Editorial licence

Bernard McNamara, Editor and Director, BMDA Development Advisory

A socially distant greeting to all.

There is no doubt that for current generations spared the agony (to date) of a major world or regional war, the ‘Great Lockdown’ will be a defining moment in our history. The social and economic impacts will play out over years. For some, the impacts are proving mild; for others, substantial.

My great respect goes to the many VPELA parents who have needed to juggle workloads and home schooling. For my part, I know at least three people in this world (my adult daughters) who will be very content knowing they weren’t exposed to my attempts at that task.

And an observation… I find it close to incomprehensible the contrast in the way we are honouring the evidence and predictions of our health scientists as they guide public responses; when seen against the way we listen to our climate scientists on their dire forecasts. On the latter’s’ concerns, it seems that any shock jock view or other partisan voice carries more weight.

A post-pandemic world

In our profession, we now need to face step changes in social interaction and the impacts they might have on urban futures.

Planning writers globally are already turning their minds to this, particularly in terms of cities struggling with large populations and insufficient housing or basic urban services. An example I read recently is insightful for any planner:

Rogier van den Berg, Director of Urban Development at WRI Ross Center for Sustainable Cities:

How we plan our cities has always been a reflection of prevailing cultural and technological trends and even major crises. The cholera epidemics in the 19th century sparked the introduction of modern urban sanitation systems. Housing regulations around light and air were introduced as a measure against respiratory diseases in overcrowded slums in Europe during industrialization. The introduction of railroads had an immense impact on national urban systems, and the mass production of the car has led to cities that bleed seamlessly into sprawling suburbs, creating vast city regions. In recent years, digitalization and data have changed the way we navigate cities and how communities mobilize and advocate for change.

As lockdowns stretch on in many places, we are only beginning to understand how COVID-19 will affect how we approach urban planning. Planned for properly, density is a good thing for cities, and it will be again. But will we do more to protect the most vulnerable? Will we make cities more resilient to future crises? Will we make green and blue spaces front and center of our infrastructure investments? And will we seriously address the fact that it’s not just physically, but economically, socially and environmentally that cities are connected to their surrounding regions? It’s our decision to rebuild better.

In Australian cities, the (relative) absence of density has probably been a contributor to our low infection rate. But the future cannot be about abandoning the things that make a city vibrant and workable. It is about (as quoted) ‘getting density right’, in its place-making form, rather than site by site.

What might the future look like?

For this edition on what impacts the COVID-19 pandemic might have on Australian urban environments, I sought responses from five highly experienced members across different areas of our professions.

My thanks to architect, Sarah Buckeridge, Helen Gibson AO (former deputy president of VCAT), Peter Seamer AO (urban writer and former CEO of VPA), Mark Sheppard (urban designer) and, Geoff Underwood (town planner and sometime government committee chair). Their perspectives identify emerging trends but also reinforce the wisdom of some past and current policy settings.

Peter Seamer reminds us to “never waste a crisis”, arguing a more polycentric city form will be economically and socially stronger. He challenges us to make changes to diversify away from a city dependent upon a centre. Helen Gibson is satisfied that our policy setting of ‘net community benefit’ can underpin the emergence of new dwelling/complex designs and how public space is used and will be provisioned.

Sarah Buckeridge remembers the early 1990s and its impacts on the design professions, and the confluences of finance, banking, government responses on housing and project types. Encouragingly, being an architect, she considers that much of what we have been designing in recent times will be adaptable and deliver safe shared spaces, with many projects being more inclusive and ensuring local living resilience.

Geoff Underwood sees our metropolis and its structure as resilient and proven over nearly a century, taking us back to our foundations in the 1929 General Plan for Melbourne. He foresees behavioural changes being the outcome, particularly social distancing; changes to the way we congregate and work, and the further rise of online communication.

Mark Sheppard presents an ‘icing on the cake’ analogy, suggesting we have allowed the comfort of excess to divert our attention away from what really matters to most people. Have our priorities become so inverted and overburdened with objectives, guidelines and overlays that we have lost sight of what is important? In this context, the State Government’s Planning and Building Approval Review is timely.

Speaking of which, co-contributors Anna Cronin, Victoria’s Better Regulation/Red Tape Commissioner, and Danni Hunter, Victorian CEO of the Urban Development Institute of Australia, focus in this issue on the benefits that will flow from regulation reform.

These reform recommendations might now be accelerated through the work of the Building Victoria’s’ Recovery Taskforce which is working on interim measures (and project approvals) that might keep the building and development sector operating. But the terms of reference also require the Taskforce to identify more sustained long term system improvements.

Zoom out, zoom out!

And how have you enjoyed remote working?

In my own case, I have been alarmed to find on video calls that I have somehow aged about 10 years!? Perhaps Aldous Huxley got it right: “Reality is something from which people feel the need of taking pretty frequent holidays!”

The processes of engaging with authorities, staff (and especially cross-examining lawyers) are also different.

VEPLA webinars have tracked this change in work practices, with contributions in this issue from Tim McBride Burgess from Contour and Marjorie Kennedy from Boroondara City Council. Plus, on a partly lighter note, two of our YPG members – Jack Chiodo and Zac van den Grondelle – provide their experiences of being remote from the team and their senior colleagues.

I will close by paying tribute to two true leaders in our professions, David Turnbull and Phil Bissett, whose deaths created feelings in me of sadness and shock. I had the pleasure of working closely with each of them at different times over the decades and there are tributes in this edition.

David’s dedication to guiding urban changes in Mitchell Shire was clear, and further enriched by his legacy at Whittlesea municipality. Phil was a true professional; generous and highly competent, bringing a planner’s training to his advocate’s role. This is the first real online edition of VPELA Revue, so allow me to mark the occasion with extra thanks to all contributors and a rallying call to others. Ensuring our professions are strong and active into the future will rely on hearing many voices.

As always, comments, criticisms etc to: Bernard.mcnamara@bmda.com.au