Beyond Rezoning: Delivering Liveable Neighbourhoods

This workshop looks beyond rezoning to consider how healthy and liveable neighbourhoods can be delivered.

In response to the housing crisis, Australian governments have rezoned land close to public transport with the aim of enabling apartments in once low-rise neighbourhoods. In Melbourne/Naarm and Sydney alone, the Activity Centre Program, Suburban Rail Loop Precincts and the Transport Oriented Development Program are projected to add over 600,000 homes to existing neighbourhoods – three times the number of homes in Canberra. While the concept of supporting more people to live and work in well-located areas is strong – with potential health, productivity and sustainability benefits – there are many risks and challenges in relying on rezoning alone to deliver urban transformation.

This workshop brings together those with a stake in this type of urban transformation – known as ‘redfield’ development – including local and state governments, community members, developers, funders, builders, planners and urban designers. The workshop maps out how redfield development can deliver healthy and liveable neighbourhoods, including place-based plans that incorporate key elements such as parks, tree-lined streets, schools and libraries, and tools like government curation, land assembly, value capture and targeted investment.

It also shares findings from Future Urban Planning Scenarios for Better Health, a research project funded by VicHealth. The project investigates the impact of different planning and residential density scenarios on people’s daily lives. It includes a case study of Niddrie Activity Centre, including perspectives from prospective future residents as part of the Community Prospective Panel, and examines how different scenarios deliver improved health and wellbeing outcomes.