Carlton Public Realm Proposal (PLAN10002 Introduction to Urban Design and Planning Sem II 2017)

Public Realm Proposal SITE Area, Carlton North

Nancy Yoo 832 428 PLAN10002 Introduction to Urban Design and Planning Semester 2, 2017 - Assignment 3

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Introduction

Contents Introduction

1

Vision, Summary of Issues and Objectives

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Strategies Objective 1 Objective 2 Objective 3

5 6 7

Design Plans Greening Plan Open Space Plans Shared Zone Plan

8 9 10

Timeline References

Melbourne General Cemetery

RMIT University

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Australian Catholic University

12 Melbourne CBD

500m

Figure 1.1: SITE Area in Greater Melbourne

THE SITE

The chosen field for investigation is situated in the northern inner city suburb of Carlton - approximately 2 km of Melbourne’s CBD. The SITE Area is bounded by Swanston Street to the West, Lytton Street to the North, Lygon Street to the East and Faraday Street to the South.

The area is approximately 14.5 hectares and is characterised by medium to high residential zoning.

The suburb of Carlton has high concentration of university students due to its close proximity to three universities and is directly adjacent to the University of Melbourne Parkville Campus.

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Demographics

Local Context

Data Sources: Unless indicated otherwise, all demographic statistical data has been sourced from the 2016 Census Data gathered by the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

Due to the unavailability of data for a smaller area which would be more appropriate for our SITE, demographic information concerning the SITE Area is based on analysis at a State Suburb Level (SSC) statistical area. The selected SITE or Field Investigation Area is located within the suburb of Carlton.

200m

Fig 1.2: Map of SITE Area within Carlton (SSC) Map Data: (Google Maps, 2017 & ABS, 2016)

Key Demoraphic Indicators

Carlton State Suburb (SSC)

Carlton has a population of 18,535. The proportion of female to male residents was 54% to 46% respectively.

Field Investigation Area

The majority of residents (31.6%) are aged between 20 and 24.

Children, aged between 0 and 14, made up 5.9%. Residents over the age of 65 made up 5.9%.

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61.8% of Carlton’s residents were enrolled in an educational institution in 2016. The majority of these enrolments are at a tertiary or technical institution at 72.8%.

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In Carlton, 60.2% of households, the majority, had no registered motor vehicle.

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Of all households in Carlton, 30.9% were family households, 43.5% were single person households and 25.6% were groups.

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Figure 1.3: High Density (>20) of Vulnerable Residents (<5 OR >74 years of age) Data: Carlton Urban Forest Precinct Plan (2013)

Figure 1.4 (Left): Age Group Distribution in Carlton

31.6% 13.9%

16.4%

13.4%

5.9% 0 - 14

5.7%

6.8%

15 - 19 20 - 24 25 - 29 30 - 39 40 - 49 50 - 64 Age Group

5.9% 65 +

Historical Context and Built Form The historical context of the SITE area has a strong influence on the built form and the character of the public realm today. Carlton’s development occurred during the 1850’s to 1890’s - a time when Victorian Era-Style planning and architecture was prominent (William, 1985). The majority of developments in the study area are terrace houses on small, tightly packed land parcels (See Fig. 1.5).

There are several overlays that protect the built form of these structures and preserve the character of the streets including: The Heritage Overlay (HO1) designed to protect buildings with historical significance in the area.

Planning Permit is needed to make any changes to the developments (DELWP, 2017).

The Design and Development Plan Overlay (DDO48) enforces a mandatory interim height limit of 10.5 meters to any developments in the two blocks south of Elgin Street (See Fig. 1.9). This is to preserve an environment with high pedestrian amenity along Lygon Street and Faraday Street. It keeps development consistent with the existing buildings and retains sunlight and sky views along the street (DELWP, 2017).

Another common planning practice was to design large public square gardens (William, 1985). There are very few open spaces or green areas at the fine-grain street level within the SITE area, but several large square gardens can be observed spread out throughout the rest of the Carlton suburb (See Fig 1.6).

This type of development has resulted in a high ground plot coverage or a high proportion of impermeable surfaces.

Streetscape Design The streetscape in the SITE is designed to allow as many onstreet parking spaces as possible.

Consequently, strips of perpendicular parking are commonplace in the area. This type of parking requires the most space for access way as outlined by the Parking Design Standards in the Victorian Planning Scheme. In some streets, the road widths well exceed the required dimensions.

Additionally several streets further into the residential zone to the north, particularly laneways and areas that have undergone redevelopment, do not have sufficient lighting for good visibility during the night. This type of road geometry creates a street scale that is unfriendly and potentially unsafe for pedestrians and cyclists.

The SITE area is also subject to a Parking Overlay (PO12) which enforces a maximum parking rate of 1 parking space per dwelling.

This overlay covers the entire field investigation area (DELWP, 2017).

Changing Context Several urban renewal and community development projects have been implemented in the SITE area.

Carlton Housing Redevelopment The Carlton Housing Redevelopment aimed to provide mixed public and private housing and community facilities for Carlton residents. In December 2015, 50 public housing units and 200 private apartments were completed on the Keppel/Cardigan Street Development Site (See DP08 public housing precincts in Figure ) (Department of Human Services, 2017).

Figure 1.5: Aerial Image of Typical Block in SITE Area (Source: Google Maps, 2017)

Plot Cover Analysis Total Block Area 7920m Impervious Area : Pervious Area 7570m : 350m Total Block Coverage (Ground) ~95%

Figure 1.7: Lygon Street Commercial Strip (Subject to the HO1 and DDO48 Overlay) (Source: Google Maps, 2017)

Fig 1.6 Map of Public Open Spaces within Carlton (SSC) and SITE Area Map Data: (Google Maps, 2017 & ABS, 2016)

Carlton State Suburb (SSC) Field Investigation Area

Figure 1.8: Cardigan Street / Cardigan Street Housing Redevelopment (Subject to the DP08 Overlay)

Public Open Spaces

(Taken by Nancy Yoo, 2017)

Fig 1.9: Existing Overlays

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100m

100m

HO

Heritage Overlay

PO

Parking Overlay

DPO

Development Plan Overlay

DDO

Design and Development Overlay

SITE Area

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Fig 1.10: Existing Zoning

GRZ1

General Residential Zone 1

GRZ2

General Residential Zone 2

RGZ

Residential Growth Zone

MUZ

Mixed Use Zone

C1Z

Commercial 1 Zone

PUZ2

Public Use Zone Education

PUZ3 RDZ1

100m

100m

Public Use Zone Health and Community Road Use - Category 1

SITE Area

Summary of Issues & Proposals Issues Low permeability â&#x20AC;&#x201C; caused by the number and type of on street parking which requires wide roads.

This further limits pedestrian function during the day.

The Carlton SITE Proposal is consistent with the objectives of previously To foster a healthy established government policies community through a sustain- including: Vision

ably desiged neighbourhood with green, vibrant, tree lined streets and open spaces

Low quantity and quality of open spaces - There is a need for more green open spaces at the street/ neighbourhood level. Additionally existing open spaces have poor visual and auditory buffers from the busy roads adjacent to them.

Objective 1: Update the supply and management of on-street parking spaces Action 1.1: Investigate opportunities to switch to angled parking and gradually reduce number of car spaces in the medium to long term.

Pedestrian and cycling routes are inconsistent and of poor quality

Objective 2: Deliver new green open spaces and canopy cover Action 2.1 : Introduce more greening and increase tree planning into the r eclaimed road space Action 2.2 : Reconfigure Keppel Street to deliver a new linear park Action 2.3: Reconfigure Cardigan Street to deliver a new linear park Objective 3: Improve cycling and pedestrian amenities Action 3.1: Improve and extend the existing on-road cycling network Action 3.2: Create new shared zones

City of Melbourne Bicycle Plan (2016) City of Melbourne Walking Plan (2014) Urban Forest Strategy (2012) Carlton Urban Forest Precinct Strategy (2013) City of Melbourne Open Space Strategy (2012) City Of Melbourne Road Safety Plan (2013) Melbourne Planning Scheme (2017)

Objective 1: Update the supply and management of on-street parking spaces

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Decreasing the amount of impervious surfaces in the street is also an environmental and social health concern.

The Carlton Urban Forest Precinct Plan (2013) has identified many streets in the SITE Area as temperature hotspots (See Fig. 2.1).

Such high temperature are caused by the ‘urban heat island effect’ due to the dominant impervious hard surfaces that prevents natural cooling (City of Melbourne, 2012). If these conditions persist, vulnerable populations are at increased risk of heat related illness during heat waves and other extreme weather events (City of Melbourne, 2012).

Hot

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The road will be reclaimed by changing the layout of the current layout of the on street parking from perpendicular to 45 degree or parallel parking. These types of parking will required less accessway and will slowing reduce the total number of parking space without severely restricting motor vehicle access.

Action 1.1: Investigate opportunities to switch to angled parking and gradually reduce number of car spaces in the medium to long term.

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The current road geometry of the main streets within the SITE feature several design elements that decreases road safety for all who use the streets – including motorists.

Studies have shown that reducing the road width and lateral clearance encourages drivers to drive more carefully and at slower speeds which is particularly important around wide corners, such as the one at Cardigan and Lytton Street (Edquist, Rudin-Brown & Lenne, 2009). Creating room for other street activities such as trees and separated bike lanes are also important as they increase the peripheral visual flow (Edquist, Rudin-Brown & Lenne, 2009). This encourages drivers and other road users to be more aware of their surroundings and decreases the chance of underestimated their own driving speeds (Edquist, RudinBrown & Lenne, 2009).

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The on street car parking currently visually dominates the public streetscape. Fortunately, the wide streets in the SITE area open up opportunity to reclaim road space to completely transform the streetscape to implement and improve cyclist and pedestrian amenities and increase green cover.

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Why is this being proposed?

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Reclaiming Road Space

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Proposed parking types in SITE area

Typical parking type in SITE area

Figure 2.1 (Above Left): Hot Streets and Very Hot Streets Data: Carlton Urban Forest Precinct Plan (2013)

Figure 2.2 (Above Right): Aerial Image of SITE Area 4.9 m

3.5 m

3.6 m 4.9 m

4.9 m

6.7 m 2.6 m

2.6 m

4.8 m - 6.4 m 4.9 m 2.6 m - 3.2 m

Fig 2.3 (Left): Minimum dimensions of car parking space and accessways (Data: Victorian Planning Scheme Clause 52.06)

2.3 m

Accessway width Car space length Car space width

Parallel Parking

(Source: Nearmap, 2017)

45 Parking

60 Parking

90 (Perpendicular) Parking

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Objective 2: Deliver new green open spaces and canopy cover

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Figure 3.2: Streets with a Tree Canopy of more than 20% & Priority Greening Street identified by the Carlton Community Canopy +20% Priority Greening Streets Proposed Priority Greening Streets

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Data: Carlton Urban Forest Precinct Plan (2013)

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SITE Area

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Existing Canopy

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Exiting Open Space Opportunity for new open space

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Action 2.3: Reconfigure Cardigan Street to deliver a new linear park

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Figure 3.1: Existing tree canopy and existing and opportunity for open spaces identified in SITE area

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Action 2.2 : Reconfigure Keppel Street to deliver a new linear park

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Lytton Street and Keppel Street remained unassessed for tree planting. In addition to the Precinct Plan, these streets will also become priority areas for greening and tree planting supplementary to the new open spaces and road reclaim that will occur in these streets (See Fig 3.2).

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The Open Space Strategy endorses the implementation of new local open spaces within ‘wide road reserves’. This same opportunity arises from the road space in the SITE area that may be reclaimed (See Objective 1). Within the SITE area, Cardigan Street and Keppel Street have been identified as streets that are suitable. These streets are similar to those identified in the Open Space Strategy as appropriate for introducing new local open spaces – they are wide local roads that are not major transport corridors and have many commuter parking spaces.

Action 2.1 : Introduce more greening and increase tree planting into the reclaimed road space

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The Carlton Urban Forest Precinct Plan (2013) has prioritised areas and streets in the SITE area. The street prioritised for 2017 to 2019 a re Swanston Street and Cardigan Street. Tree planting will take place in the reclaimed road spaces in created road medians and along p edestrian footpaths (See Objective 1) in accordance with this Plan.

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The City of Melbourne’s Open Space Strategy (2012) has identified the Study Area as part of a sub precinct for proposed Local and Small Local open space to complement the growing community following the Carlton North Housing Redevelopment. New spaces with easy links from Elgin Street are highly encouraged.

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Tree Planting and Greening

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New Open Spaces

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Figure 3.3: Tree Replacements required within the next 10 years Data: Carlton Urban Forest Precinct Plan (2013)

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Objective 3: Improve cycling and pedestrian amenities

Cycling Network Action 3.1: Improve and extend the existing on-road cycling network

The Road Safety Plan (2013) endorses the improvement of safety for cyclists by seperating bike lanes from cars lanes by road medians , through elevation or by placing the lanes on the outer edges behind parking lanes.

Pedestrian Network Action 3.2: Create new shared zones

The existing bike lanes will be improved through this method throughout the SITE area. Additionally, new bike lanes will be inttoduced into streets to improved the completedness and consistency of the cycling network.

This same technique will be used to better the laneways in the SITE area. Waterloo Street and Palmerston Place which are currently a separated road layout will be converted to shared zones.

The City of Melbourneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Walking Plan has proposed an improvement to Melbourneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s iconic laneway network in the CBD by changing these unfriendly laneways into shared zones.

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There are several narrow laneways between the network of wide streets in the SITE area. Currently, the footpaths and the road are separated within these spaces. In a separated road layout, laneways are very narrow and movement for both motor vehicles and pedestrians is uncomfortable. It is also difficult to introduce trees and other pedestrian activities into this type of setting.

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Proposed changes to the public street space in this report aim to prioritise pedestrians and cyclist in the SITE area.

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Figure 4.1: Proposed changes to the cycling and pedestrian network in SITE are New bicycle route Upgraded bicycle route Improved pedestrian route

Design Plans

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Lytton Street Greening Plan

Median

Footpath

Median

Footpath

Bike

Bike

Median

Parking

Traffic

Median

Traffic

Parking

30 metres

Proposed

Diagonal

Diagonal

Figure 5.3: Artistic Representation of Proposed Tree Planting on Lytton Street Reserve

Parking

Traffic

Median

Parking

Bike

Traffic

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Figure 5.5: Potential typical street section for Lytton Street in the long Term

Figure 5.2: Lytton Street (Taken by Nancy Yoo, Aug 2017)

Existing

Figure 5.4: Potential typical street section for Lytton Street in the short to medium term

Median

Stage 2 - Long Term Planning for when car use is dramatically reduced in the area: Repaint the parking lines to change to parallel parking. This will reduce parking space by approximately 30% Install road median between parking strips and cycling lanes to increase cyclist safety and increase green cover.

30 metres

Bike

Figure 5.1: Existing typical street section of Lytton Street

Footpath

Footpath

Median

Parking

Traffic

Traffic

Parking

30 metres

P

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Footpath

Additionally, the Lytton Street Reserve will be improved with more tree planting. This will provide a better visual buffer from the busy Cemetery Road and the Melbourne General Cemetery.

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Footpath

Lytton Street is one of the areas the lowest amount of green cover in the SITE area. Reduced parking and reclaimed space will be used to plant more high canopy cover trees and increase bike paths which the street does not currently have.

Increased vegetation cover will provide shade and natural cooling to the public space.

Stage 1 - Short to Medium Term The short to medium term changes will involve: Install green painted cycling lanes Repaint the parking lines to change to 45 angled parking. This will reduce parking spaces by approximately 30%.

Install road median down the centre of the road to reduce crossing distance and introduce new tree canopy.

Parking

Parking

Figure 5.6: Proposed Road Design and Canopy Cover for Lytton Street (Base Image: Google Maps, 2017)

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Cardigan Street Linear Park Plan

Footpath

Figure 6.3: Existing street section of Cardigan Street

4. Consult the Local Community members (See Fig 6.1) on the parkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s design

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Footpath

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4. Install features such as trees, benches and lights into the park Traffic

Residential Developments

Traffic

Melbourne Toy Library

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Footpath

Bike

Traffic

Traffic

Bike

30 metres

Bike

Cardigan St

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Parking

3. Elevate and move cycling lane outside the parallel parking to provide a physical barrier.

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Carlton Housing Redevelopment Project

Parking

Mixed Private/Public Apartments

Footpath

2. Create an urban park down the centre of the street

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Parking

1. Reclaim perpendicular parking strip down the centre of the road and some of the accessway

reet

It is an ideal location for a community meeting place as it will provide community service to the residents of the new higher density developments.It is also in close proximity to the Melbourne Toy Library and the Australian College of Optometry.

Implementation for the Long Term

30 metres

Figure 6.4: Potential typical street section for Cardigan Street in the long Term Residential Developments

Australian College of Optometry

Figure 6.1: Proposed Keppel Street Park Context Map

Figure 6.2: Cardigan Street (Taken by Nancy Yoo, Aug 2017)

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Keppel Street Linear Park Plan

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Proposed

Footpath

Parking Park

Bike 30 metres

Figure 7.4: Proposed street section for Keppel Street

Existing

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Residential Developments

6. Install features such as trees, benches and lights into the park

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Traffic

5. Consult the Local Community members (i.e. St Jude’s Church) on the park’s design.

PERMIT ZONE

Traffic

3. Install an Urban Park in the remaining space 4. Install elevated green painted cycling lane between the park and the road

Street

St. Jude’s Anglican Church

Figure 7.3: Existing typical street section of Keppel Street Street

Footpath

Palmersto n

30 metres

Parking

Figure 7.1: Keppel Street from Lygon Street (Google Maps, 2017)

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Parking

2. Preserve the parallel parking and one lane of traffic for the residential developments on the west side Keppel Street.

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Footpath

1. Reconfigure parking space behind St Jude Anglican Church from Keppel Street to Palmerston and Lygon Street

Lygon Str eet

A new linear park will be introduced into Keppel Street (south of Palmerston Street). Currently, the street primarily functions as more of a parking lot than a useful throughway for traffic. It is an ideal location for a community space as it is adjacent to a local church and the Lygon Street commercial area.

It can also be easily accessed from Elgin Street in alignment with the objectives in the Open Space Strategy.

Steps for Implementation

PERMIT ZONE

Elgin Street

Figure 7.2: Proposed Keppel Street Park Context Map

Lygon Street Commercial Zone

Figure 7.5: Artistic Representation of Proposed Keppel Street Park (view looking south from Palmerston Street)

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Action

Laneway Shared Zone Plan Formal shared zones will be established in Palmerston Place and Waterloo Street. The speed limit for shared laneways is typically 10km/h. Motorists and cyclist must give ways to pedestrians in the s hared zone indicated at the beginning and end through signage.

Actions for Implementation: 1. The laneways will be repaved and made even.

2. Shared Zone signage will be placed at the street ends according to the Planning Scheme requirements 3. Street Lights will be installed 4. Trees will be planted where possible

Medium Term

Objective 1: Update the supply and management of on-street parking spaces

Action 1.1: Investigate opportunities to switch to angled parking and gradually reduce number of car spaces.

Objective 2: Deliver new green open spaces and canopy cover

Figure 8.1: Waterloo Street (Google Maps, 2017) Action 2.1 : Introduce more greening and increase tree planting into the reclaimed road space

Action 2.2 : Reconfigure Keppel Street to deliver a new linear park

Action 2.3: Reconfigure Cardigan Street to deliver a new linear park

Shared Zone

Figure 8.2: Palmerston Place (Google Maps, 2017)

Existing

Short Term

Proposed

Objective 3: Improve cycling and pedestrian amenities

Action 3.1: Improve and extend the existing on-road cycling network

Action 3.2: Create new shared zones / laneways

Long Term

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References Government Publications

Other

City of Melbourne. (2013). CARLTON URBAN FOREST PRECINCT PLAN 2013 – 2023. Melbourne: City of Melbourne.

Edquist. J., Rudin-Brown. C., & Lenne.

M. (2009). Road Design Factors and Their Interactions with Speed and Speed Limits. Melbourne: Monash University Accident Research Centre. Retrieved from https://www.monash.edu/_data /assets/pdf_file/0007/216727/ muarc298.pdf

City of Melbourne. (2013). ROAD S AFETY PLAN 2013-2017. Melbourne: City of Melbourne.

City of Melbourne. (2014). Walking Plan 2014 - 2017. Melbourne: City of Melbourne.

City of Melbourne. (2017). Open Space Strategy. Melbourne: City of Melbourne.

Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP).

(2017). Melbourne Planning Scheme. Melbourne: State Government of Victoria.

DHS. (2017). Carlton Housing Redevelopment. Department of Health and Human Services.

Retrieved 24 October 2017, from http://www.dhs.vic.gov.au /about-the-department/plans,programs-and-projects/projects -and-initiatives/housing-andaccommodation/current-building-projects/carlton-housingredevelopment

William. Logan., (1985). The Gentrification of inner Melbourne – a political geography of inner city housing. Brisbane, Queensland: University of Queensland Press. pp. 9–10. ISBN 0-7022-1729-8.