Talk of TODs (Transport or Transit Oriented Developments) has amplified as councils and governments across Australia look for ways to ease housing shortages. On paper, the concept is simple – by developing and reinvigorating the areas immediately surrounding transport hubs, an increased number of dwellings can be supplied.
With housing shortage at a crisis point, it’s not as simple as increasing density in these areas. To create livable, sustainable neighbourhoods with thriving communities, it’s important that stakeholders ensure there is a diversity of amenity included in these new town centres.
Arcadia’s landscape architects and urban designers have contributed to a number of strategies and projects that are playing a part in delivering livable new neighbourhoods. This includes the St Leonards South Precinct, where the delivery of a number of projects under the the St Leonards Strategy (2006) over the past five years has shown how successful precinct forward planning can be.
In fact, in a recent survey conducted by Committee for Sydney and IPSOS showed that more people were open to apartment living with one of the most significant shifts in attitudes occurring in Sydney’s northern suburbs, where 52 per cent of residents said they would consider living in a unit, compared to 40 per cent last year. Could this be that they’ve seen the benefits delivered to benefit the community alongside increases in density?
Planning is underway in NSW for the delivery of new TODs throughout the Greater Sydney region, from Wollongong to Newcastle, estimated to deliver more than 170,000 new homes in mid-rise dwellings. Planning for a diversity in open space and amenity will increase the livability of these new neighbourhoods, which should include:
Parks
Successful parks have access to nature, encourage movement, create resilience and provide a variety of community meeting places.
Play
To accommodate the growing number of families living in apartments, as well as a multigenerational meeting spot for all in the community, playgrounds bring all the community together and are beneficial to children by prompting them to move, imagine and socialise.
Activated laneways
Contributing to the vibrancy as well as providing safe movement through neighbourhoods
Pocket parks
Courtyards for moments of respite and passive recreation
Connections and links
Making it easy for people to move around and between neighbourhoods with improved pedestrian routes, cycleways and links to public transport.
