. The medics say no all the procedures and consultations tributaries. The report of the commission problem living on Mars, but they worry necessary for the Government to make a has already been published. When spoken whether people can get there in under a decision. While the Government has not to on the subject Sir Edmund said his month, otherwise they will suffer from yet approved any Australian developments official receipt of the letter has been so radiation and weightlessness. on other celestial bodies, it supports the recent that he would give no opinion, but concept and it has been working hard right the communication would receive prompt As the technical obstacles are seen to fall since 1967 in consultation with all relevant consideration, and consequently in the away, there is rising excitement among NSW parties on drafting appropriate regulations course of a few days it may be expected property developers: “Beyond Barangaroo!”, for ‘continuing supervision’ of any non- that an official reply will be given to Mr. “Bigger than Barangaroo!”, “Bugger governmental Australian developments on Jenkins’ letter. Barangaroo!”, etc. Very late in the day, the other celestial bodies that the Government For those unaware of the location of these NSW Department of Planning wakes up: may decide to approve.” Commonwealth Government offices in “It is quite impossible; it is not permitted The still enthusiastic developer worries Macquarie Street, they were exactly where or exempt development, and you have to that some planning applications to the The Astor now stands, being conveniently comply with the provisions of the Treaty on Commonwealth Government for development next door to the Chief Secretary’s Building n Principles Governing the Activities of States

More than numbers continued from certificate training programs for local job References previous page seekers, both of which offer employment 1 Porter, M. & Kramer, M. (2011, January). Creating pathways on successful completion. Shared Value. Harvard Business Review. Retrieved Newleaf Community Renewal (NCR) was from http://hbr.org/2011/01/the-big-idea-creating- established by two of the project partners, The length of the contracts and the location shared-value as a joint venture non-profit company of this project, in an area with one of the 2 See http://www.planning.org.au/documents/item/250 that would undertake the project’s lowest SEIFA (Socio-Economic Index 3 See http://www.iaia.org/publicdocuments/special- community renewal services. In 2008 NCR for Area) scores in NSW, have provided publications/SP2.pdf also established ‘Green Wings’ social opportunities to go beyond just managing 4 Cadman, R, & Bildfell, D. (2012, 4 December) Putting enterprise (with initial Commonwealth negative or unintended consequences that Shared Value into Practice. Stanford Social Innovation may arise from the project, to proactively Review [web log post]. Retrieved from http://www. Government funding), to provide supported ssireview.org/blog/entry/putting_shared_value_into_ work placements in property care services targeting social disadvantage and practice for the local community. NCR and Green contributing to a sustainable local economy. 5 If they were, for example, using the Greenstar Wings were established outside the Conclusion Community Ratings system - http://www.gbca.org.au/ requirements of the project as an initiative green-star/green-star-communities/rating-tool/ of the consortium to share value with the Planning and development professionals 6 For a rounded discussion on asset-based community local community and to generate income are well-placed to champion the integration development concepts see O’Leary, T., Burkett, I. and of shared value concepts into project Braithwaite, K. (2010) Appreciating Assets: Asset that would secure long term support Based Community Development. Carnegie UK Trust & for community development work in the conception and delivery, and to develop the International Association for Community Development. Bonnyrigg local area. capacity of project teams to engage with Retrieved from http://www.carnegieuktrust.org. shared value concepts. For planning and uk/getattachment/aedb15fb-a64a-4d71-a2d6- Green Wings has achieved viability and development businesses, shared value e8e6e865319b/Appreciating-Assets.aspx managed to attract contracts from points the way to opportunities for enhancing 7 See http://www.healthyplaces.org.au/site/ within the project partnership, external casestudies.php?task=show&id=41 and http://www. reputations and strengthening business rockdevelopmentgroup.com.au/loop organisations and local government across models, by moving beyond just ‘delivering’ the South West Sydney region. It is also 8 See http://www.housing.nsw.gov.au/ economic, social and environmental value to Changes+to+Social+Housing/Redevelopment/Bonn working with the local TAFE Institute integrating their dynamic interaction into the yrigg+Living+Communities+Project/ and http://www. and other local partners to deliver two core of the business. newleafcommunities.com.au n

20 | SEPTEMBER 2013 | newplanner Opinion Planning review review Ian Bowie FPIA

Dick’s Smyth’s comments in ‘New am sceptical as to whether we will get any provisions for advertising and notification Planner’ (June 2013, p 25) on the more real planning than we now have in a of [new] development proposals, to the Planning Review White Paper prompt new planning ‘system’ any time soon. point where neighbours may be the last to know what’s about to happen next door, me in my dotage belatedly to express If we cannot hope for better articulations my own reservations about current while rumour and gossip dominate public about what might happen to communities discussion of what is happening. proposals for a new planning ‘system.’ and their environments, about what we Are we about to get planning that is might want for them, and about what we Now, it seems that community worse than now? might need to do (including regulate) to get consultation - one of the key objectives to a good future, then we will need to rely of the Environmental Planning and I have long argued that ‘real’ planning ever more heavily on regulation alone. Assessment Act 1979 - is to be taken should be the basis for the assessment right out of development assessment of proposals for [new] developments, that However, the proposals for the new stage of planning and left only in the there should be nexus between studies/ ‘system’ back away from regulation. It strategic planning stages (which are little ongoing reviews of issues confronting seems that the needs and aspirations of understood by the general public). places and the rule books that still seem to people in local communities are widely be wanted by consent authorities. to be taken out of consideration at the Certainly, individuals and communities development assessment end of planning can get very precious when their places During the years leading up to the processes. Safeguards against unwanted are perceived to be under threat. But it is Environmental Planning and Assessment development are to be removed. too much to expect that individuals and Act 1979 I applauded what seemed to be communities can be any more omniscient the broad intentions of the blue, green Even when robust studies and strategies than planners in imaging their futures and white papers that preceded the Act, have been in place (not generally the during strategic planning exercises. to have real planning as well as statutory case, to date), development assessment processes for development ‘control’ that has been the last line of defence for Involving people in decision-making about had been in place since 1945. individuals, communities and their new developments doesn’t need to be environments in local areas when adversarial and there is plenty of evidence However, since 1979 we have seen a inappropriate developments have been to suggest that public participation, when progressive whittling away of requirements proposed by outside interests. local interests are perceived to be under in the Act for environmental planning threat, can be very helpful in identifying instruments to be based on local and A simplified (trivialised) standard issues not anticipated earlier when regional environmental studies and for regulatory instrument will create larger regulatory instruments were devised. statutory instruments to reflect ‘aims, loopholes for commercial developers to objectives, policies and strategies’ exploit. Further extensions of exempt and Public participation may slow down complying development will remove many development assessment but perhaps this We have seen also the demise of Plan First developments from public scrutiny. Other is a price that we must pay for living in a and an Integrated Planning and Reporting proposals will water down protection of democracy. If slowing down the process Framework which could have been linked built and natural heritage. gives pause for reflection about development to statutory instruments. proposals then, maybe, it can produce In a State as varied as New South Wales it Meanwhile we have seen many excellent outcomes whose better quality offsets costs is not reasonable to want ‘one-size-fits- all’ to developers and the communities. studies (housing, residential, retail, etc), and regulatory instruments. All places have some not so excellent regional strategies, features that make them special and, while I hate to say it but the Environmental that nobody knows how to put into effect. local Councils may not do it perfectly, they Planning and Assessment Act as To be sure, as Dick implies, governments are better placed than State Governments or originally enacted (ie before the politicians have become terrified to invest in anything large corporations to assess the aspirations started tinkering with it) remains a more such as real planning that doesn’t and needs of locals for their places. robust model for statutory planning and regulation than the currently foreshadowed have a quantifiable future return. Real Until we have more robust real planning, planning doesn’t get much traction with bill, even if the Act never gave much force everyone in New South Wales will have to to non-statutory (real) planning. a public that is widely ignorant about and rely on development assessment to protect disinterested in environmental issues, what is important for communities and But, statutory instruments are neither the especially when it appears to be ineffective. their environments. Local Councils - and be-all nor the end-all of planning. The Moreover, consent authorities continue their planning personnel - must remain at State Government needs to work out how to want black-and-white rule books for the forefront of development assessment. to give effect to all the other facets of the planning process. To do so, it needs to development assessment. And there can Again, in the absence of robust real planning be intractable problems when it comes engage its electorate more closely on what the proposals to remove public participation the electorate might want out of planning. to writing statutory instruments to give from the development assessment stage effect to studies (witness the failure of the of planning processes risk not only the loss Getting the community involved at this Hunter REP No 1 to give effect to nearly of what can be constructive criticisms of late stage might seem unlikely. But, with two decades of detailed studies). development proposals but also a riding local Councils now realising what they, So, while I endorse the Planning Institute’s roughshod over the interests of local their electorates and their local places support for a reintroduction of real individuals and communities. stand to lose if the current proposals are planning into the planning system (as a implemented, it isn’t too late for us to be During the last couple of decades we talking about what might make for a good basis for the rule books and guidelines have seen a progressive watering down of needed for development assessment), I planning ‘system’ n

newplanner | SEPTEMBER 2013 | 21 Population Forecasting and Long Term Strategic Planning “Most major planning or policy issues facing contemporary Australia have a population dimension “ –National Population Council

Bob Meyer, Director of Planning, Cox Richardson Architects and Planners It is difficult to imagine that in 50 years, year would Sydney’s population double. He 3.2 million. The plan had not anticipated at the modest current growth rate explained that, based on the growth rates Australia’s massive migration program of just over 1% per annum, Sydney’s of similar sized world cities, Sydney’s 1907 or the post war baby boom. Adopting a population will reach 8 million, the size population of 628,900 would double in 28 strategy borrowed from the 1944 London of Greater London today, one of the years, that is 1,258,800 by 1935. Neither Plan, Sydney’s urban area was contained he nor the Commissioners would have by a tight greenbelt, a concept inhibiting world’s great megacities. However, known that Horace Smith gave the best Sydney’s future growth, which was not the increasing reluctance to engage in long term population forecast to this day. revised till twenty years later. long term planning is likely to cost the At the census of 1933, Sydney’s population community dearly by not, for instance, reached 1,235,000, so by 1935 his estimate The 1968 Sydney Region Outline Plan acquiring key lands required for future must have been very close. infrastructure. Some will argue that The 1968 “Sydney Region Outline Plan” forecast a population of 5.5 million by 2000, one cannot predict the long term as with 500,000 to be decentralised out of the situations can change and the fear of Sydney Region. This was a major growth investing in infrastructure which may plan and adopted the Scandinavian concept never be required. of establishing urban corridors along existing and proposed rail lines. It was also the first plan to consider the Newcastle and Wollongong regions as part of Greater Sydney. At the census of 2001, Sydney’s population reached 4 million people, again one million out but this time, too few. It was just as well that the forecasts were not adjusted in the plan’s 32 years, as the area of land calculated to be required for 5 million people was needed to house 4 million. What was not anticipated was that the occupancy per household had fallen from the forecast 3.3 persons per household to 2.6, (census 2001) a drop of 20%, explaining where the This is a valid argument and points to the one million population went. This plan has thrust of this article that both short term proven to be the most robust of all, guiding (20 year) and long term (40 – 50 years) Sydney’s growth to this day. strategic planning should be considered as separate exercises. What needs to be The 1948 County of Cumberland Plan common to both, however, is that each needs to be comprehensively reviewed and Sydney’s first plan, the 1948 “County of rolled forward every five years particularly Cumberland Plan” underestimated its in the light of census results. population by one million. Its forecast of 2.35 million by 1980 was reached in 1961; The key to long term strategic planning is for by 1981 Sydney’s population had reached broad options to be formulated without being inhibited by short term interests, rather, allowing the big picture to evolve when it reaches populations, such as double to what it is today and to appreciate how future generations will experience such a city. This article considers the role of population forecasting for long term strategic planning and by way of case studies, how they have influenced the shape of Sydney. The 1909 Royal Commission The first strategic considerations for Sydney came out of the 1909 Royal Commission for “The Improvement of the City of Sydney and its Suburbs”, which led to some of the The 1988 Sydney Into Its Third Century 20th Century’s most important initiatives When preparing the 1988 “Sydney Into Its Third such as the electrification of the railway Century”, we had a brilliant idea, given the one in order to serve the CBD and the first million shortfall in 1948 and the over-estimation Harbour crossing. The Commissioners in 1968. Why put a year to the plan, just say that asked the Acting Chief Assistant, Bureau of it was for a population of 4.5 million people no Statistics, Horace Alexander Smith, in what 22 | SEPTEMBER 2013 | newplanner matter when it’s reached, in 20 years or 200 to lack of affordability of housing and may say that it is impossible to predict years, what’s it matter? However, government rents, forcing many younger people to stay how any growing city will look decades agencies pointed out that they could not plan longer in the family home. from now and they are right. This is why their roads, schools, hospitals, water and sewer short term and long term planning need to services without a clear time frame. Given that The 2010 “Metropolitan Plan for Sydney be considered as separate exercises. we had to put a year on our target of 4.5 million, 2036”, forecast a population for Sydney of we adopted Horace Smith’s 1909 methodology 6 million by 2036. This plan will have only Long term strategic planning is not about and came up with the year 2011. This proved been in place for 3 years before a new draft proposing a fixed plan for a city forty to fifty plan was released in 2013 for comment. years hence, but considering a series of to be the second best forecast. At the 2011 feature options and whilst a preferred plan may census, Sydney’s population was just short of The “Draft Metropolitan Strategy for Sydney 4.5 million. emerge, there needs to be a regular five 2013”, released for comment earlier this year review of the options and adjusted year, is expected to be finalised and released The 1995 Cities for the 21st Century where necessary in the light of changing before the end of 2013. This makes it the circumstances including the demographics, strategy with the shortest time forecast of The 1995 “Cities for the 21st Century” growth rates, housing choices and other key any for Sydney to date. The Draft has set extrapolated the then current growth indicators. The forty to fifty year strategies then an ambitious growth target of 5.6 million rate of Sydney’s population of 0.6% per need to be rolled forward every five years. people by 2031, however for a smaller area annum and came to the conclusion that as for the first time since the 1948 County At present there are three broad, valid the 4.5 million forecast for 2011 would of Cumberland Plan, the Central Coast has options to guide Sydney’s growth by an not be reached before 2021. This forecast been excluded from the Sydney Region. additional one to two million people beyond allowed the government to promote one of the 6 million now being planned for by the its key principles, a more compact city, by short term strategies. These are: proposing that 65% of all housing be built in Long Term Planning for 2051 and 2061 multi-unit form and two thirds of all housing If the modest, average population growth be built in established areas, leaving only rate of the Sydney Region since 1961 one third in greenfield release areas. including the Central Coast of 1.15% per This strategy formulated under a coalition annum is extrapolated, and Sydney’s government suited the new State Labor population is expected to reach 5 million Government whose leader and Premier, Bob in 2021, 6 million in 2036, 7 million in 2051 Carr, famously pronounced “Sydney is full”. and 8 million by 2061, then what sort of city do we need to plan for? When the 1996 census results were published showing Sydney’s population was growing at a rate of 1.2% per annum, double the 0.6% per annum on which the 1995 strategy’s forecasts were predicated, the new Labor government did not acknowledge the need to release more land for development in spite of Sydney’s population again being on target for 2011. This has been blamed for Sydney’s current shortage of housing stock and the consequent impact on housing affordability. Greater London reached a population of 7 The 1998 Shaping our Cities million in 2001 and currently has a population of 8 million giving us an idea of the scale Sydney After experiencing a 20 year gap between will evolve into over the next forty to fifty years. the strategies of 1948, 1968 and 1988 London, however, is not really a city of 8 million More of the same: a combination of metro strategies, this strategy followed the rather one with an influence over a region of previous one within 3 years. It was clearly consolidation / infill of established areas 18 million people due to its fast rail tentacles combined with greenfield development a run up to an election and continued spreading into the South East Region of to promote the Newcastle – Sydney – England with a population of 10 million people. Wollongong Greater Metropolitan Region. No more greenfield development There was little fundamental difference From cities as distant as Southampton, Decentralisation to cities within a one between the 1995 and the 1998 strategies. Northampton, Reading and Milton Keynes, hour commute to and from Sydney by fast It was recognised, however that Sydney was 800,000 people commute into London each day train (see London example). again growing at just over 1% per annum due to the large numbers who moved out for and it was expected that Sydney would a more affordable lifestyle. As a consequence, Each option needs to have all assumptions reach 4.5 million somewhere between many businesses followed the skilled workforce and principles clearly outlined with each 2011 and 2016. The Strategy retained the beyond the greenbelt with the result of 300,000 option showing the location and density compact city philosophy with a reluctance commuting each day to access jobs to the of housing and employment; the location to release more land. decentralised cities from London. of centres and open space as well as all forms of transport infrastructure. If we translate this situation to Sydney The 21st Century Strategic Plans within similar distances to South East Each option needs to be comprehensively We cannot judge the accuracy of the 2005 England, then with fast rail, cities in the modelled and results transparently “City of Cities Strategy” which forecast Lower Hunter, Illawarra and Central evaluated, allowing government and a population of 5.3 million people by West could settle a significant number community involvement in choosing a 2031. The strategy predicted the need for of Sydney’s households which would be preferred option. 640,000 new homes and unlike the 1968 within commuting distance of Sydney’s jobs and facilities. This scenario would not This is where long term population and plan, recognised that “even if we have zero demographic forecasting is vital to enable population growth over that time, where only boost the population but the jobs in these regional towns and cities. government and the community to be our births and migration equal deaths, engaged and appreciate that the long term we would still require 190,000 new homes Long Term Growth Options exercise in formulating and assessing in Sydney to respond to demographic options, with enough time for serious changes where fewer people are living in Realistic long term population forecasts modelling and evaluation be undertaken each home”. It is interesting to note that will enable us to better comprehend the before essential decisions are made to the 2011 census showed that occupancy scale of city that Sydney is likely to evolve guide Sydney towards becoming one of rates have again increased due possibly into over a forty to fifty year period. Many Asia Pacific’s great megacities n

newplanner | SEPTEMBER 2013 | 23 Telecommunications: essential plank in NSW infrastructure strategy

Dr Rodney Jensen

“There is an increasing trend towards a greater flexibility in location choice, where corporate organisations are requiring large sites for consolidation of previously fragmented activities, and where opportunities to co-locate in specialised clusters of activity are being increasingly sought. Technological advances in communications have also created opportunity and demand for purpose-built facilities at well-located nodal points in suburban locations offering the benefits of agglomeration, corporate prestige, amenity, proximity to labour and cost effectiveness”. City of Penrith and Newplan (2006) Employment Planning Discussion Paper It is regrettable that the majority of Australians are yet to understand what National Broadband Network (NBN) is and does and why so much money is being spent on it. The hidden benefits of this system are difficult to share when we have no experience of what it can offer. Yet one of the most significant benefits of the NBN is the support it provides for more flexible working routines from home-offices or specialised hubs sometimes called ‘telecommuting’. Telecommuting can substitute for physical commuting to the office by car or public transport and is therefore extremely relevant to our metropolitan transport strategies. The costs of the NBN at $44 billion sounds Crude comparisons such as these, because they office space who are able to accommodate formidable, but as a form of infrastructure focus on capital costs and ignore externalities and significantly more people for the same amount investment which, once completed, will serve running costs for users, strongly underestimate of untethered desk space. virtually all 12 million plus households and the full economic benefits of telecommuting. ABW layouts with untethered desk allocations home businesses throughout Australia, is A full cost benefit analysis needs to factor in not so formidable. To put this in perspective, are clearly linked to telecommuting demands, significant public benefits such as reduction such that working within the main office full compare the costs of physical infrastructure in road congestion/ travel time, reduced air projects for major road and rail transport time becomes a matter of choice rather than pollution, greenhouse gas emission, reduced one of necessity. This is of particular benefit for infrastructure taking into account the projected energy use and reduced costs of road accidents. levels of patronage or usage they will service. workforces with dependent children or aging Considerations such as these have doubtless parents to care for. However, not all people have For example, the most recent fast train been part of the reasoning behind a recently the space to dedicate to a home office or the desire proposal linking Melbourne, Canberra, Sydney released Federal policy to have 12 per cent of to work alone all the time. For these individuals and Brisbane would cost $114 billion to provide the Australian Public Service regularly working the alternative of a specialised communications for total annual trips projected to be in the from home using high-speed broadband by hub with suitably planned ancillary facilities and vicinity of 100 million. That is nearly three times 2020. The policy has been driven by a desire not services makes a logical “stepping stone” between the estimated cost of the NBN and servicing only to satisfy the demands of the workforce for home and the CBD head office. a fraction of the numbers who will be able to greater flexibility in working arrangements, but access the NBN. In a more specific example Telecommuting has been already occurring also to reduce the high public costs of physical in recent years to some degree using existing for NSW, the West Connex proposal linking commuting and associated infrastructure. the M4 and M5 is projected to cost $10 billion, hardware and services ranging from simple three quarters of which would be covered by There are also subtle other effects occurring devices (telephones) to wired and wireless road tolls and the remaining $2.5 billion by within our major commercial centres driven connected computers or tablets using ADSL government funding. Again the patronage in by demands for greater efficiency in the use of 2+ on copper for connectivity. The NBN will terms of scale is local rather than national, but commercial space and the changing work habits represent a quantum leap forward in terms of budget wise is of national proportions. of young demographic cohorts emerging into the communication capability. For example the workforce. These demands have been met by Skype software, which most currently relies on so-called activity-based working (ABW) layouts video connection, will bear little comparison to and the untethering of previous allocation of desk the high-definition video capability of the NBN. space of a one desk per each person employed. In summary, there seems to be little doubt ABW designed offices are revolutionary for that improvement in telecommunications those who are used to rows of small glass infrastructure should stand front and centre in enclosed cubicles marking the typical office the work of Infrastructure New South Wales. landscape approach of the late 20th century. Similarly, the establishment of integrated hubs ABW offices feature a range of collaborative is logically the twin responsibility of DOPI and and private spaces and sometimes abandon local government strategy. These should be allocated desks altogether. Such layouts prioritised and sensibly located in relation to please not only the younger demographic transport nodes so that physical commuting workforce but also the owners/lessees of time to the hub is minimised n

24 | SEPTEMBER 2013 | newplanner The feasibility of future housing in green field areas feature Ray Williams Murp (Curtin) MP, Member for Hawkesbury, Parliamentary Secretary for Western Sydney

While there is much anticipation regarding the requires a closer look into some of the basic a similar criterion to that which applies to adoption of a new planning system in NSW requirements of current planning regulation Riparian corridors of up to 40 metres along creek following the release of the White Paper and the in NSW. It is no secret that land represents lines, also applies to the broader areas of trunk Draft Exposure Bill, legislation alone is not the approximately 50% of the cost of public drainage/stormwater land and that is to provide key to sustained urban growth, either socially, infrastructure and it is the loss of land where the sustainable ecological habitats and environmental economically or environmentally. I believe it is greatest cost impediment to housing currently corridors through the urban housing precincts. the partnership between good legislation and exists. Whenever englobo land is lost to aspects While this may have been a well- intentioned sound planning principles that will ultimately of development other than housing, the yield is objective, riparian corridors and trunk drainage mean the difference between a fair outcome and immediately affected and a low housing yield land are not maintained and instead of providing a good outcome in terms of overall sustainability. inevitably means less profit. If the cumulative improved environmental habitats, actually Both have an important role to play, however the impacts of current land use regulation continue become weed infested areas for local shopping innovation and vision must inevitably come from to impact on housing yield which they have over trolleys and invasive species - hardly their original planning, not legislation. While legislation will the last decade, eventually the economic feasibility intended purpose. provide the road map, planning will decide the of development in green field areas will be Under the standard Local Environmental Plans ultimate quality of the destination point. Through completely removed, if it hasn’t already. now being implemented in local councils across innovations in urban planning and design, we Government’s initial response a decade ago to this NSW, the land use zoning Environmental 4 (E4) now produce suburbs and places where people problem was to reduce the size of blocks of land in has provided opportunities to retain sensitive want to live, as opposed to places where they order to maintain yield rather than looking deeper riparian areas in private property. This minimises had to live in the past. The quality of these places into the actual cause of the problem. In Rouse Hill the loss of housing yield by including existing and suburbs of the future will directly affect the in the north west of Sydney, land sizes for detached sensitive vegetation within a riparian zone into the prosperity of new communities and the overall homes are now down to 275sqm, but smaller back yard of a suburban block of land. This works performance of our state and nation. The high blocks of land are also cheaper and inevitably mean particularly well on heavily vegetated bushland standard of new housing estates has been made lower returns on investment. A smaller block of areas adjoining creek lines, where larger blocks possible through improvements in roads, urban land also restricts the growth of any reasonable of land are created that would otherwise be lost design, playing fields, water sensitive recreational vegetation, thereby compromising the environment. to riparian zones. If this principle is applied using areas and community buildings, all contributing to A complete breakdown of the way englobo land the same rationale to trunk drainage/ stormwater the quality of our suburbs, however they all come is currently divided on behalf of a new housing land, it would achieve similar results, but remove at an increased cost. precinct provides an interesting picture. the need to compulsorily acquire the land Funded through the user pays system of In another north western housing precinct known altogether, thereby reducing costs to developers, development contributions, all of these items as the Balmoral Rd Release Area, gazetted in government and homeowners. Importantly the directly impact on the viability of any new housing 2007 for 5,990 homes, there are currently only 500 sustainability of an area can be greatly enhanced development. Sarah Hill raised development homes completed. This area provides an ideal through strong conventions of these zonings, by feasibility in the March edition as being common example of the current problem. The breakdown restricting incompatible uses of sensitive land. practice when determining applications in the UK, of total land use in this precinct identifies 77% Through the private ownership of these areas, pointing out local planning authorities must ensure of the land to be used for housing, with the the home owner becomes the custodian of their cumulative impacts do not hinder progress but remaining 23% broken up into open space 3%, own bushland block of land. While restrictions rather facilitate development through the economic playing fields 8% and trunk drainage/stormwater are applied to the land use outside the housing cycle. If this practice was applied to development land 12%. It is this last land use of trunk drainage footprint, the larger blocks of land inevitably mean applications in areas of north western Sydney at the /stormwater land which impacts so heavily on a higher price is achieved thereby offsetting any moment, hardly a single house would be approved, housing yield as the 12% of Trunk Drainage/ lost yield. While not every home owner would given the ever tightening profit margins being Stormwater land in this precinct represents want the responsibility of a larger block of land experienced in those areas. To prove the point, there almost 40 hectares of englobo land alone. In with constraints, it only applies to the land directly are currently long term developers selling house Western Australia and other states there is a basic adjoining trunk drainage or riparian corridors. and land packages at below cost in these areas, in requirement that any new housing development This thereby creates another element of housing order to offload current stock and stimulate cash provide 10% of the total land mass for public open choice for a small percentage of landowners flow. This raises the question as to how green field space, which is widely accepted. However the loss in any given housing estate and one with an development can continue in the future under of an additional 12% or 40 hectares of land on increased price tag. the current cumulative impacts and economic top of the basic requirement for open space has If the measure of economic feasibility is applied constraints. severely impacted the economic feasibility of this in the very first instance through the indicative While housing figures are currently 16% above development area. planning stage of new housing precincts, even the previous decade average, this is due largely to While trunk drainage/stormwater land is the most sensitive areas of land can be preserved new apartment being built in brown field areas, compulsorily acquired, this adds to the overall cost using this methodology. By also recognising the not detached homes for traditional families. of development through imposed contributions, trunk drainage corridor as passive recreational While the White Paper addresses several of the with the end user (the homebuyer), paying a use, density can be increased around the economic constraints for housing development higher price for their home. The requirement sensitive areas, thereby improving the feasibility such as broadening complying development to for such a large amount of Trunk drainage/ through greater development potential. Using speed up applications, it is high time a review stormwater land not only diminishes housing this scenario, the trunk drainage corridor can be was undertaken into the diminishing viability yield, it places a significant cost on government, contained within a community title ownership, of the housing industry in green field areas. To developers and homeowners. In this water providing all the necessary infrastructure, passive ensure the standards of housing development are catchment area, 350 hectares of total land has recreational areas and walking trails on behalf maintained, it is not suggested we return to gravel been acquired for trunk drainage and while the of the community through a multiplicity of uses, roads or fibro homes in order to balance the use of this land performs a basic infrastructure achieving a far greater efficiency of this land. ledger, however we should look closely at some task, Sydney Water now admit they only require Once again negating the need for compulsory of the cumulative impacts of housing related 10% of the combined total of this land for their acquisition and greatly reducing the cost to development that have created this problem. purposes. This therefore raises the question housing development. The NSW Government is In order to correctly ascertain the cumulative as to why such a broad area of land has been currently considering this proposal to incorporate economic impacts of housing development subjected to compulsory acquisition? It appears into future planning policy n newplanner | SEPTEMBER 2013 | 25 Healthy Built Environments – Adding up the Numbers: Health and Wellbeing Data for Planners Susan Thompson1 and Roy Byun2

an annual summary of the health of the a small area level, such as statistical local people of NSW through the Report of area (SLA) and LGA. However, these are the Chief Health Officer. In addition, this synthetic estimates based on modelled survey Report includes current health topics of data and known characteristics of the area. concern (for example, in 2010 there was a Accordingly, these data should be interpreted chapter on urbanisation and health). as the likely value for a ‘typical’ area with those characteristics (http://www.publichealth.gov.au). NSW health data is also available through a dynamic and interactive website that allows Other data sources for useful health and What an exciting time it’s been since users to access a wide range of statistical wellbeing statistics and measures include June! We now have an explicit health information. Called ‘Health Statistics the following: promotion objective in the draft NSW NSW’, the site provides access to data on • NSW Bureau of Crime statistics planning legislation. This is a significant population health status, health inequalities (http://www.bocsar.nsw.gov.au) and the determinants of health, the burden step in acknowledging the role that the of disease and current health challenges • NSW Bureau of Transport Statistics built environment plays in supporting and trends. Further, the site offers (http://www.bts.nsw.gov.au) people’s health and wellbeing as comparisons between age groups and • NSW Office of Liquor, Gaming and part of everyday life. It is also a great geographic locations and allows users to Racing (http://www.olgr.nsw.gov.au) opportunity for planners and health customise reports. Importantly for planners, And as always, don’t forget to contact it includes the NSW Adult Population Health professionals to work together across a personnel at your Local Health District Survey. This is a survey of self-reported (http://www.health.nsw.gov.au/lhd/pages/ range of policy and practice initiatives. health behaviours, community health status default.aspx) for assistance about relevant Part of this collaboration is finding and factors that influence health. Currently data sources, local health knowledge the right data that is relevant for statistics are only available at the Local and how you can better work together in Health District level, but in time, reliable creating healthy built environments for all! different planning purposes. These data may be offered at the local government include policy formulation to underpin level (http://www.healthstats.nsw.gov.au). Afterword: Many thanks to Dr Roy Byun, epidemiologist at the South Western practice, assessing the health impacts The Public Health Information Development of development proposals (using Sydney Local Health District, for co- Unit (PHIDU) based at the University of authoring the September column. Tony different impact assessment tools), Adelaide, collects national data on social Capon has left his position at the University and presenting evidence in the Land indicators, measures of health status and of Canberra to take up the prestigious and Environment Court. Establishing information on health service utilisation. This role of Head, Global Health at the United provides information on a broad range of Nations University in KL, Malaysia. We look appropriate indicators of wellbeing health determinants across the life course. and measuring their effectiveness is forward to hearing from Tony about the The PHIDU provides profiles of socioeconomic international situation and how Australia, another important use of health data. characteristics, health status and health especially NSW, measures up to what’s service use of populations through a series of happening across the globe. n Reliable statistics are vital in painting a colour maps in a Social Health Atlas. This is an picture of the health and wellbeing of a interactive web based mapping application that 1Susan Thompson is Associate Professor in population. There are some excellent data illustrates linkages between socioeconomically Planning and Director (Healthy Built Environments) sources to help NSW planners argue the disadvantaged areas, poorer health status City Futures Research Centre, UNSW case for supportive environments for health. and greater use of health related services. 2Roy Byun is an epidemiologist with the South Western Sydney Local Health District The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) is The PHIDU also provides health statistics at the national statistical agency. It conducts various social and economic surveys, such as the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Survey and the Australian Health Survey. Importantly, every five years the ABS undertakes the Australian Census of Population and Housing. This provides both accurate and precise information on people, families and dwellings at different geographical levels (http://www.abs.gov.au). The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) aims to improve the health and wellbeing of Australians by providing high quality data and analysis of the health, housing, and community services sectors. Statistics are collated nationally and the AIHW conducts research on a wide range of health and welfare topics (http://www.aihw.gov.au). The NSW Ministry of Health (MoH) is an important source of state based health data. Since 1996, the Ministry has released Good data begins with rigorous research – including auditing the environment for its health supportive qualities 26 | SEPTEMBER 2013 | newplanner PlannerTech Blockbrief: Zoning at your fingertips John O’Callaghan review

What is Blockbrief? unreliable and not commonly available. The Blockbrief is a real estate data company creation of a standard information platform focused on surfacing and aggregating for real estate, focusing upon zoning and zoning and planning data to help real planning data was required. We believe estate investors and professionals make Blockbrief answers that call. better decisions. Blockbrief also seeks What is it’s most popular feature? to connect investors with real estate Our ‘Find A Site’ search system is very professionals, in particular town planners popular and users love being able to take and urban designers, via our preferred their search on the go with the iPhone and Over the past few editions we’ve been consultants list. iPad app. It’s been unexpected and a nice looking at urban apps to add to your How does the app work? surprise to see such a great response to digital library. These apps, together with If you’re interested in buying or investing in our tablet and smart phone platforms. city based websites and social media a property, Blockbrief identifies sites with What’s next for Blockbrief? platforms, are leading the way in how development opportunities in your desired We recently expanded our coverage in we bridge the gap between the online location. Some of these properties may Australia to cover the entire Country. Later and offline worlds. Increasingly we’re have recently benefited from increases in this year we will be launching in a number seeing digital technologies provide a development rights and Blockbrief collates of markets in the US. zoning and planning data in one easy package What’s your advice for anyone service to the consumer and by doing or site specific report. During the process, so respond to the everyday needs of interested in developing an online Blockbrief also connects you with the right real service or planning app? citizens - When is the next bus? Where estate professional to make your dream a reality. is the closest Italian restaurant? What’s Get blogging and connect with experts on social How did you come up with the idea for the history of this place? Or even, where media about the issues that interest you. Test your ideas with discussions online and through your is my stolen bike? In today’s world, if Blockbrief? We identified that it is currently very difficult blog posts. For me, many of my ideas evolved over you have a question, there’s an app for time and I tested them with posts and refined that. So where does planning fit in? for real estate investors and developers to access the right information about what they them as a result of feedback I received. I recently sat down with Matthew Player, can do with a piece of land. Unlike other John is a freelance urban planner specialising founder of Blockbrief, to find out how a asset classes such as equities, information in social activation, community engagement humble section 149 certificate can be on the real estate market, in particular and new media. He is passionate about digitalised and made accessible to property planning and development information, liveability, culture and urban trends. More specialists and serious investors. is generally fragmented, often dated, details > www.john-ocal.com

Sam Kernaghan has announced that he is Architects and Planners, has been awarded a moving back to Sydney after 6 years away to take Doctor of Letters, honoris causa by Mr David Inbox up a role as an Associate inArup’s Sydney office, Gonski AC, Chancellor, UNSW and Professor Nicole Philps having worked in their London and Bangkok Alec Tzannes, Dean, UNSW Built Environment. offices. His focus while away has been on The Doctor of Letters is the highest award international development related projects, most that can be bestowed upon a candidate by recently working with Rockefeller Foundation to the University and acknowledges a significant develop strategies for fast growing cities in Asia contribution to the advancement of knowledge to build resilience to climate change. and theoretical work that establishes the From Camden, Chris Lalor reports that candidate as a distinguished authority in an area Matt Loader left Council in May to take up of research, commanding worldwide recognition. a management position with SMEC Urban. Bob’s contribution to the development of Ilyas Karaman has been appointed as Matt’s strategic planning in Sydney and Australia over replacement and takes up his position in four decades, especially his identification and August. Ilyas was previously with Hurstville advocacy of the Multi Centred City and the Global Council. Tina Chappell has re-joined the Employment Arc is original work and world class. Strategic Planning team, on a temporary Bob has successfully introduced key international basis, to assist with a number of projects. City Plan Strategy & Development is pleased planning concepts to Australia and adapted them to announce the appointment of Monica Jenny Rudolph advises that Peter Brennan, to Australian conditions. His strong advocacy of Gibson as Regional Director in its Newcastle previously Executive Director Planning the Centres Policy over 45 years, seeks to ensure office. Until recently Monica was a senior at Waverley Council is working at Elton that Sydney can continue to function without Deborah undue reliance on the private car and continue to officer with the NSW Department of Planning Consulting, and together with Barr (previously Smyth Planning) and David grow as Australia’s only Global City. At the age of & Infrastructure, involved in the preparation Johns ( previously at Manidis Roberts) have 80, Bob Meyer continues to advise government, of the White Paper on the reform of the NSW broadened the planning team at Elton the profession and industry at the highest levels Planning System. Consulting to 11 people. and is one of the few planners trusted by both the Jeff Mead reports that Planning Ingenuity In news from the north, Mike Svikis, after 6 public and private sectors. continues to expand their team with the years with GHD at Ballina, has established Congratulations Bob. addition of Sophie Perry as Senior Planner. himself as a sole trader consultant based We’re always pleased to receive staff Sophie brings many years of local government in Byron Shire. updates, announcements and other news experience in senior statutory and strategic Also in the news this quarter, Bob Meyer, you would like to share. Email your updates planning positions, most recently at Wollondilly. Director of Planning at Cox Richardson to [email protected] newplanner | SEPTEMBER 2013 | 27 International Snippets

David Winterbottom

Travel and the Built Environment Study Chinese Urban Villages Planning Protocol which was produced jointly Localities and states are turning to land The fate of Chinese urban villages has recently with industry and with some involvement of planning and urban design for help in attracted both research and policy attention. Two Bristol’s Neighbourhood Planning Network. reducing automobile use and related social important unaddressed questions are: what are Local Network activists also play a major and environmental costs. Vehicle miles the sources of informality in otherwise orderly intermediary role in helping potential applicants traveled is most strongly related to measures Chinese cities; and, will village redevelopment to design and deliver good engagement of accessibility to destinations and secondarily policy eliminate informality in the Chinese city? processes. The general feedback from all to street network design variables. Walking is It is argued that the informality in China has been sides to the Bristol approach has been positive. most strongly related to measures of land use created by the dual urban–rural land market Jeff Bishop diversity, intersection density, and the number and land management system and by an under French Railways of destinations within walking distance. Bus provision of migrant housing. The redevelopment Reviewing the fate of the extraordinarily and train use are equally related to proximity of urban villages is an attempt to eliminate comprehensive 19th century rail network, to transit and street network design variables, this informality and to create more governable France’s steady consolidation of lines during the with land use diversity a secondary factor. spaces through formal land development; first three quarters of the 20th century showed Surprisingly, population and job densities are but since it fails to tackle the root demand for that the closures had occurred in a number only weakly associated with travel behavior unregulated living and working space, village of distinctive waves. The last major wave once these other variables are controlled. redevelopment only leads to informality in occurred around 1970, but petered out quickly Reid Ewing & Robert Cervero more remote rural villages, in other urban after that – partly as a result of the first oil crisis, neighbourhoods and, to some extent, in the which tempered faith in what had seems like Children’s Rights redeveloped neighbourhoods. the inexorable march of the motor car. More Article 12 of the UN Convention on the Rights Fulong Wu, Fangzhu Zhang & Chris Webster of the Child states that “every child should have positively maps showed the extend of lines the right to express views freely” in all matters Polycentricity in Europe which have been re-opened since 1960 and the affecting him or her. This right does not give The notion of polycentricity is gaining significant length of lines due to be re-opened as children and youth a right to self determination, widespread currency in both academic part of an on-going renaissance of rail. but does advocate their involvement in decision- and professional debates. It has opened its Jonathon Brown, Olivier Sykes and Ian Wray. making. It speaks to the right to be heard when way in the spatial policy documents of the Land Economy decisions are being made that affect them European Union and member states alike, The Garden Cities remain a ground-breaking, and is a form of participatory democracy that and has become one of the key components innovative and uniquely popular “growth” promotes responsible citizenship. The capacity of the integrated spatial development model, and are one of the few examples of for responsible citizenship is shaped in childhood strategy promoted by the European Spatial successfully applying principles aimed at through education, practice, observation Development Perspective. The concept of moderating the impact of short-term land and opportunity. Through the promotion of polycentricity, which has traditionally been speculation in the public interest that have also children’s and youth’s right to be heard and used as an analytical tool to explain an existing been sufficiently resilient to adapt and stand to participate, planners and educators will or emerging reality, is now increasingly being the test of time. Contrary to received opinion, demonstrate a respect for children and youth used to determine that reality. This is based on the last thing that long-term investors want is a that will lead to a safer and healthier tomorrow. the analyses of the use of polycentricity within deregulated and unstrategic planning system. the European spatial planning framework. The Bleak Green Stephen Hill Urban gardens can play an important promotion of the polycentric urban regions is role in conserving biodiversity. A study in one of the key policy options for a balanced Cities of Light Leicester found more than 2,200 animal territorial development across Europe. The Earth has never been as bright as and plant species in one suburban garden Simin Davoudi now. Today, almost all the lights we can that had been managed to help wildlife. By High Speed 2 see from the satellite image come from one particular source – Cities. The Great comparison, a bleak green provides home It is the objective of catching the airline-style Wall may be the only man-made structure to more than 40 concrete posts but virtually long-distance traveller – the root of the High visible from space at daytime, yet, it is the nothing else. In Florida which is not immune Speed 2 project as presently conceived – that city that is the most luminous object that from droughts, community rules require that causes the project to go wrong. The speed we can see from space at night. 60% of any garden visible from a public road freaks are driving the mission. Everything While we are all enjoying the benefits of has to be grassed with a non-native variety about High Speed 2 must be done for maximum industrial civilization (comfort, convenience, and kept in good condition throughout the speed. This has many profound consequences, abundance and efficiency etc.), there is year, often requiring twice weekly irrigation. all of which have caused trouble. The route indeed a price, a very big price, to pay, Paul Burrall. strikes out across the open countryside as soon and remedy is urgently required. City as is feasible, and stays there as long as it can, Concrete post landscape. can be viewed as an organism – a gigantic and clever tweaks to avoid sensitive areas not organism. It needs plenty of input (water, possible. The alignment, seen as ruthless food, energy, materials etc.), mostly by so many, has to be that way in pursuit of imported from outside, to sustain its life, speed. Speed is the reason why there are and it produces, apart from many beneficial so few stations. This makes the HS2 route output, significant amount of wastes through England an environmental cost with no (debris, litter, food scraps, grey/black particular benefit for most people. water, heat, polluted air and green house David Lock gases, etc.) that harm the environment. The Bristol Planning Protocol City living poses a heavy burden on Earth. The Bristol City Council Statement of We require 2.2 Earths to sustain our needs Community Involvement is one of the strongest if everyone in the world lived a similar in terms of encouraging pre-application lifestyle of Hong Kong people. engagement. There is now an adopted Wong Tak Sang 28 | SEPTEMBER 2013 | newplanner NSW Consulting Planners Chris Bain, Convenor, NSW Consultant Planners’ Network news

Over the past years, it’s been dawning on of the corridor with the pressure for planners that a key ingredient has been residential development of sites. missing: economic analysis. Specifically, we sought to facilitate higher Economic analysis helps us fill in many of the density development in Arncliffe to create gaps about why a site might have been zoned a local centre, while allowing a broader correctly but just refuses to be developed, or range of employment and residential land why development has occurred but the floor uses along the Princes Highway corridor. space or dwellings aren’t selling. When preparing a study for Epping Town The theme of this month’s edition JBA has relied on economic analysis Centre designed to explore the potential to provide a basis for some of the for the area to accommodate increased is ‘adding up the numbers’. Adding recommendations made in several major residential and employment growth, up the numbers in the planning studies completed over the past few years. JBA worked with HillPDA to explore the sense can tackle a range of matters, viability of the development controls we In the Princes Highway Corridor Strategy had established. including demographics, growth and we prepared last year, an economic study economic analysis. In this consulting done by Jones Lang La Salle showed Two models were worked up that planners column, Andre Szczepanski that the highest and best use along the explored both mixed-use and residential of JBA provides an outline of the corridor was likely to be residential, development within the study area, which importance of economic analysis to with some demand for industrial or car backed up the heights and FSRs we had planning, highlighting how economic showroom retail uses. proposed for the area. analysis undertaken by consulting The softening and western movement of In both these cases, economic analysis firms can add value by shaping the manufacturing industry, combined helped us to ensure that we had a solid robust, evidence based planning with the clear preference for commercial evidence base to back up the changes to or office space to be in defined centres, density and land use we were proposing policy. To illustrate this, Andre showed that there was limited demand for for each area . draws upon two recent examples of intensive industrial or office space along Evidence-based planning is here to stay. the use of economic analysis in two the corridor. As planners, we need to recognise that important growth areas in Sydney. In order to respond to demand and ensure economic analysis is an essential tool that that our recommendations would be can help us to ensure that plans are based Economics: an essential part of the viable, the strategy included measures on sound principles and are capable of planner’s toolbox to balance the existing employment role achieving positive development outcomes n By Andre Szczepanski, Urban Planner, JBA When Planning Minister Brad Hazzard unveiled the White Paper, he said that evidence-based planning would be at the core of the new planning system for NSW. “The new planning system will create a major shift towards evidence-based strategic planning in the preparation of plans, community and stakeholder engagement and decision-making,” the Minister said. This begs the question: if our new planning system now needs to focus on evidence-based planning, was it not based on evidence before? Sydney has seen a rash of meticulously prepared plans based on all manner of supporting documentation. In fact, planning has almost always been based on certain forms of evidence, like transport, urban design or environmental studies. But if planning has always been based on evidence, why is it that there have been so many strategic plans made that have either delivered the wrong development, or failed to deliver any development at all? Economic analysis has played an important role in shaping planning controls for the Epping Town Centre

newplanner | SEPTEMBER 2013 | 29 No Monorail? Walk Darling Drive

Colin Henson, MPIA, Henson Consulting

There are good historical reasons why Parramatta Road is not a pleasant place to be. However Darling Drive on the west side of Darling Harbour has fewer excuses. From historical roots as the commercial harbour of Sydney with its wool stores and rail yards, the 1988 Bicentenary project of redeveloping Darling Harbour offered an opportunity to design a new urban precinct from scratch. Each of the individual elements was designed for its individual purpose of city traffic bypass, goods rail line/light rail, truck parking and loading dock for the new exhibition centre, car parking, and servicing. However no-one seemed to appreciate the overall effect: the creation of a concrete and steel service lane of epic proportions. The creation of the pedestrian foreshore in the manner of an inward facing shopping mall came at a high cost to the permeability and connectivity of the street network. The subsequent overlay threading of the Sydney Monorail, Pyrmont light rail, and ramps to serve the Convention Centre continued the trend to awfulise (credit to just stop. Light rail that cannot be crossed led by Infrastructure NSW should provide Michael Leunig for that word) the back at ground level. And even worse at night. an opportunity to create a better Darling of house areas that also just happen to Most visitors wander lost and disorientated Drive including the traditional streetscape be public streets. The complete lack of between Pyrmont and Darling Harbour and elements of safe footpaths on each side, active frontages and pedestrian activity the CBD. active frontages, trees and weather was exacerbated by the attempts to cross protection. However all of the glossy the Darling Drive canyon with elevated The removal of the Monorail and the proposed Sydney International Convention images of the tall buildings and The walkways that linked only to featureless Boulevarde internal spine do not suggest car parks and blank walls. Footpaths that Exhibition and Entertainment Precinct (SICEEP) redevelopment of the precinct any great attention to the quality of the external streets. The transport infrastructure that still works best as a favourite public space on Pyrmont Bridge was designed as a conventional street in the 1800’s. The sad thing is that the current situation arose from the efforts of individually capable planners and designers (including the author). Hopefully there is an opportunity to collaborate for a better outcome this time around n

30 | SEPTEMBER 2013 | newplanner Working for community wellbeing in Sydney Penny Finlay, Patrick Harris review

Sydney is changing and requires an environment that supports transport and transport infrastructure was seen as essential for the health of its residents now and into the future. Some clear community connectivity, and streets were identified as our primary examples of the pressures on Sydney that will impact on health social spaces. There was agreement that people who use public include an overall increase in population, increasing diversity transport for work are more likely to be physically active as the walk within the population, an ageing population, and impacts of to transport hubs becomes part of regular daily exercise. Camden Council, Population Health and UrbanGrowth NSW reported a a changing climate. Planning for health and wellbeing will successful collaboration, that included a health impact assessment, make it more likely that we can support a healthy community. to influence strategic planning for a new development at Oran Park. The recent Planning Review White Paper has made it clear that health is an important planning objective. The work of Several other issues were raised as facilitators for progressing the ‘Healthy Built Environments Program’ (www.be.unsw. collaborative activity. The need for a senior champion in council edu.au/programmes/healthy-built-environments) UNSW is through the involvement of the Mayor and General Manager was seen as important. Senior level staff and Councillor involvement one example of how the NSW health system has recognized would ensure that the issues were fostered through the various the importance of connecting Planning with Health. In South service units in council. The need to work across a council’s internal Western Sydney the Population Health unit, with the Centre boundaries was seen as crucial given the recognition that different for Health Equity Training Research and Evaluation (CHETRE) council units influence health and wellbeing. Future work in this at UNSW, recently undertook a strategic engagement project space is supported by the Integrated Planning and Reporting with local councils to investigate how to support their work framework which allows a focus on collaboration between levels of and collaboration with the health system to plan for healthy government to deliver on community aspirations. Finally, and linking environments. The purpose of this article is to report on this back to the data training, participants emphasized that community work and to encourage Councils to make contact to further wellbeing should be measured through indicators at LGA level. develop this work. Penny Finlay was the consultant who undertook the project for Population Health. Patrick Harris is a research fellow at the Centre The Strategic Engagement Project with local councils in for Health Equity Training and Evaluation and advised on the project. South Western Sydney The Population Health unit can be contacted through Peter Sainsbury Population Health in South Western Sydney and Sydney Local Health Peter Sainsbury [email protected] and Mark Thornell Districts has had previous contact with and input into planning with [email protected] or phone 9828 5718. councils. Given the potential positive population health impacts that could result from health input into planning, it made sense to investigate how strategic partnerships could be developed. Initial focus was seeing if there was interest from councils and if so how would Population Health facilitate this to develop collaborative activities and/or support Councils in their work. Following a series of engagement meetings between 13 councils and 3 Regional Organisations of Councils we delivered two training sessions for local government in the use of health statistics and a seminar on `Planning for Community Wellbeing’. Data Training The data training came about because it was identified in the consultations as a tangible area of collaboration between Population Health unit and councils. We therefore conducted two sessions, located at Ashfield and Fairfield Councils. With input from population health staff participants were shown how to use data collected by the Ministry of Health. The data is collected yearly and is freely available through their website (www.healthstats.nsw.gov.au). Many of the council staff who attended were not aware of this data so the workshop allowed them to navigate this and refine the data for the purposes of their own work. Input from attendees suggested that more work is required to investigate community health indicators collected at local government level. This and opportunities for further training are currently being developed.

Planning for community wellbeing While we met with various Councils and ROCS individually we also felt it would be important to gauge interest and understand issues via a seminar. Eleven Councils were represented, representing two- thirds of the councils in South Western Sydney and Sydney regions. Following presentations from experienced population health workers, architects and planners, council staff shared their ideas about the influence of local government on factors that contribute to good health and wellbeing. Areas of focus were the physical environment, facilities planning, community activities, and environmental services. Participants recognized that planning the physical environment for health is a key element in promoting population health. Public

newplanner | SEPTEMBER 2013 | 31 BasePlan

Christina Livers, BasePlan editor

Welcome to the third edition of BasePlan for 2013. In this issue we find out about the Young Planners Forum held at the Coal Loader Centre. In keeping with the theme for this issue of magazine, Tim Sneesby has written a piece about the two disciplines of urban economics and planning. Jeffrey Bretag, YP Committee member, takes the interview hot-seat. Read on to find out about Jeff’s role at Goulburn Mulwaree Council.

YP Planning Forum – Sustaining Our Future By Christina Livers – Consultant at Hill PDA Future leaders of the planning profession recently gathered at the NSW Young Planners (NSWYP) annual forum to evaluate and debate the future of planning in NSW. Titled ‘Sustaining Our Future’, the forum was held at the The Coal Loader Centre for Sustainability at Waverton and was attended by more than 50 young planners from around the State. The forum kicked off with a welcome by Stephen Beattie, the Development Services Manager from North Sydney Council. We then heard from the Department of Planning’s Jill Reich, Deputy Director General for People, Culture and Business. Jill provided insight into how the DP&I is implementing cultural change in the Department of Planning and Infrastructure. Following this, the young planners were treated to a tour of the Coal Loader facility. When the facility opened in 1920 it was one of the most advanced facilities of its kind. Today it is a community resource dedicated to facilitating education, engagement and capacity building in all facets of environmental sustainability. to speak about how sustainability is being incorporated into The second part of the forum centred on different aspects the new Planning Act. This was followed by Ian Sinclair who of sustainability. We were fortunate to be joined by leading presented on the topic of urban agriculture. The forum concluded professionals in the industry including Sarah Hill and Sarah with a presentation by Michael Chilcott, the President of the Reilly who gave invaluable insight into social and economic Environment Institute of Australia and New Zealand who imparted sustainability. We were then joined by the Hon Brad Hazzard, his knowledge about the history of delivering environmental Minister for Planning and Infrastructure, who gave up his time sustainability and provided some tips for the way forward.

32 | SEPTEMBER 2013 | newplanner development of a land monitor to inform future land releases. What advice would you give to Young Planners who would like to work at a regional Council? Prior to providing advice, I recognise that readers must be firstly convinced that working regionally has benefits, some of which include: diverse planning tasks,

direct community engagement, a healthy news work/lifestyle balance and time to be mentored. Working for Council has afforded me several of these benefits, such as; representing executive in their absence, daily mentoring by a member of the PIA NSW Division Committee and becoming Council’s LEP mapping resource. If you were interested in working regionally, I would suggest the following: speak to regional planners or undertake a regional work placement or student year. What is the value of being involved in the YP committee? The committee provides opportunities to meet those with similar interests and Change was a common theme running assessments have serious shortcomings, those who have been confronted by similar through each of the planning matters such as double-counting of jobs and challenges, such as the difficulties of that were explored and the take away ignoring resource constraints (see for finding graduate employment in a post GFC message for the forum’s participants was instance NSWLEC 48 2013). Additionally, climate. that change is constant and the ongoing retail modelling is based on a ‘black box’ The Committee continually hosts events management of change is fundamental to of assumptions on turnover, population, (e.g. the young planner’s forum). My reaching good planning outcomes for the expenditure, and so on. Small variations in attendance at these events has allowed me community at large. a single assumption can lead to markedly to build my professional networks and meet The Young Planners Committee would like different results. A greater understanding young planners. On a final note, the ACT to thank all of those who gave up their time of these frameworks can ensure more YP has recently commenced a Committee. to be involved with this event. Particular effective planning. If you are based near Canberra and are thanks must go to Robyn Vincin for Increasingly, economics has become interested in getting involved, please visit helping the Committee to organise such a the ‘language of policy’. And so given the PIA website n successful event. We look forward to seeing the inherent political nature of planning, you all at the YP Forum next year! planners should understand this common The NSW Young Planner Committee The Importance of Economics to language, not only to inform good planning Harry Quartermain URS Planning policy, but also to attract limited public funding and gain support from decision- Michael Dixon By Tim Sneesby – Consultant SGS makers. The challenge for planners is Roads and Maritime Services Historically, the two disciplines of urban to assimilate and articulate economic Timothy Sneesby economics and planning have rarely talked principles and arguments for their cause. SGS Economic and Planning Benjamin Cebuliak to each other despite the fact that they Interview with Jeffrey Bretag share overlapping agendas; essentially to Transport for NSW promote ‘the public interest’. In economic Strategic Planner at Goulburn Mulwaree Red Tandog Council terms, the fundamental role of urban Wil Nino planning is to ameliorate negative and Where do you work and what interesting NUPD foster positive externalities. Markets do not projects do you get involved in? provide ‘public goods’, and so these must Christina Livers I work within the Strategic Planning section Hill PDA be provided via planning regulation. of Goulburn Mulwaree Council. Goulburn is Effective planning needs to incorporate located 50 minutes north of Canberra and Lachlan Abercrombie an understanding of both the broad 90 minutes south of Campbelltown along Cox Architecture macroeconomic forces driving the Hume Hwy. Mathew Quattroville industry requirements, as well as This arguably defines Goulburn not as a Mark Thompson the microeconomic fundamentals regional city, but as part of Canberra’s Urbis underpinning land use patterns. Planners metro hinterland and a part of a category Sarah Court need to respond to these drivers to ensure of satellite cities experiencing the highest GTA Consultants the prosperity of urban economies, efficient rates of population growth. transport systems, allocation of land uses Rachel Gardner This growth when coupled with the and provision of urban services. resource constraints of a non-metropolitan Mitchell Davies Importantly, planners also need to council makes for an exciting, diverse DP&I understand the limitations of common and challenging working environment Tina Kao economic assessment frameworks so that has led to my involvement in a range City of Sydney Council that their decisions always promote of planning proposals, including; out-of- Sophie Butcher the net community benefit. These centre retail, rural residential, highway DP&I economic frameworks rely upon ‘adding ribbon development and habitat corridors. up the numbers’ to bolster claims and Jeffrey Bretag I am currently assessing a super medical substantiate arguments. Two examples Goulburn Mulwaree Council clinic valued over $15 million, developing a of economic tools are economic impact Tom Cotton waterways plan for Council’s sustainability (input-output) and retail assessments. Elton Consulting committee and coordinating the As a planning tool, economic impact newplanner | SEPTEMBER 2013 | 33

- IN THE NEWS - ENVIRONMENT The SMH has reports that The 2013 National the Coal Terminal Action Infrastructure Priority list Government has stated that Group, which represents 21 was released in late June, $340 million from the deal will from local and international community organisations recommending 34 projects to go towards sprucing up the companies and consortia. in the region, will monitor including $11 billion worth Newcastle central business TfNSW announced the particle pollution blowing of ready to proceed projects district and replacing the unveiling of a new system for from coal trains as they pass and a further $20.3 to $22.3 heavy rail line with light rail. naming and coding Sydney’s through the Lower Hunter, billion of projects that are in the Meanwhile, down South a train lines and major bus and after losing confidence in ‘threshold’ category and require large residential and industrial ferry routes in June. The new official environmental studies. some project development development at Yallah has names, or codes, are aimed at before they are ready to The Newcastle Herald been given the go ahead by making it easier for travellers proceed. Projects include the PAC. The 530 hectare site unfamiliar with an area to reported that the Department the Pacific Highway Corridor of Planning has slapped is owned by Energy Australia know which bus, train or ferry Upgrade and the F3 Widening which has now won approval to catch. Hunter mines with thousands Tuggerah to Doyalson in NSW of dollars’ worth of fines for a mixed use development INTERSTATE RURAL REGIONAL ISSUES on the site that includes more for breaches of noise and In Western Australia, Planning blasting conditions. It has The concept plan for a major than one thousand residential lots, a business park and 54 Minister John Day says also launched a prosecution facelift of public land at the he expects thousands of against Rio Tinto’s Warkworth Coffs Harbour waterfront hectares of industrial and light industrial land. There are also rental properties to open up mine for failing to minimise recently went on display for under reforms to the state’s dust pollution. The public comment according plans for a tourist site on the foreshore of Lake Illawarra. residential code which will department’s actions follow to the ABC. The Jetty4shores allow home-owners to rent sustained community calls project takes in council SOCIAL ISSUES granny flats on their property for the department to become managed land east of the north Research released in July by to anyone, not just family as more proactive in enforcing coast rail line at the base of the the Australian Diabetes Council was previously the case. The mines’ conditions of consent. heritage listed timber jetty. shows that of the 10 ‘’hot spot’’ government hopes this reform In July the Attorney-General According to the ABC, the suburbs, seven are in Sydney’s will help in achieving the state’s Mark Dreyfus QC announced RMS is investigating whether west, with Liverpool topping the affordable homes target. The an annual funding increase of a flying fox colony will force list of suburbs with the highest West Australian has reported $300,000 for the Environmental changes to the new route for number of people suffering from that WA’s new residential Defenders Office EDO NSW, the Pacific Highway. the disease according to SMH. housing codes reduces its largest ever funding The Macleay Argus reported in URBAN DESIGN the minimum open space boost. The additional Federal requirement for multi-dwelling May that Kempsey has received The SMH recently linked Barry Government funding comes another boost with $500,000 R50 and R60 developments as the New South Wales O’Farrell and Vladimir Putin from 45 per cent to 40 per from the Regional Development after Darling Harbour was Government’s cuts to legal aid Australia Fund allocated cent, reducing the amount of have ended funding for public nominated for a global hot list green space required. An R50 to the South Kempsey One of 20th century places at risk. interest environmental cases, Community One Mob urban development could typically ending a 27-year tradition of social plan. Another grant of The SMH reported that have 10 townhouses on an funding major public interest $150,000 will assist Greater the NSW government has 1850sqm block. environmental cases. Taree City Council deliver a commissioned the first The Northern Territory capital HOUSING much-needed upgrade to the master plan for the Royal has been advised that it must Taree Park Regional Facility. Botanic Gardens, exploring embrace big city planning SMH reports that the options including camping, a Residential (Land Lease) The ABC has announced strategies to beat its growing permanent music bowl, even pains according to the ABC. Communities Bill which is to be that the State Government allowing the harbour to flow introduced into Parliament will is providing more than The UDIA has said that right through the gardens. In Darwin needs higher density change the requirements for $5.5-million dollars for a response, the following week in change of use of land for mobile Kempsey Shire Council residential areas to bring the SMH Paul Keating labelled down property prices. home or manufactured home infrastructure and community Sydney a ‘’whore to stimulus’’ villages, allowing for evictions revitalisation project, to and called for the preservation OVERSEAS without regulator scrutiny. ensure towns along the of the Royal Botanic Gardens In the UK, cityam.com has A social housing survey by old Pacific Highway, now as a green open space and stated that Britain’s planning AIHW has reported that most known as the Macleay Valley accused the Royal Botanic regulations are a lawyers’ social housing tenants record Way, continue to experience Gardens and Domain Trust of banquet, based on the a range of benefits from economic growth. breaching its duty to the public findings of a new policy report social housing, with around A large new residential in pursuit of money. published by the Centre for half of tenants reporting it apartment complex was The Centennial Parklands Policy Studies in June. A had enhanced their social approved in Newcastle’s CBD Trust has announced a tangled web of 118 Acts of inclusion and job prospects. in May according to the ABC, Strategic Land Use Vision Parliament govern planning INFRASTRUCTURE situated on the site of the for the increasingly popular which has been cited as former Jolly Roger nightclub Centennial Park. Commercial holding back economic growth. The Federal Minister in May that has sat idle for years. released the technical study operations to meet the You might know a monster into Wilton’s suitability as a The ABC reported in May that operating budget shortfall will home when you see it, but second Sydney airport. The there was a poor turnout to also need to be investigated. Ottawa’s city planners are study concludes that the community meetings aimed at TRANSPORT having a tough time figuring getting feedback on the Lower out how to explain in legally development of an airport at The Minister for Transport Wilton is possible, but would Hunter discussion paper enforceable language what outlining development plans in announced in late May that makes a new house so ugly it involve environmental and construction work would be engineering challenges. the Hunter Valley over the next shouldn’t be allowed, according 20 years. Local MPs who were ramping up with the granting to the Ottawa Citizen. Meanwhile, Sydney Airport in attendance noted that there of the second North West has released the draft version Rail link planning approval. Is Vancouver too wrapped up were concerns with the plans in planning? The Globe and of its latest 20 year ‘Master and the potential impacts that The SMH has reported that Plan’ which it will present to remote-controlled trains will Mail recently reported on an they could have and that it was upcoming vote on whether to the federal government by the vital that the community has be introduced across parts of end of the year. Sydney. The first will be the spend $2.4 million on the next input into the plans, urging phase of the work program to The City of Sydney has residents to attend upcoming north-west rail line, connecting Rouse Hill to Chatswood. inform a future decision on the announced a record planned meetings. removal of a series of viaducts infrastructure program The NSW Government has In June the Federal Minister which create “a gap in the costing almost $2 billion passed legislation to privatise for Transport announced that urban fabric” and present an according to the SMH. the Port of Newcastle. The the Moorebank Intermodal opportunity to “correct a past Terminal was opened for planning wrong”.. registrations of interest Snapped… The Giant Awakening.

Stephen McMahon, Director Inspire Urban Design + Planning news

Signs that Sydney is awakening from its 16 year slumber are beginning to emerge. As a free gift to readers, in this edition of New Planner we offer you a handy tear out and keep memento of Sydney in July 2013 as a souvenir of this important occasion. We will revisit these views every 5 years in July 2018 and July 2023 to document the changes. So keep up your subscriptions, so you don’t miss out on the collection over the next 10 years.

Photo 1: Sydney’s Monorail, Market Street. The first to change. By the time you read this, demolition should have commenced and the streetscape will be liberated, or be boring, depending on your view. Photo 2: Barangaroo, from Pyrmont Bay Park. The first tower finally emerges out of the mud, and out of the controversy. The new headland park has also commenced construction. Photo 3: The New Leppington Town Centre, from the bridge across the South West Rail Link at Eastwood Road. Alas don’t expect much change here in the foreseeable future. Land ownership is highly fragmented. Photo 1

Photo 2 Photo 3

newplanner | SEPTEMBER 2013 | 35