Planning For Adaptation: Batemans Bay

Batesmans Bay is a popular holiday destination on NSW South Coast. They man a particularly good planning case study given their idiosyncratic circumstances. Some planning concerns are as follows:

Popular Holiday Destination: This on the surface would seem great for most communities however there are a number potential concerns that have to be dealt with.

-       -    High speed feed in roads around Batemans Bay are notoriously dangerous with a high number of road accidents and high number of associated fatalities, especially around tourist period. Batemans Bay local council given it low population had had difficulty policing these roads and have difficulty securing funding from the NSW state government to fix it.

-    -      Batesman Bay economy is dependent on tourism and there is not much alternate revenue generating industries in the area. Meaning most to towns capital is generated during tourist season and this has to last year round and poor tourist season can be financially precarious for local business owners. Given the overshadowing effect of tourism and the local economies gearing toward that, there lack of alternate industries does not attract any young people to the area exacerbating the towns ageing population problem.

Batemans Bay like much of Australia has an ageing population, however this poses a particular problem for Batemans Bay. The towns ageing population will: face rising medical cost, have a reduced workforce, have limited housing type development and have to exist on already low incomes and pension wages meaning a potential rise in aged poverty and reduced spending to support local business.

- Batesmans Bay is also facing threat from climate change given that they have an expansive coastline (112km) and development has been focused along sections of this coastline (this elongated coast structure combined with low density also contributes to the issue of service and infrastructure duplication). They increased extreme and sporadic weather events associated with climate change will like contribute to already present coastal erosion issues. Low lying development along the coast will also need to be relocated further inland as combined weather events and sea water level rise under moderate climate change model predictions. Coastal erosion and sea level rise mitigation option are expensive as the relocation of infrastructure more inland and these are cost that most potentially could not be afforded by the Batemans Bay community with Federal finance assistance. 

Image Obtained from: http://www.eurobodalla.com.au/annual-coastal-conference

Application of Technology to Planning

Technology has is a definite asset to the urban planning process and has a great capacity to assist in delivering ideal outcomes in urban development instances. For example:

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-          Geographic Information Systems (GIS) provides us with highly accurate digital maps that can synthesise data in the form of overlays to allow for the observation and understanding of how multiple components interact. A specific example of greatly utilised analysis the Kernel Density method that synthesis point source data and creates a density function which is then overlayed on a map and can then be used to draw conclusions between related components. Service provision planning such as transport is a primary example where such analysis could potential be useful; a  density function may highlight particular traffic congestion zone along vital transport corridors or matching population densities with bus service routes areas that are under or over-provided for become apparent.

Picture: Example of Various Public Transport Related Elements Over-layed onto a GIS generated image.  

-         WWW: The world wide web provides and accessible forum for the public discourse that is often vital to the planning process. Participation at public planning consultation is often limited to specific demographics and limited people whilst the internet a much more convenient way of participating in the planning process. The positive participation rates involved in the ‘Time to Talk; Canberra 2030’ online initiative as well as NCA and ACTPLA online inputs for planning developments. Local papers such as the Canberra Times online also allows reporting and public access to Urban Planning related concerns such as development and land sales, whilst also proving a forum for people to discuss and or state their opinions.

As our global societies continue to expand and grow continually more diverse the complexity of the issues urban works to ameliorate will also grow. Subsequently the need to engage in the analysis and synthetise of large data sets or examine large spatial areas adequately is paramount to conceptualising, understanding and explaining these urban planning issues. Often if the process of problem aversion of problem solving it often best to spend the majority of time understanding the problems in depth so that we can then develop the best, simplest and most cost effective solutions that work to directly rectify problems. Technology in planning offers the capacity for better problem analysis and evaluation so that problems may be greater understood by those involved in fixing them and greater understanding should translate to better outcomes.  The need to utilise technology in the Urban Planning fields will only grow with time and that we cement a strong culture of adequately utilising technology to contribute to the planning process given the planning professional ideals of delivering the best possible outcomes for all relevant  stakeholders. 

Case Study: International Experiences and Implications for Australia

As humans we try new things, learn what works and what doesn’t and develop. Our human intellect gives us the capacity to reason and learn from the mistakes of history so we don’t habitually make the same mistakes into the future. Conversely our also allows us to predict and recognise what works so that we may further explore what we believe will deliver the best outcomes. It is that that this blogger believes the topic ‘International Experiences and Implications for Australia’ is imperative for buddying young planners such as those currently studying UC as well as experienced planners- you can never stop learning right?  

Some Lessons from Europe:

- Densification, Sustainability and sound public transport uptake work simultaneously.

- Mixed used development: sustainable for local business as residents. Invigorates communities.

- Rapid development: without supporting road and public infrastructure will lead to congestion issues.

- Public Bike Rental Schemes- work well in cities with 1) Rideable spaces, 2) Multiple pick up/drop off points and 3) Supporting population.

Density: Paris Apartments that contribute to public transport efficacy, uptake and viability.

Some lessons from Phnom-Penh:

- Lax transport legislation and enforcement will lead to chaos.

- High value in traffic flow modelling and redirection.  

Phnom-Penh: Unruly Traffic divides street.

Pictures Obtained from:

http://hailtothechic.wordpress.com/2010/03/22/cheap-chic-or-how-to-eat-paris-for-under-e150/
http://blog.travelpod.com/travel-photo/mcmactravels/1/1254935277/traffic-in-phnom-penh-1.jpg/tpod.html

Planning For Sustainability: Molongo Stage 2 Planning

Planning and Sustainability are intrinsic and should be rarely if ever (especially in the developed societies) be mutually exclusive. 'Infrastructure and Planning for Molonglo Development: Stage 2' is especially interesting in terms of its sustainability provisions given that the site is relatively underdeveloped and has pertinent environmental value. Canberra's population is expanding and such the cities urban planning is required to anticipate and make provision this as outlined under The Canberra Spatial Plan. Molonglo Valley was identified as an acceptable urban capable development site given its physical characteristics and relative proximity to existing facilities and services- making it an opportunity for sustainable development.

 Molonglo Valley is a large development site encompassing a population of 18,000 and ACTPLA employed the consultation company AECOM to conduct its environmental investigations under which the following environmental components where researched and effects considered: species impacts on Pink Tailed Worm, Raptors, Parrots and Boz-gum Woodand, River Corridor studies of the Molonglo River, stormwater and environmental flows, Light Emissions impact in regards to Stromlo Observatory, Heritage Values, contamination issues particularly on soils and contamination translocation potential through the study site and development needs of the area (housing, commercial and community facilities). 

Molonglo Development Area

What Kind of Plans?

NCP produced by the Federal Government

Canberra Plan produced by ACT Government

The overall outcome expected of the planning process may possibly be the most ideal solution that stand the test of time and reasonably changing conditions. That is to say potential positive power of the urban planning field and profession exist far beyond the realm of planning documents given its changeable impacts on daily lives of people within a given community, region or city. However the way planners go about creating better places through change is fundamentally summarised and subsequently based upon planning documents.  Unfortunately the planning process is highly complicated and when a sight a final planning document it’s important to remember that it’s often one of many final planning documents that influence a given space and have different applications- a local example would be the simultaneous National Capital Plan and the Canberra Plan- a situation arising from Canberra unique co-existing national and territory planning jurisdictions.  

Local Planning in Victoria

Local Planning in the ACT

View across Canberra; from War Memorial Across Lake Burley Griffin to Old and New Parliament Houses


 

- Canberra is incredibly unique in that it had a well formulated full scale plan from its very inception, consequently a number of orderly design principles are observed, perhaps most notable the City Beautiful.

- Canberra being the national capital has Commonwealth significance and is legislated accordingly, resultantly leaving a unique planning environment where commonwealth interest and territory interest are represented by differing governing bodies.

- Dual Planning System:

- NCA administer a statutory and strategic capital plan NCP affecting primarily commonwealth land: Designated Lands

- ACTPLA administer territory plan which has the bulk of territory land under its jurisdiction: Territory Land

- Notably on land ownership: land in the ACT is held under a unique land tenure leasehold system where land is effectively leased for 99 year periods with the general expectation that the lease will be renewed after the expiry of the 99 year period. 

Local Plannig in NSW

Local Level Planning Framework

This week our Planning class was privileged enough to have Hamish Sinclair (Consultant Planner and ACT PIA director) as a guest lecturer. As an individual who has had substantial experience working within the ACT Planning legislation- as well as contributing to formulating it- it was certainly illuminating to have an ‘insiders’ insight into the prevailing planning environment.

Surprisingly one of the most the conspicuous and intriguing notions in this week’s discussion was simply how complex navigating the dual National and Territory ACT planning process can be (This is demonstrated in the flow diagram below). Additionally the idea of what could be described as a presence or culture of complexity was also breached- specifically how it is common place for governments or planning bodies (at various levels) to overregulate by amending  planning legislation or protocol-even when in some instances it has clearly become out-dated or miscellaneous- as opposed to reducing, simplifying and modernising it. These issues are confounded within the Australian context by the varying intricate interstate local level planning codes that add to complexity of the ‘operational planning environment.’ Interestingly Hamish juxtaposed the Australian planning system with the New Zealand system which is to a greater extent homogenous and not as complicated by differing state planning codes.

A second fascinating and perhaps more poignant idea discussed was that of the role of the planner in a local planning framework that is dominated by private development sector. The work of a planner is inherently communicative, visionary and idealistic however how much ‘positive change’ can be achieved by planners who operate in such developer dominated fields that subject to economic/market forces? The suggested answer lies within first recognising the need that developer driven investment is essential and that successful development goes hand in hand with sound planning. Once that is understood it could possible for a planner to work within the planning system to develop a solution which resonates the needs and ideals of all stakeholders within the community.

There are certainly many different ways one can learn about Urban Planning, however surely one of the best ways is to simply listen to and discuss planning issues with those experienced individuals in the profession who are willing to impart their knowledge and thoughts to the new upcoming generation of planners. This is what our class experienced with Hamish and it would certainly seem that some great trains of thought and ideas for consideration arose from it. 

- ACT Planning Systems Flow Chart.

Who is Involved?

Stakeholders are diverse in nature from residents to business owners and governments.

A major hallmark of the Urban Planning process is surely its complexity in terms of stakeholder interest representation and consultation. As is often said academic literature on planning: it is part of the urban planner role to work as a public advocate, to work for a common good across society and not simply for the good of select stakeholders (often the most influential). As such planners, in addition to standard spatial, environmental, social and economic facets of society need to consider the interest of stakeholders- that is people influenced by a project and people who influence the decisions.

As noted in a recent UC Urban lecture there are various levels of stakeholder participation within the planning process: 1) Information provision- informing those with interest in plan, 2) Consultation: stakeholders are sought at intervals to provide input and feedback, 3) Deciding together- stakeholders are meaningful decision makers who work with the planning body and other pertinent professionals in the planning formulation process, 4) Acting together- stakeholders involved at implementation stage in the process and 5) Supporting independent stakeholder groups- independent development of strategies by involved stakeholders. 

Case Study: Dockland Redevelopment, Melbourne