37 minute read
Student Theses
Alexander Speers
Incentive-Based Approaches to Increasing Affordable Housing: A Policy Evaluation of Recent NSW State Government Planning Policies
Current pressure across the housing system is resulting in a lack of affordable rental housing. Accordingly, NSW state government approaches to increase affordable housing stock over the past decade have focused on encouraging private sector development through planning system levers. The primary inventive-based planning approach has been the Affordable Rental Housing State Environmental Planning Policy 2009 (ARHSEPP). However, the ARHSEPP was implemented with no monitoring mechanisms or affordability requirements to measure its outcomes, impact and effectiveness. This thesis investigates the role of incentive-based planning approaches to generate affordable housing through a policy evaluation of the ARHSEPP and the potential impacts of the recently proposed Housing SEPP. It draws on recent studies, a policy evaluation, interviews with stakeholders and stakeholder submissions on the new SEPP. Findings suggest that incentive-based approaches to increasing affordable housing delivery by the private sector have been ineffective and only generated a modest number of affordable dwellings. More proactive planning policies are required, including additional subsidies and grants to make affordable housing delivery financially sustainable for non-government actors, including community housing providers. Finally, more direct government intervention in the new reforms is required to incentivise housing providers and developers to deliver significant amounts of affordable and diverse housing.
Tony O’Meara
Design Excellence in Affordable Housing: A Case Study of Built Works within the City of Sydney
Sydney is Australia’s least affordable city with low- and moderate-income earners most severely impacted. As one of the most progressive local councils supporting affordable rental housing, the City of Sydney is still struggling to meet growing demand. The focus on essential workers during the pandemic has further highlighted their importance to how cities function, yet many cannot afford to live close to work. In the context of increased government insistence for design excellence, this thesis examines its impact on the financial feasibility and design quality of affordable housing projects within the City of Sydney. Consideration is given to how design innovation, smart material selections and efficient construction methods can be translated to future affordable housing projects or act as demonstrator projects to other providers. A case study method is adopted to critically review three recent built projects. This draws on fieldwork observations, desktop research, literature reviews, and interviews with architects and affordable housing providers. Each case offers a unique insight into the creative thinking and process of designing affordable housing but also highlights the pressures faced in delivering affordable housing in the right locations. The thesis concludes with a discussion on the implication of design excellence in the process.
Casey Joshua
Integrity, Transparency and Public Confidence: A Case Study of the NSW Independent Planning Commission
Planning systems have been subject to sustained critique and reform over recent decades. In New South Wales, the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 has been amended multiple times. This has created a complex planning system often criticised for causing approval delays, increasing costs and uncertainty to developers, and a lack of public confidence. As one response, the idea of independent planning panels is to employ experts to provide advice or make decisions on contentious developments. Drawing on the theoretical ideas of Brenner, Swyngedouw and Allmendinger & Haughton, these planning panels are conceptualised as governments rescaling power to create new ‘soft space’ authorities with ‘fuzzy boundaries’ to other jurisdictions to diffuse power (and responsibility). Planning panels are a tool to address concerns about corruption but have been criticised as a mechanism to deflect shortcomings in the planning system. This thesis examines the use of planning panels through a case study of the NSW Independent Planning Commission (IPC). Interviews were conducted with key stakeholders alongside media and policy content reviews. The results confirm the view that the IPC plays an important role in maintaining the integrity of the decisionmaking process and is successful in increasing transparency and public confidence. However, the public hearing process, reporting and governance structures within the IPC could all be improved.
Dikshitha Yuvanesan
Planning for People with Dementia
Every human body undergoes multiple changes with ageing. One such deleterious effect of getting older is the deterioration of cognitive abilities, including memory loss and thinking, which can be a symptom of dementia. Dementia is manifested in a collection of symptoms such as changes in mood or behaviour, physical ailments, sensory impairments and cognitive disfunction. Dementia is the single greatest cause of disability in older Australians (aged sixtyfive years or older) and is the third leading cause of disability burden. Not all aged people are affected by this condition, which can also afflict those in early middle life. While significant numbers of dementia sufferers are confined to aged care facilities, many still live at home and want to be as independent as possible. Planners have a responsibility to create an equitable and inclusive environment for everyone, including those with dementia. This study explores the qualities of a dementia-friendly environment to support people with dementia living in the community. A comprehensive audit instrument was devised and used on a case study site in Sydney’s south where residents experience a high incidence of dementia. The research findings and methods provide guidance for Australian planners developing dementiafriendly urban communities.
Elissa Martin
A City Built for One: Social Connection in the Age of Solo Living
Single-person households in Australian cities, as in many cities around the world, are on the rise. Current projections estimate that lone-person households in Greater Sydney will outnumber traditional nuclear families by 2026, with solo dwellers already accounting for over 37 per cent of households in Inner Sydney. The rising prevalence of solo living has attracted considerable research attention in recent years, particularly surrounding the impact of living alone on health and wellbeing. However, whilst some have drawn links between the so-called ‘loneliness epidemic’ of recent decades and the increase in single-person households, others assert that solo living can, in fact, improve mental health and social connection. This thesis investigates the influence of living alone on experiences of social connection and loneliness for Sydney residents. Through analysis of existing survey data, the extent of this impact has been assessed and at-risk groups have been identified. In order to more accurately comprehend their lived experience, in-depth interviews have been undertaken with representatives from each of these groups. Based upon these findings, a number of key policy reforms are recommended with the goal of providing for improved social connection and decreased loneliness for single-person households in Sydney.
Feiyue Hong
Urban Street Planning to Build the Healthy City: A Case Study of Liaoyuan City (China)
The street is an important part of urban infrastructure accommodating urban functions such as traffic, transportation and many daily interactions. With the rapid development of urbanization and increase in the number of motor vehicles, a series of negative urban problems has eventuated such as congestion and environmental deterioration. The situation of people and motor vehicles competing for road space has gradually become a concern of the government and the public. At the same time, the healthy-city concept is becoming an important part of urban planning considerations. Street planning, as the main framework of urban planning and development, is facing new challenges to support, guide and adapt to the healthy development of the city. Centring on the theme of urban street planning and the healthy city, this thesis studies the current situation of streets in small Chinese cities, concentrating on Liaoyuan City. The attributes of interest include pedestrian safety, street facilities, and street-users’ feelings. Street planning and design are analysed according to evaluation standards for healthy streets. From an urban planning perspective, and combining theory, field investigation and survey analysis, this thesis puts forward suggestions related to street accessibility, safety and comfort on urban street planning to build a healthy city.
Felicity Shonk
Making Space for Manufacturing: Informing Economic and Planning Policy Responses
The way in which we understand and plan for industrial activity in post-industrial cities has shifted in recent years from a focus on de-industrialisation towards retaining industrial precincts in recognition of their critical role in the functioning of cities. However, policy responses have yet to fully consider the potential for emerging technology to fundamentally change the global competitiveness and locational preferences for innovative manufacturing activity with automation, digital technology and artificial intelligence overcoming higher labour costs in developed economies. In Australia, advanced manufacturing has the potential to strengthen national prosperity. COVID-19 and geopolitical tensions have highlighted the value of existing manufacturing capabilities in supporting resilience and national security. What do changes in technology and global competitiveness mean at a local level to inform economic policy and land use planning strategies, including the vision for a 30-minute city? Appreciating the drivers of locational decisions for small manufacturing businesses alongside the characteristics of emerging innovative manufacturing firms helps to understand future demand and planning for a resurgence of innovative manufacturing activity within post-industrial cities. This thesis’ focus on existing and proposed policy responses in Sydney, including experiences of implementation at the local level, helps to inform future economic and planning policy at state and federal government levels.
Grace Walker
Indigenous-Conscious Planning Practices in Local Government: A Case Study of Sutherland Shire
Urban planning and development assessment practices in Australia are experiencing change through increasing recognition of sites of strong historical significance to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. The dynamics of planning in local government within New South Wales have seen major impacts on the preservation and recognition of sites with strong Indigenous significance. In the Greater Sydney region there have been instances of both good and poor planning and management around sites of Indigenous significance. The latter have been detrimental to the preservation of these sites. Through improved recognition of sites of Indigenous significance, there is the opportunity to ensure better planning outcomes. A case study of Sydney’s Sutherland Shire examines greater opportunities for the local authority in the preservation of Indigenous sites of significance. Better access to resources and information highlights the opportunity to improve Indigenous-conscious planning practices in local government to ensure that future planning reduces negative impacts on these sites. A key action is providing resources and information to future planners to ensure that the development assessment process engages with the local Indigenous community through more in-depth practices. Through these dynamics there is an opportunity to change outmoded practices in planning and assessment.
Harvey Davies
Vehicle technology has significantly improved over recent decades in Australia. Countless lives have been saved through the implementation of technologies such as anti-lock braking systems and airbags, while, additionally, the transition from leaded to unleaded fuels has drastically reduced air pollution. The next evolutionary stage in vehicle technology is undoubtedly the transition towards electric vehicles (EVs). However, Australia has already fallen behind most other developed countries in uptake. A major underlying cause of the disparity in Australian and overseas EV sales is due to public policy and government inaction on policies, rather than consumer sentiment. This thesis argues that we cannot reach goals such as net-zero by 2050 without decarbonising the transport sector. To drive consumers to purchase EVs, an abundance of EV charging stations must be implemented across NSW to prevent purchase barriers such as ‘range anxiety’. This thesis conducts a Geographic Information System (GIS) case study analysis on two global leading cities of EV uptake: Oslo (Norway) and San Francisco (United States) to understand the spatial logic of EV charging infrastructure. A similar analysis is performed on Greater Sydney to investigate guiding spatial principles for locating and implementing EV charging infrastructure. As EV uptake is beginning to increase in Australia, this thesis highlights key spatial planning aspects of EV charging infrastructure.
Jiajun Cai
Effect of Road Traffic on Air Pollution after COVID-19 Lockdowns: A Case Study of Fuzhou High-Tech District in China
The increasing concentration of human activities in cities has led to a decline in air quality, which has a negative impact on the lives and health of people. Traffic pollution is one of the important factors affecting air quality. At present, the world is facing the challenge of the COVID-19 virus, mainly through the implementation of strict lockdown measures to prevent the spread of the disease. This thesis evaluates the effectiveness and limitations of measures to restrict traffic flow by analysing the relationship between traffic volumes and air quality. Pre-epidemic data are based on the collection of non-rainy days in 2017. Subsequent data were collected during the outbreak in Fuzhou from 10 to 28 September 2021. The data set comprises indicators of pollution (concentration of NO, NO2, NOx, PM2.5, PM10), traffic counts and meteorological information. These data are analysed through statistical tests, correlation analysis and multiple linear regression models. The analysis shows that vehicle flow has a significant impact on atmospheric concentrations of NO, NO2 and NOx in the air quality. From this perspective, measures to restrict traffic flow can be effective in improving air quality.
Jie Zhang
Sustainable Urban Green-Space Management: A Case Study of Jing’an Park in Shanghai (China)
In recent years, as the process of urbanization continues to accelerate, citizens’ demand for urban green space continues to increase while spatial planning strategies are undergoing breakthroughs and reforms in China. More attention is being paid to urban green space. There is still a lack of sustainable and innovative urban green space management, and the promotion of public participation and public–private partnership mode in public space needs to be optimized. Green space plays an important role in alleviating the negative impacts of urbanization. For cities to benefit from green spaces, it is essential to maintain the functionality and high quality of these spaces. However, lack of experience and immature management or planning can cause unavoidable losses and poor visitor experiences. Low-quality green space not only constrains good urban development but also represents a waste of resources. This thesis applies the concept of place-keeping to evaluating urban green spaces. It analyses Shanghai Jing’an Park in terms of governance, partnership, policy and strategy, funding, design and management, and evaluation, place characteristics and user experience. This thesis draws on the successful experience of European countries in adopting the place-keeping framework, and the research results provide reference value for the management and upgrading of green space systems in other cities in China.
Karmen Leong
Implications of COVID-19 Pandemic on Decentralisation and Regional Planning in Australia
High density compact cities and urban agglomeration are twenty-first-century metropolitan-planning orthodoxy. However, a new global pandemic has caused huge impacts and threatened millions of lives worldwide. This pandemic not only brings an international economic recession, it also affects everyday life, population behaviour, physical and mental health and, ultimately, directions for city planning and development. As a result, a new trend toward rural lifestyles is evident in relation to the higher COVID-19 infection rate and tightened restrictions in large cities, including in Australia. This has seen increased purchase of detached dwellings, suggesting a shift of attitude from urbanisation to counterurbanisation. Using Bathurst and Byron Shire in New South Wales as case study regions, this thesis investigates the impact of accelerating regional migration during the global pandemic and considers the population and development impacts. It draws on literature reviews, an online survey with regional local residents, and interviews with regional council planners. Findings suggest a positive impact to the regional economy but that regional housing markets, employment and current local infrastructure are under significant pressure from population growth. Recommendations for a more sustainable policy on the future of regional NSW development and growth are made.
Matthew Jessup
Linking Land Use and Water Use Planning through Governance Frameworks
In recent years there has been a marked transition within cities at global scale to move away from a traditional urban water-management paradigm, which focuses on highly centralised and reactive water-management systems, towards a more integrated approach, typically labelled Integrated Water Cycle Management (IWCM). A critical element of IWCM is the governance frameworks that seek to integrate water and land use planning. This thesis explores the relationship between water and land use planning and analyses how these two, traditionally siloed, disciplines can be interlinked through the implementation of appropriate governance frameworks. It is found that service planning frameworks to link land use and water planning have the objective of enabling the proactive planning of water infrastructure (potable water, recycled water, wastewater and stormwater) to keep pace with the growth of cities and regions. These collaborative processes seek to reduce siloing and achieve positive urban amenity outcomes for the benefit of the community. This thesis analyses two Sydney case studies to demonstrate the practical application of governance frameworks to integrate water use and land use planning. Through this analysis it is clear that governance frameworks have come a long way with greater coordination at the strategic level. However, there remains a lack of legislative mechanisms to ensure that the two disciplines are properly integrated.
Md Hasibul Kabir
Voluntary Planning Agreements (VPAs): An Assessment of NSW Practice
Planning Agreements, known as Voluntary Planning Agreements (VPAs) in NSW, are legal documents between planning authorities and developers established under the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 (EP&A Act) in 2005. Planning agreements provide public benefits by funding or providing public facilities, services and infrastructure to manage and support urban growth and development. VPAs were created as a flexible and innovative tool to complement the traditional developer contributions system for delivering infrastructure and public benefits in NSW. Since their inception, the use of VPAs by local councils has increased significantly. However, the increasing and widespread reliance on VPAs has received mixed views from the planning profession and developers. On the one hand, VPAs have received support for delivering various public benefits, including open space, affordable housing, sports fields, community centres, libraries, and many other facilities since 2005. On the other hand, VPAs have received criticism as an arbitrary, nontransparent and less-accountable mechanism with a perception of ‘development for sale’. This thesis investigates examples of VPAs to understand whether the purposes of VPAs set in the EP&A Act are met and whether VPAs are delivering better public benefits than traditional forms of developer contributions.
Niket Khandelwal
Citizen Participation and Perception of Indore Smart City (India)
The increasing number of people in urban settings and technological advancement have been pushing cities to find sustainable solutions to make life better. The smart city has been presented as a solution and has become attractive to many cities worldwide. The Indian government has endorsed the idea and has rolled out a national program for one hundred smart cities. Indore qualified because of a high population which has affected the city’s sustainable development over the years. However, program implementation over the past three years has been slow and most projects are still pending, with only 20 per cent completed. Various issues are slowing down the project, including lawsuits, financial issues, and governance. This thesis evaluates the concept of the smart city, assessing the importance of citizen participation and perception in the planning, implementation, and management of the smart city project in Indore. The study utilises both qualitative and quantitative methodologies. A case study approach in the first part evaluates smart city Indore against the Giffinger (et al. 2007) model of smart cities. The second part draws on stakeholder interviews to assess the perception and participation of various professionals and citizens. The thesis develops the proposition for building a smart city with greater community involvement.
[Image credit:] Courtesy Ar. Sagar Jagwani
Parisa Sheikhi Ghahi
Sydney’s Adoption of Hostile Design Interventions
Following a controversial installation of anti-homeless spikes in an alcove of a high-end apartment in South London in 2014, hostile design has had an increasing presence in news articles expressing outrage. Although this sort of design is used in many countries, it has not undergone systematic analysis, and only in recent years have academics from disparate disciplinary perspectives joined the conversation. There is no single definition for hostile design or a criterion to distinguish hostile elements. However, one preliminary definition is ‘objects within public spaces that have the effect of targeting vulnerable groups, and which have garnered criticism (or should be criticised) for this hostility’ (Rosenberger 2019). This thesis develops criteria based on existing literature, through the lens of Henri Lefebvre’s ‘right to the city’, to assess prominent retail, transport, tourism and nighttime economy locations in the City of Sydney. Field research reveals that although hostile urban furniture such as benches with handles in the middle, bollards and pig ears on ledges appear in the local area, not all have been implemented by Sydney City Council. Overall, the research results indicate that the City of Sydney is generally not aggressively hostile towards its users. However, the Council’s authority over urban furniture in privatelyowned public spaces needs to be further explored.
Peter Johns
Urban Green Space Areas in Compact Cities: Challenges and Strategies for Canberra
Urban green space is a critical component of cities. Urban green space fulfils a number of health, environmental and ecological functions that deliver individual and community benefits. Compact city policies are becoming the planning norm in metropolitan cities which is placing increasing pressure on urban green-space areas to deliver wellbeing and ‘just city’ outcomes. This thesis explores how the urban policy of densification has affected urban open-space areas within three suburbs of the ‘bush capital’ Canberra. Quantitative and qualitative approaches are used to gather information on usage and community perceptions of urban green space. With the aim of achieving a more-inclusive response to the impacts of compact city policies and using a ‘just city’ yardstick, the research findings suggest possible strategies which could be adopted to provide improved urban open-space opportunities and inclusive outcomes. By being open and accessible to all, urban open spaces provide opportunities for people to connect and build a sense of community.
Pranaykumar Jetani
Exploring Electric Micro-Mobility: A Brisbane Case Study
Urbanisation has led to increased emission of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases. The transportation sector in cities has exacerbated climate change. Rapid urban growth has forced us to develop more sustainable forms of transport. Shared electric scooters are emerging as a potential sustainable transportation mode in many cities. However, how they complement or compete with current transportation modes is still not clear. This thesis explores Brisbane’s shared electric scooter model and discusses its advantages and disadvantages to understand its claims as a preferred mode of transport. The thesis examines infrastructure issues, environmental impacts, safety concerns, and regulatory policies to understand the shared electric scooter model. The relationship between shared electric scooters and the current transport system is assessed from a user perspective by conducting online interviews of current electric scooter users to better understand benefits and issues raised. The evaluation of interviews shows that shared electric scooters in Brisbane are completing the current transport system by filling a niche in the sector. Additionally, this thesis addresses some factors raised by electric scooter users in Brisbane, such as safety concerns, infrastructure issues, needed policy changes, and issues related to accessibility.
Ritwick Priyadarshi
Corruption in Land Use Planning and Development: A Longitudinal Study of Corruption Cases and Reform in New South Wales
In Australia, there is persistent underlying concern among planners, politicians, and the public regarding the potential for corruption in land development processes across the three tiers of government. The NSW planning system is no exception. The Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) received 2,416 complaints in 2019 and 2020 and, of these, local government heads the public sector list with 40% of total complaints, of which 20% were concerned with development applications and land rezoning. This thesis studies ICAC investigations pertaining to land use and urban planning to establish trends, patterns, and areas of concern. The thesis adopts an empirical model to capture corruption typologies. Results indicate bribery (67%) to be the most pervasive corrupt conduct followed by conflict of interest (26%), abuse of discretion (26%), and cronyism (21%). A total of 79% of corrupt conduct took place during the preliminary phase of ‘regulation and planning’ followed by ‘construction and other works’ at 21%. Developers (56%) and facilitators (36%) engaged in corrupt conduct with public agents, which adversely affected the structural and physical form of the built environment. Building upon the historical backdrop of anti-corruption reforms, this thesis makes several policy recommendations.
Runze Wang
Public Service Facilities in Urban Parks: A Case Study of the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda Park in Xi’an (China)
Urban open space is one of the key components of modern cities. Parks large and small have positive impacts in many fields, such as protecting the environment, reducing the crime rate and maintaining citizens’ health and quality of life. However, the essence of the park is to provide entertainment and leisure venues for citizens and provide convenience in daily life and social activities. Parks with high service standards, good planning and maintenance can better attract tourists’ interest and improve visitation rates. However, not all parks are well planned and designed, and not all can provide good services for the public, especially in developing countries such as China. Due to the neglect of park management and designers, some parks have serious problems, such as high crime rates, noise and air pollution, and an imbalance of environmental rights and obligations. Taking the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda Park as an example, this thesis will establish an evaluation model drawn from the literature based on six dimensions of cleanliness, naturalness, aesthetics, safety, access, and comfort. The model is applied to investigate the service quality of amenities to determine the status of basic public service facilities and visitor satisfaction leading to recommendations for improvement.
Simon Coleman
The Long-Term Impacts of Sydney’s Strategic Plans on Metropolitan Rail Development
Plan making has long been a fundamental practice of the Australian bureaucracy, exemplified by government transport planning for metropolitan Sydney. The thesis considers why certain proposed rail projects come to fruition, while many others have never eventuated. Such a longitudinal understanding of the evolution of Sydney’s rail system enables an examination of paths followed and not followed. Such an approach sheds light on how Sydney has traditionally prioritised roads as the solution to the city’s transport problems at the expense of public transport. Sydney’s strategic transport plans from the last century are thematically analysed based on their contemporary economic, social and cultural contexts. This survey is paired with historical analysis and interviews with politicians, bureaucrats, and practitioners. The findings show that successful plans have extensive bureaucratic buy-in and deep political support. Conversely, plans that were simply the brainchild of a political actor or originated from within an isolated pocket of the bureaucracy, were unlikely to have any longterm relevance. The background economic and political context is also critical to a plan’s implementation. While neoliberal orthodoxy restricted spending on public transport, more recent neo-Keynesian thinking has encouraged rail investment.
[Image credit:] JJC Bradfield (1924) The City and Suburban Electric Railways and the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Doctoral thesis, University of Sydney
Siteng Ma
The Effect of Urban Open Green Space on Residential Living Standards: A Case Study of Urumqi in Xinjiang
Due to the rapid development of urbanization, nearly three-quarters of the world’s population live in urban environments. The extreme urbanization in cities distances many urban residents from contact with the natural environment. Urban green space planning plays an important role in connecting city dwellers and nature by mitigating the impacts of overcrowding and urbanization. It has the characteristics of openness, accessibility, sociality, artificial, locality, and function, and it also produces economic benefits, cultural education, community promotion, spatial division, and other functions. This thesis selects several urban parks in Urumqi, a medium-sized city in northwestern China to conduct a case study. The research involved investigation of facilities inside the parks, vegetation coverage, landscape conditions, and other factors combined with a post-occupancy-evaluation questionnaire and interviews with residents. The findings are that urban open green space can improve urban biodiversity, strengthen the contact between urban residents and nature, reduce air and noise pollution, reduce the impact of an urban heat-island effect, and reduce the incidence of diseases (e.g., diabetes, obesity, respiratory disease, and mental illness) and strengthen community cohesion. It has a strong ability to enhance residential living standards.
Talia Rappoport
COVID-19 Highlights the Contradictions and Limitations of Compact City Design
The main objectives of compact city design are to protect and enhance community health, promote sustainable development, and strengthen social and economic prosperity through greater agglomeration and connectivity. Yet, simultaneously, the densification that compact cities demand has led to unfavourable living and working conditions, such as the urban heat island effect, the sick-building syndrome, concentrated greenhouse gas emissions, poor air quality and increased physiological stress. All of these have arguably negatively impacted the individuals who inhabit urban environments. Given that many employees who work within the knowledge economy in the Sydney CBD now have the choice to work where they please, they have re-evaluated their priorities and assessed which environment best optimises their efficiency and physical and mental wellbeing. The aim of this thesis is thus to determine whether COVID-19 is challenging the concept of the compact city. The central method of analysis is through a quantitative online survey, and the findings suggest that compact living is perhaps not as desirable, liveable, sustainable or economical as advocates claim. COVID-19 has, therefore, presented a unique opportunity to rethink how to best replan our cities in ways that enhance the lives of those who live within them.
Thomas Awford
Planning Restrictions and Affordable Housing: A Debate Analysis and Policy Evaluation
Affordability has become the central issue in Australian housing debates with many commentators and analysts referring to a ‘housing affordability crisis’. Concerns have been raised about the falling rate of home ownership, especially among young adults, caused by rapid house-price inflation outstripping income growth. There has been fierce debate over the role of ‘excessive’ planning regulations as the primary cause of a perceived supply shortage supposedly at the heart of the crisis. On one side are developers and a group of economists driven by the dominant neoliberal paradigm, arguing that less regulation and ‘red tape’ is the solution. The planning industry counterposes this position, denouncing the scapegoating of planning restrictions as central to rising unaffordability. I review the motivations and beliefs underlying both positions, assessing the claims and rebuttals made by each side by critically analysing the supporting evidence. Specific aspects of the planning system implicated as restrictive are explored. Potential impacts and feasibility of proposals from the NSW Government and neoliberal institutes are assessed, drawing upon semi-structured interviews with planning practitioners, academics and urban designers. Criticism of planning highlights a development culture that prioritises maximising profits at the expense of successful urban outcomes and increasing supply.
Tian Lai
Optimization of Slow Space around Rail Transit Stations: A Case Study of Rail Transit Central Stations in Beijing.
China’s urban rail transit has entered the stage of large-scale centralized construction. This has resulted in significant impacts on current urban spaces dominated both by motor vehicle traffic and by urban design oriented to public transportation or ‘slow traffic’. This urban slow space—including pedestrian and bicycle traffic—has become an important way for residents to travel to and from rail transit stations and is also a significant factor affecting the rail transit ride rate. However, the slow space around rail transit stations has problems such as mixed functions, poor spatial continuity, and lack of systematic planning. This thesis focuses on the experience of users in slow traffic spaces. Taking continuity, safety, convenience, and comfort as evaluation criteria, the thesis establishes an evaluation model for the use of slow space around major rail transit stations. With typical traffic stations in Beijing as case studies, the thesis conducts a survey to evaluate user satisfaction and derives an optimization plan to determine the feasibility of slow space design improvements. The findings serve as a reference for the governance and optimization of other slow spaces in China.
Vivian Hieu Tran
Disability and Planning: An Evaluation of Disability-Inclusion Action Plans in Greater Sydney
To achieve an inclusive city, planners must ensure everyone has the same rights, opportunities and access to services and infrastructure. People with disabilities experience many barriers accessing the city, reducing their participation in every aspect of society. In response to the growing awareness of this inequality, Australian disability policy and planning have undergone significant reform. In New South Wales, the most notable change is the implementation of the Disability Inclusion Act 2014 which mandates Disability Inclusion Action Plans (DIAPs) for local and state government. In 2018, the NSW Department of Family and Community Services commissioned the Sax Institute to comprehensively review DIAPs. However, the review did not analyse how plans specifically incorporated built environment considerations. This thesis seeks to address this gap. Using an in-depth audit of local DIAPs across the Greater Sydney region, the thesis injects understandings of how urban planning interventions can increase the accessibility of the built environment, thereby encouraging inclusive practices. This study finds that Greater Sydney councils readily engage with the built environment in their DIAPS but that there is a clear lack of urban planning initiatives.
Wal Mullany
To What Extent Has Regional Development Policy Achieved the Objective of Promoting Regional Development in Australia and New South Wales?
Over the period from 1911 to 2016, the proportion of the Australian population in capital cities increased from 40.3% to 64.5%, and the proportion of the population in small regional towns decreased from 54.3% to 4.5%. The adverse social and economic outcomes of uneven population and wealth distribution between the major cities and regional Australia has long exercised the minds of policymakers. The research question addressed here is to what extent has recent regional policy achieved the stated objectives with respect to regional development in New South Wales. Policies promoting decentralisation in the 1970s based on social democratic notions seeking to achieve spatial equity were replaced by more market-dependent policies of regionalisation from the 1980s. Arguably, both approaches may be considered to have failed. This thesis investigates this policy failure by way of an overview of current regionalisation programs in New South Wales. The Evocities case study seeks to highlight the challenges for regional development policy by applying the framework suggested by O’Hara (2008) who argued that six types of ‘capital’ (financial, health, cultural, asocial, social and human) are required to support economic growth. The thesis highlights the importance of promoting a coherent national policy for developing Australia’s regional towns and cities.
Xinjie Li
The Relationship between the Vitality of Urban Public Space and Urban Public Art: A Beijing Case Study
Urban public space is an open place for people to conduct social interactions that can meet their physiological and cultural needs. With the promotion of modern science and technology, traditional faceto-face communication is often replaced by pluralistic social network platforms. For example, food problems can be solved through takeaway software such as EASI, travel problems can be solved through Uber, or remote chat can be conducted through social software such as Instagram. This means that social activities which used to take place in the public domain have gradually shifted to the private domain. With this change, residents’ cognition of public space has gradually changed, and its spiritual and cultural significance is weakened. This thesis introduces the necessity and significance of the vitality of public space using the Public Space and Public Life Survey method to investigate the 798 Art District in Beijing. This method can provide a better understanding of how people use public space and explores the relationship between public art and urban vitality. The research results have significance to the development and optimization of other public spaces through public art in China.
Yuancheng Ke
Cultural Districts in Cultural Sustainability: A Study of Beijing Sub-Centre
China is building new cities and urban centres at an unprecedented pace. Cultural districts are an attractive option to bring economy and cultural activity into these new areas. However, the vast majority of them are not impressive due to the lack of consideration and careful planning for cultural activities. This thesis aims to enhance ways of making memorable and effective cultural districts under the philosophy and principles of cultural sustainability. The thesis studies three different cultural districts in a new Beijing Sub-Centre. Development of the Zhangjiawan, Taihu, and Songzhuang cultural districts, under the Three Towns branding strategy, provides a new paradigm to maximize collective effectiveness. It departs from the conventional approach of concentrating on a single place while neglecting the whole picture. Beijing has already gained the reputation and positioned itself as the culture capital of China. The emerging Beijing Sub-Centre provides an opportunity to accentuate its standing at an even larger scale. At the same time, this integrated development addresses questions about local identity and prosperity through successful cultural district planning which incorporates the Chinese philosophy and cultural values from ancient times.
Yuanhong Zeng
With the growth of global population and the progress of economic development, society’s demand for resources continues to increase without considering the capacity of the natural environment and the speed of resource regeneration and recovery. As a result, global environmental problems have become more serious in recent decades, with resource depletion and frequent extreme weather events caused by climate change of growing concern. In this context, ecologically sustainable development, as a means of mitigation and conservation, has come to the forefront in recognition by governments, industry and society in assessing the feasibility of future development. This thesis focuses on the development of environmental protection in the tourism industry. It explores the sustainability of China’s tourism industry and the key factors that affect its sustainable development by using ecotourism case studies. From this research, it appears that ecotourism has made positive strides in China, with a potentially optimistic picture for the future. However, the balance of ecological, economic, and social development cannot be reached without continuing commitment by planners and other decision-makers. The problems and challenges identified in these cases to promote the harmonious development of ecotourism in China need further attention.
Ziying Deng
Impacts of Light Rail Transit on Public Health: The L2 Randwick Line in Sydney
Urbanisation has triggered many public health problems, such as cancer, obesity, and mental health conditions. In response to such health issues, public transportation can play a significant role. The utilisation and attractiveness of Light Rail Transit (LRT) are both important in this regard. However, in Sydney, despite metropolitan and transportation planning, public health issues are still a challenge. To explore this research gap, this thesis analyses the potential effects of LRT on public health and proposes suggestions for broader public health benefits. The L2 Randwick Line, a part of Sydney’s CBD and South East Light Rail, is investigated as a case study. The research methods include literature review, policy evaluation, semi-structured interviews with urban planners, a resident questionnaire, and onsite observations. This study’s qualitative and quantitative results reveal the potential impacts of the L2 Randwick Line on public health and residents’ attitudes towards the L2 Randwick Line. To create a healthy future, the findings offer recommendations for Sydney’s planning, design, management, and delivery of LRT.
