Planning chiefs hail smarter, simpler scheme, Kelsey Munro Urban Affairs, December 7, 2011
It’s a start, but all the tough decisions are yet to be made. That’s the industry verdict on the state government’s “once-in-a-generation” overhaul of the state’s moribund Planning Act.
The Planning Minister, Brad Hazzard, yesterday released a wide-ranging issues paper that pulled together months of community consultations by review chairmen Ron Dyer and Tim Moore, confirming that the 30-year-old planning system was broken beyond repair.
Rowan Moore, Kevin McCloud’s grand design for British Housing, Guardian 19 Nov 2011
‘The Triangle is in a tradition of model villages beloved of aristocrats, princes, of Brad Pitt in New Orleans and the Bordeaux sugar-cube manufacturer who commissioned workers’ housing from Le Corbusier. Such places can be over-scripted, too much about fulfilling their makers’ picture-book fantasies about contented communities. There is a whiff of this with Hab’s gooey talk about “making people happy”, although they are conscious of the need not to over-control. “If they decide they don’t want to grow food and just want to park cars, we’d be a bit upset,” says Isabel Allen, but in the end it will be up to the residents. Maggie Lowton sounds a note of caution by citing other communities in Swindon that started well but went downhill. No amount of forethought and attention to detail can guarantee the success of the Triangle. But at the very least it is an imaginative and well-designed project, which achieves about as much as can be done with its budget. It focuses on what matters most and gives itself the best chance of success. Which is far more rare than it should be in British house building and a much better application of celebrity philanthropy than most.’
Climate change science being stifled by NSW Labor bureaucrats, Malcolm Holland From: The Daily Telegraph December 02, 2011
SENIOR bureaucrats in the state government’s environment department have routinely stopped publishing scientific papers which challenge the federal government’s claims of sea level rises threatening Australia’s coastline, a former senior public servant said yesterday.
Doug Lord helped prepare six scientific papers which examined 120 years of tidal data from a gauge at Fort Denison in Sydney Harbour.
The Next Wave of Modernism: Healing Urban Landscapes, Asladirt, November 23, 2011
“The first wave of modernism was about beauty and sensuality, but the second wave may be about confrontation – confronting the mistakes of the past,” said Brad McKee, Editor, Landscape Architecture Magazine, at The Second Wave of Modernism II: Landscape Complexity and Transformation, a day-long conference organized by the Cultural Landscape Foundation at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York City. McKee described the changes that have overcome American cities: the rise of global competition and the decline of large-scale manufacturing, the mass number of companies and people who fled industrial waterfronts, leaving toxic wastelands. “This is the industrial legacy designers confront.”
He added that toxic brownfield sites have proliferated over the years with devastating but often undiagnosed effects on families. The idea that human health and the built environment are linked has only been gaining steam in the past 10 years. But now at least, “obesity, diabetes, asthma, depression, anxiety can all be attributed to factors in the environment.” For McKee, the public is also now skeptical about “big ideas”, grand concepts imposed by policymakers and designers. Urban dwellers can see the damage these ideas can cause so the next waves of Modernism in cities may focus more on “places for people,” and integrating public health and ecological sustainability into design.
Coding for Character: The Architecture of Community, Howard Blackson, April, 29 2001.
My career as an urban designer has been spent, not surprisingly, doing what urban designers do: crafting plans and regulations for municipalities to build great places. A side effect of this, much to my wonderful wife’s chagrin, is that whenever we travel I remain ‘on the job,’ annoyingly interrupting her shopping with some variation of: “Would you look at that terminated vista!”
She walks away as I take 37 pictures of “the enclosure!”
We willingly pay thousands of dollars to travel long distances to soak in the ‘character’ of wonderful places. My wife intuitively knows that the shopping will rarely disappoint, and I know that these places are invigorating, inspiring and flat out illegal to build in my home town. “continue reading“
Population growth and sustainability, Dr Bob Birrell, Monash University, December 08, 2010
This paper explores the role of population growth in the prospects for a sustainable economy and society in Australia. It deals separately with ecological and social issues. On the former it concludes that should Australia’s population reach the ‘Big Australia’ projection of 35.9 million by 2050, this will not put serious pressure on Australia’s non-renewable resource stock or capacity to feed the nation. However such population growth will make the task of reducing greenhouse emissions very difficult. On the social dimension, quality of life issues (including congestion, urban redevelopment and competition for amenity) are a major factor in public concerns about sustainability. The evidence suggests that most people think population growth is a major cause of these problems. State government moves to increase urban density in order to cope with additional capital city residents are likely to exacerbate these quality of life concerns.
Rising sea levels will swamp parts of Sydney, Tom Arup, Environment Correspondent, December 16, 2010
A number of Sydney suburbs will be inundated regularly because of climate change-driven sea-level rises, threatening homes and community infrastructure worth billion of dollars by the end of the century, new projections show.
In the first detailed attempt to study the impacts of sea-level rises on low-lying coastal areas and help local government planning, the government has released high-resolution maps that show the areas in Sydney and the central coast most under threat from sea-level rises.
What makes a suburban street feel safe enough to walk down?, Pamela Medlen, Tue Nov 2, 2010
You’ve probably never asked yourself how many gnomes make a good neighbourhood or how many pretty letterboxes and neat lawns it takes to make you feel safe walking down a street.
Sarah Foster from UWA’s Centre for Built Environment and Health has and she has the answers.
Australia’s biodiversity conservation strategy sets national targets for 2015, Ministry of Environment, Water, Population and Communities, October 27, 2010.
AUSTRALIA’S BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION STRATEGY
SETS NATIONAL TARGETS FOR 2015
Tony Burke, Minister for Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities, today released Australia’s new strategy for biodiversity conservation on behalf of the Natural Resource Management Ministerial Council.
Australia’s Biodiversity Conservation Strategy 2010–2030 sets 10 targets to measure the nation’s progress in protecting our natural environment. Continue reading.
A faster way to find data about your local goverment area, ABS, September 3, 2010.
On 29 April 2010 a new and improved issue of the National Regional Profile (NRP) was released to the ABS website. This is the first time the NRP has been released using a Google map based interface, making it easier to find data for your local government area and other regions. The NRP contains a range of interesting social and economic data items from the ABS and non-ABS sources. Data is grouped into four key topics: Economy, Population/People, Industry and Environment/Energy. Data is available in a five years time series (where available) for the period from 2004 to 2008. This edition includes several new datasets that will be of interest to local government.
Finding your local government area
The new NRP entry point makes it easier to find your local government area using familiar Google features. There are several ways to find your local government area. You can use the address search box to type a specific address, a locality (suburb or town) or the name of your local government area; use the map and zoom in and out to find your region; or pick your region from the tab that lists local government areas by name. Continue reading
Population and planning draw a crowd, Harvey Grennan, September 28, 2010.
Official reports calling for reform of the planning system are a regular event, but September must have set a record – four were unveiled in three weeks. One emanated from the federal Treasury and three from state government agencies.
The Red Book, given to incoming governments by Treasury, says that strong population growth is inevitable and two-thirds of it will be in capital cities. Continue reading
The big divide: the super rich versus struggle street, Jessica Irvine and Damien Murphy, October 6, 2010.
THUY DIENH manicures the nails of Mosman ladies and loves working for rich people.
For four years the 30-year-old manicurist from Fairfield has travelled east each work day to service the hands and feet of the well-heeled, and she has seen the nail salon business she works for blossom with the sharemarket and housing boom. Continue reading
Public loses all faith with planning process, Matthew Moore, September 21, 2010
COMMUNITIES across NSW are so frustrated and cynical about the planning system they doubt it is worth the effort of even engaging with it, according to a report funded by the Department of Planning.
It says a principal Planning Act objective of encouraging ”public involvement and participation” in the process has steadily eroded, leaving communities angry with consultation they often feel is simply tokenism. Continue Reading
Judge says to act on defamation allegations, The Industrtial Commission of NSW. August 17, 2010
THE Industrial Commission of NSW has recommended that Wagga Wagga Council take legal action for defamation over criticisms of its senior planners.
The deputy president of the commission, Justice John Grayson, said the council should seek legal advice as to whether the developer Peter Hurst and the Wagga Wagga Daily Advertiser had defamed a council employee. Continue reading
Guidelines could kill off coastal building, Kelsey Munro and Matthew Moore. August 20, 2010.
THOUSANDS of NSW coastal development sites may never be built on under new government guidelines directing councils to limit construction on beachfront and lakeside land under threat from rising sea levels.
The NSW Coastal Planning Guidelines, released today, encourage councils to reject development and rezoning applications on land deemed at risk. Continue reading
From ghetto to grove, a housing success story, Louise Hall. April 29, 2010.
THE Gordon Estate in Dubbo had long been a ghetto of welfare dependency, hopelessness and crime when it gained national notoriety with an alcohol-fuelled riot on New Year’s Day 2006.
That night, scenes of up to 100 Aborigines attacking two detectives, setting fire to a police car and destroying houses forced the NSW government to initiate one of the most ambitious social policy changes in years. Continue reading
Population growing at twice global average, Jacob Saulwick. March 26, 2010.
AUSTRALIA’S population is growing at twice the rate of the rest of the world, after crashing through 22 million late last year.
A demographic report shows the population grew at 2.1 per cent in the year to the end of September, outstripping the Philippines, Malaysia, India, Indonesia and Vietnam. The world population grew 1.1 per cent in the same period. Continue reading
Stimulus building chief in bid to take over NSW planning, Matthew Moore. April 19, 2010.
THE man in charge of spending $7 billion of federal stimulus funds says the program has been so successful his office should take over most of the state’s major planning decisions.
The infrastructure co-ordinator-general and chairman of the NSW National Building and Jobs Plan Taskforce, Bob Leece, says he will lodge a submission to a planning inquiry set up by the Premier, Kristina Keneally, last month arguing his office is well placed to handle big decisions because it is ”not political”. Continue reading
The incredible colossal homes: bigger than ever, Peter Martin Economics Correspondent. April 1, 2010.
NEW houses in NSW are an extraordinary 100 square metres bigger than they were a quarter of a century ago, according to the Bureau of Statistics.
In 1984 the average new NSW house was about 159 square metres, giving each of the people in it about 60 square metres of personal space.
Since then near-continuous growth has lifted the average new size to 269.5 metres, an Australian record giving each of the occupants an average of about 100 square metres each. Continue reading
Gone to pot: councils on brink of slashing services, Debra Jopson Regional Affairs. April 5, 2010.
Local government is suffering its worst financial crisis, with one in four NSW councils on the brink of being unable to pay for services they have an obligation to provide.
The president of the Shires Association, Bruce Miller, said the state government had forced councils to pay for essential services such as health, dental, childcare, waste recycling and policing, while severely restricting their income through rate-pegging. Continue reading
Population debate we have to have, SMH. March 29, 2010.
How big is too big? The former premier Bob Carr says Australia’s population should be capped at 28 million. A federal Labor backbencher, Kelvin Thomson, says 26 million. The Stable Population Party of Australia says 23 million. The Greens want an inquiry to settle the matter. The Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd, says there is no ideal number, just what Treasury projects will happen: 35 million by 2050. ”That’s what’s happening,” is Rudd’s relaxed reply. Continue reading
Practicing cautionary placemaking, urbanism and the Venetian Ghetto, Chuck. March 14 2010.
Australian urban designer Ruth Durack suggested earlier in the decade (with a passing reference to the Venetian Ghetto) that the urban village is dictated by a rigid form and function which clashes with fundamental principles of sustainablity. She argued for a more free-form of planning which recognizes multiple, interactive systems which cannot be dictated by static physical models, premised on the “cultures” of green (e.g., agri-, perma- and aqua-). Continue reading
Beachfront landowners win sandbag decision, Mathew Moore Urban Affairs Editor. February 3, 2010.
Beachfront landowners fighting to protect NSW properties threatened by coastal erosion have won another victory with the Land and Environment Court ordering Byron Bay Council to restore a sandbag wall to keep out the sea. Continue reading
Building approvals most difficult to attain in NSW, Brian Robins. January 21, 2010.
NSW is the worst-ranked state in Australia for handling development applications, yet it is building only half the number of homes needed to handle the expanding population.
The Property Council of Australia and the Residential Development Council gave NSW 5.2 out of 10 for its handling of applications, ranking it behind Queensland (5.8) and Victoria (6.8). The Northern Territory received the top ranking of 7.3. Continue reading
Strata hold-outs forced to sell under new plan, Paul Bibby Urban Affairs. January 16, 2010.
Individual apartment owners could be forced to sell their units to a developer if three-quarters of the other owners in their building want to do so, under a proposal from the Australian Property Council.
The council, which represents developers and large property owners, says strata title laws give too much power to individual owners, who can block the redevelopment even if every other title holder in the building wants to bring in the bulldozers. Continue reading
By George, this blight has to stop, for Sydney’s sake. January 14, 2010
One thing on which Sydneysiders can agree is that the increasingly squalid bits of our city are signs of urban blight that is spreading before our eyes.
Some blame Lord Mayor Clover Moore who has presided over much deterioration in her six years in office, and a dysfunctional State Government that has bled developers dry while putting up the ”closed for business” sign to hobble economic growth. Continue reading
Beachfront owners left high and dry by planning changes, Paul Bibby Urban Affairs. January 4, 2010
Holiday home owners across NSW will find themselves forbidden from making improvements as simple as building a new backyard toilet under planning rules introduced because of rising sea levels.
Coastal councils are rewriting their planning rules in response to new State Government policies discouraging the intensification of development in coastal areas. Continue reading
Ghetto coming to a suburb near you, Angela Kamper State Political Reporter. January 1, 2010.
Suburbs across NSW are in danger of becoming “mini ghettos” as the State Government pushes on with an unpopular $2.9 billion plan to integrate public housing.
An investigation by The Daily Telegraph has found residents are protesting against at least 48 projects stretching from Lake Macquarie in the north, through Sydney and down to Ulladulla on the Far South Coast.
Among the objections are what residents claim are an overload of units stacked on single blocks, not enough parking and significant overshadowing from two and three-storey apartment blocks on what have traditionally been streets of single-storey family homes. Continue reading
Capital City Strategic Planning Systems, Capitol Stategic planning sytems Brisbane. December 7, 2009
State and Territories will have capital city strategic plans by 2012 that meet national criteria for transport, housing, urban development and sustainability.
The national criteria will deliver better integrated and longer term – 30 year – infrastructure and land use plans. From 1 January 2012, the Commonwealth will link future infrastructure funding to States and Territories meeting these criteria. Continue reading
Burger off: no big Mac for Haberfield, Paul Bibby.December 10, 2009
Residents in the heart of Sydney’s Italian quarter have had a rare victory against McDonald’s, defeating the fast food chain’s plans for a franchise in their suburb.
For six months Haberfield residents flooded Ashfield Council with nearly 1000 letters and a 7000-signature petition, saying the proposed restaurant and drive-through was an inappropriate development that would clash with the region’s fine-food culture.
And the bombardment paid off on Tuesday night when the council voted unanimously to reject the proposal, citing noise and traffic issues. Contine reading
Ultimo site gets ultimate architect – Frank Gehry, Heath Gilmore.December 11, 2009
The acclaimed architect Frank Gehry, who creates buildings that ”look like a party of drunken robots got together to celebrate”, is about to unleash his vision for Sydney.
The University of Technology, Sydney yesterday announced that Mr Gehry, who designed the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain, will create a concept design to transform a former industrial site at Ultimo into a building of international repute.
The new Faculty of Business building will be the 80-year-old architect’s first in Australia, pending the university’s council approval of his finished concept design next year. The building, on the former Dairy Farmers site wedged between the ABC Ultimo Centre and the Powerhouse Museum, will house an estimated 2000 students and more than 400 academics. Continue reading
Federal moves to guide growth of big cities, Phillip Coorey Chief Political Correspondent. October 28, 2009
Future federal funding for capital works will be contingent on the states agreeing to a set of conditions that will enable major cities to cope with Australia’s forecast population explosion and make them better places to live.
In a speech last night to the Business Council of Australia, the Prime Minister said the Commonwealth would take the lead role on the future planning of cities and it would use funding as a lever to get its way.
”With Australia facing rapid growth in the decades ahead, the time has now come for the Australian Government to take a much greater national responsibility for improving the long-term planning of our major cities,” Mr Rudd said. Continue reading
Beachfront properties may not get cover, Marian Wilkinson. October 27, 2009
The Insurance Council of Australia says that no area of the country is ”red flagged” to prevent beachfront home owners obtaining insurance but it is already difficult, if not impossible, to insure against coastal erosion or what are called ”saltwater risks”.
And if you have insurance, keeping it if you live near the beachfront may become increasingly difficult as climate change puts a growing number of properties under threat from sea level rise and more frequent storm surges.
Members of the federal parliamentary coastal communities committee found insurance policies that contained general exclusions for “saltwater risks”. One policy noted: “We will not pay for damage caused by erosion or subsidence … or as a result of erosion, vibration, subsidence, landslip, landslide, mudslide, collapse, shrinkage or any other earth movement.” Continue reading
Councils ‘damned’ on coastal plans, Matthew Moore Urban Affairs Editor. October 27, 2009
A lack of appropriate laws regulating Australian coastal development in the climate change era has left councils legally exposed whether they approve or reject development applications, according to a landmark report.
The House of Representatives report, Managing Our Coastal Zone in a Changing Climate, has backed a submission from the National Sea Change Taskforce which said coastal councils were ”damned if they do and damned if they do not” approve developments in parts of the coast they believe are vulnerable to future sea level rises.
”If they approve it there could be a liability down the track if it becomes affected and inundated by rising sea levels and the attendant severe weather events,” the taskforce said. Continue reading
High tide for housing, Marian Wilkinson Environment Editor. October 19, 2009
The NSW Premier will give beachfront property owners threatened by coastal erosion and sea level rises more rights to build sea walls and barriers to protect homes, despite fears it will severely damage some of the Australia’s best beaches.
Announcing the new measures today, the Government will name 19 ”hot spot” beaches where owners are under threat from coastal erosion.
They include Sydney’s northern beaches – Collaroy, Narrabeen, Mona Vale and Bilgola – Batemans Bay and Mollymook to the south, and Pearl Beach, MacMasters, Old Bar, Lennox Head and Byron Bay’s Belongil to the north. Continue reading
Byron council to vote on demolishing seafront homes, Brian Robins. September 10, 2009
Byron Shire Council is pushing ahead with plans to demolish a number of seafront houses it says are most affected by coastal erosion.
It will seek approval at a council meeting today. The plan is likely to inflame relations with the State Government, strained since the Government instructed the council not to finalise its local environment plan before the Government’s coastal management plan is completed.
The demolition proposal amounts to the council taking control of the properties without paying compensation. Continue reading
Residents take Catherine Hill Bay fight to minister, Damon Cronshaw. September 9, 2009
Pressure is mounting on Planning Minister Kristina Keneally to overturn a NSW Government rezoning approval for housing at Catherine Hill Bay and Gwandalan.
Ms Keneally said yesterday that she would meet Catherine Hill Bay and Gwandalan residents today, in response to a crucial Land and Environment Court decision last Monday.
Catherine Hill Bay Progress Association president Sue Whyte said: “We want the zoning changed.”
Developer Rose Group said people asking the Government to revoke the zoning should consider the facts. Continue reading
Councils will ‘come around’ to planning panels, ABC News. July 6, 2009
The New South Wales Government says it is confident its regional planning panels will start making development decisions within the next few months, despite some of the north-west region’s councils being reluctant to join the scheme.
Two local government representatives will join three state-appointed members on the panels to assess development applications over $10 million.
Several councils in New England’s north-west have expressed reservations about the proposal, with some still to sign up for the scheme, warning it is undemocratic and weighted in favour of Government appointees. Continue Reading
Byron Bay beachfront goes begging, Brian Robins. June 2, 2009
Severe erosion threatens as many as 16 homes and could force an opening between the sea and the Belongil estuary. This would open the way for catastrophic flooding in Byron Bay town,with damages running to tens of millions of dollars.
A temporary restraining wall was built earlier this decade by Byron Shire. But the Greens-dominated council has brought an injunction against Mr Vaughan to stop him upgrading the wall in front of his house to match the standards of those protecting his neighbours. Continue Reading
‘Naked streets’ proposed for Sydney CBD
Some major thoroughfares in Sydney’s C-B-D may soon be 10 kilometre-an-hour zones without traffic lights.
The proposal for ‘Naked streets’ is based on an idea which began in the Netherlands in the 1980s.
It involves pedestrians, traffic and businesses sharing the space in between buildings.
The proposal is being put forward by the Sydney City Council for some of the city’s major streets including Pitt and Castlereagh Streets.
Councillor John McInerney says a similar scheme is already being implemented with success in Barrack Street. Continue Reading
Rejected pub expansion paves way for test case, Paul Bibby. May 13, 2009
The City of Sydney has refused two applications from one of the biggest pubs in Kings Cross, setting the scene for a test case on councils’ rights to reject development applications from hotels if an area has too many already.
The council has rejected the Empire Hotel’s applications for a rooftop bar and a licensed cafe, which would increase its capacity by about 15 per cent. The motion for refusal said “Darlinghurst Road … has reached a saturation of licensed premises” and “approval of the application would have negative social and environmental impacts”. Continue Reading
High-growth regions seek cap exemptions, Harvey Grennan. April 28, 2009
NEARLY 30 councils have told the Department of Planning they will be unable to provide roads, parks, sporting facilities or libraries if forced to comply with a cap of $20,000 per block on contributions from land developers.
The Local Government and Shires Associations have called on the State Government to give serious consideration to applications from councils to exceed the cap. The applications are due to be decided by the Minister for Planning, Kristina Keneally, this week. Continue reading
ABS data shows record number of first home owners entering market. April 8, 2009
ABS Housing Finance data released today shows the Rudd Government’s Nation Building Economic Stimulus Plan is continuing to deliver a much-needed boost to the housing sector with a record number of loans to first home owners in February.
Figures for the month of February show that the number of loans grew by 0.4 per cent compared to January – the fifth consecutive month of growth. Continue reading
3pm deadline for proposals for 3000 new social housing homes. April 9, 2009
The NSW and Federal Governments are reminding builders that they have till 3pm today to submit projects for funding as part of the Federal Government’s Nation Building and Stimulus Plan for social housing.
NSW Housing Minister David Borger the Government was looking to add around 3,000 new homes for social housing by buying private land with the potential for residential development. Continue reading
New laws to protect Aboriginal artefacts, Andrew Clennell State Political Editor. April 16, 2009
THE Government will introduce fines of up to $1.1 million and a “strict liability” offence to prevent developers and others from damaging Aboriginal artefacts and claiming they were unaware they were committing an offence.
The decision, made in cabinet this week, came from proposals by the Environment Minister, Carmel Tebbutt, and after the Herald this month revealed a lack of action under laws which were supposed to protect items and places of Aboriginal heritage. Continue reading
Time frames a ‘distortion’, Harvey Grennan. April 14, 2009
THE Government’s claim that the new housing code will cut development approval times by an average of 110 days is “a gross distortion”, said the Mayor of Hills Shire Council, Larry Bolitho.
Cr Bolitho said the Government’s figures gave an average existing processing time for the state’s 152 councils of 74 days. Part of that 74 days could be discounted because development applications must be exhibited publicly for between 14 and 30 days before they can be assessed. Continue reading
How city living can be affordable, Harvey Grennan. April 14, 2009
DEVELOPERS have come up with a four-point plan for councils to make housing close to the city more affordable.
Responding to a statement by capital city lord mayors, the chief executive of the Urban Taskforce, Aaron Gadiel, said developers had been trying to get more affordable housing close to cities for years. Continue reading
