Importance of Capital Metro - Canberra as a Great Global City

Capital metro is very important much needed piece of infrastructure although controversial especially if you believe the Canberra Times. Canberra has always been designed to have rail and the large wide median strips show this; but this has never happened. Canberra’s reliance on cars needs to be broken to deal with many issues such as growth in population, sustainability and higher fuel prices, (ACT Government, 2012).

 The first stage is Gungahlin to civic is controversial option but really this makes sense because currently Northbourne avenue is currently a pressure point for public transport, public transport from civic to Gungahlin doesn’t work, this is because there is no bus priority along Northbourne, (ACT Government, 2014). Options to rectify this are to make the left lane along Northbourne a bus only lane which would congest traffic further or the light rail. One obvious answer the light rail its good for Canberra and needed for the future, (Hass, 2014). 

The other thing building capital metro is facilitating is the Northbourne corridor revamp which will completely change Canberra’s image for tourists as they drive in from dilapidated housing commission buildings to nice modern mixed use buildings, more people and more vibrancy, (ACT Government, Land Development Agency, 2014) .

Bibliography

ACT Government, Land Development Agency, 2014. Northbourne Housing Precinct. [Online]
Available at: http://www.lda.act.gov.au/en/northbourne-avenue-corridor

ACT Government, 2012. Transport for Canberra, Canberra: Environment and Sustainable Development Directorate.

ACT Government, 2014. Capital Metro. [Online]
Available at: http://www.capitalmetro.act.gov.au/

Hass, D. C., 2014. ACT Light Rail. [Online]
Available at: http://www.actlightrail.info/
[Accessed 21 October 2014].

City to the Lake

City to the Lake is Canberra’s largest urban renewal project if the ACT government gets around to it. It will bring Canberra’s CBD to West Basin bridging across Parks Way. This Project needs to be done very carefully and needs to enhance not worsen the aesthetic appeal of Lake Burley Griffin. While I do believe this project needs to happen I’m not sure now is a suitable time, not to be to negative but with recent hits to Canberra’s economy and retail struggling around the city I think adding large new retail spaces just won’t work.

Increasing Civics population by building high density housing in the centre of the city as has been seen in New Acton could make this project more viable in the future. On the positive side this project will deliver much needed accommodation in the centre of the city and even more importantly deliver much needed infrastructure, (ACT Government, Environment and Sustainable Development, 2012). Within the City to the lake plan is a new Aquatics Centre, Stadium and land reserved for a new convention centre.

 New Aquatics facilities and a stadium are desperately needed for Canberra and I would start this project by building the new aquatics facility and stadium and then re-evaluate the rest of the project once that is complete, (ACT Government, Environment and Sustainable Development, 2012).

References

ACT Government, Environment and Sustainable Development, 2012. ACT Planning Strategy, Canberra: ACT Government.

Update

Just updating you all my last post and the next 3 are a part of this semesters assessable

  work of 4, 200 words Forum Post spread across the semester. I'm sorry they are brief but I am restricted by the 200 word limit.

Evaluation Tools and Systems

Accessibility is an vital consideration in urban and regional planning however it is rarely considered for policy evaluation from the viewpoint of individuals' quality of life (QoL), (Doi, et al., 2007). Physical accessibility can be split into two key categories: transport and Activity. Transport is simply travel distance, time, cost for various modes of transport, Activity refers to the amount and location of opportunities, (Doi, et al., 2007). The evaluation of QoL has changed throughout time and has recently been evaluated as satisfaction/availability of resources, (Doi, et al., 2007). this is no longer an accurate way to evaluate QoL a more comprehensive approach is needed to understand QoL and how strategic urban planning can enhance QoL, (Khalil, 2012). Five key aspects are to be considered when planning these are safety and security, economic opportunity, service and cultural opportunity and environmental benignity these five areas can replace Felce and Perry’s five areas of QoL which although were multidimensional the cannot be easily applied, (Khalil, 2012). When these Five aspects are applied in urban planning healthier cities can be created and flow on effects are seen. Using these aspects in strategic planning helps lead to less inequality, more recreation, lowing of mental health issues and healthier places to live all round, (Barton & Tsourou, 2013).

Bibliography

Barton, H. & Tsourou, C., 2013. Healthy Urban Planning. 1st ed. Copenhagen: Taylor and Francis Group.

Doi, K., Kii , M. & Nakanishi, H., 2007. An integrated evaluation method of accessibility, quality of life, and social interaction, Toyohashi: published online.

Khalil, H. A., 2012. Enhancing quality of life through strategic urban planning. 5th ed. Cairo: Cairo University .

Case study 5 Coping with disaster: Victorian Bushfire 2009

The 2009 Victorian bushfires also known as the black Saturday bushfires were a series of bushfires that ignited on the 7^th of February 2009. These bushfires killed 173 people and injured around 414 people, over 3500 structures destroyed mainly houses with over 4billion dollars’ worth of damages.  

This day was a perfect day for bushfires with the temperature peaking in Melbourne at 46.4deggrees (C) and 48.8 degrees (C) and over 115 km/h wind combined to make some of the worst bushfire weather in Australian history. The Australian institute of meteorology predicted these conditions well before they happened they and preparations were made warnings were given the fireman were ready to fight the blaze and still 173 people died.

The towns of Kinglake, Marysville, Narbethong, Strathewen and Flowerdale were completely destroyed well many others were severely damaged. Although this is extremely tragic planning can go a long way to making sure that something like this won’t happen again. In September 2009 a royal commission into the Victorian bushfires was called and policy improvements were recommended and there was a strong focus on buying back properties in extreme danger areas, wide fire barriers and clearings around roads and property’s.

other recommendations where more back burning, fire trails, higher fire safety standards for properties (including retrofitting heritage properties), more fire access roads and improving communications as fire tore through telephone lines and towers and communications where lost better communications facilities are needed and more resilient from fire. Another focus was on vulnerable demographics almost 50% of people who died where over 70 or under 12 more has to be done to protect these vulnerable members of the community such as making aged care and child care facilities more fire resistant and in non-fire prone areas.

Case study 3 Planning for adaptation: Batemans Bay

Batemans bay is a town growing fast and has many issues and problems to consider which are unique to settlements on the coast. Batemans bay currently has a population of around 16,000 people which is expected to increase by around 40% to 23,000 by 2031. Batemans bay has an ageing and elderly population with 22% of the population over 65 and this expected to increase over the next 20 years Batemans bay being a desirable retirement destination for members of Canberra and surrounding areas. For this reason Eurobodalla Shire Council have brought in an ageing-in-place strategy to provide planning directions and controls that support easy-maintenance homes for seniors that are located close to shops and other services.

Batemans Bay

The growth of Batemans Bay will be achieved through a combination of Greenfield, urban renewal and infill projects. Two areas were considered for greenfield development both north of Batemans bay CBD; one in Batemans bay north and the other near Maloney’s beach after much deliberation and studies the north Batemans bay site was found to be the best area for greenfield development and Maloney’s beach should not be used until after the north Batemans bay sit.

new growth areas

 

Although these Greenfield areas could accommodate Batemans bays population increase this would not be ideal for Batemans bay infill will be needed in central areas to keep the population especially elderly population close to services. Environmental issues also need to be thought about when planning anywhere but a costal environment is especially venerable.

elderly infill housing Batemans Bay

 

Sea level rise is a serious issue that needs to be planned for with the sea rising an average of 3mm per year, king tides and heavy rainfall also make flooding a more recent event, planning needs to consider this and leave barriers and clearings from the ocean and rivers. If planned well this could save millions of dollars’ worth of damages in the future also Batemans bay being regional and surrounded by bush land and only with one major access road bush fires are a serious issue which can be managed via back burning fire breaks and fire barriers/clearings especially around roads and fire routes.

 

Case Study 2: Melbourne Docklands

Docklands is probably the largest and most economically significant urban renewal project which has taken place in Australia’s history. This project has huge implications on Melbourne, Victoria and Australia as it attempts to attract large national and international business investment. The economic benefits more then cover the overall expense of this large project; the overall cost of the project is $12billion and is currently at its halfway point but has already received $8.5billion of business investment and when complete in 2025 it will accommodate over 50,000 workers. These economic benefits are extremely important to Melbourne’s economy but a urban renewal project of this size internationally shows that Australia can be world leaders in innovation to encourage global investment.

To understand the importance of this urban renewal project locally we first need to consider the history of this area. Established in 1880 to support ships for incoming immigrants and materials, over years it became a heavy industrial area to take in materials for Melbourne and Victoria’s trade, construction and manufacturing industries. Between 1900 and the 1950’s Docklands was the busiest port in Australia, this was due to both industry and immigration and for this reason established strong rail links for trade and transport across Melbourne and Victoria. After the 1950’s docklands trade was redirected to other more accessible ports in Victoria most notably Geelong and its fate was uncertain all that remained was an industrial wasteland on Melbourne’s naturally beautiful waterfront.

In 1991 the Victorian government established the docklands authority, to plan and develop the docklands area, in 1996 the plans were drafted and released and the docklands area was split in 7 precincts, in 1997 construction on the stadium commenced and in 2013 the docklands project hit its halfway point.

Docklands history gives it a special place in the community’s heart so extensive community consultation was and still is needed for the correct outcomes for the Melbourne community and heritage plays and important role to preserve the history of docklands. What was clear from the community consultation was the community wanted more utilisation of the water front, more greens spaces and innovative environmental design. This was all considered and is reflected in the reports released. Docklands is now an area with investor, community and tourist appeal, all design and construction must fall within ESD guidelines and the docklands area will be home to 20,000 residents, 700 marinas and over 100 restaurants and café to establish a vibrant area on Melbourne’s waterfront.