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Urban life for generations to come
Wellington’s Civic Square
where understanding patterns
of pedestrian access and use
were used to create a space
which is a stage for public life.
Photo: Wellington City Council
Many of us now live in towns and cities and as more people are moving to our larger centres, the strain on our infrastructure and environment is noticeable. The demographic of our cities is also changing and this means what we need in the future is not necessarily what we need now.
Over the next couple of decades, New Zealanders will need to cope with an increase in population (Statistics New Zealand predicts that our population will peak at 5 million by 2051), a greater proportion of people over 65, smaller households, greater expense for energy as well as a requirement to cut down on use of fossil fuels, and more technology advances.
The way urban areas function affects how our society works, how our economy performs, and how our environment fares under the increasing pressure being put on our natural resources.
New tools and approaches are needed to meet the needs of successful living in our changing urban environment.
To help with this, the government has set up a multi-agency unit hosted by the Department of Internal Affairs (DIA). The unit is responsible for leading discussions and identifying ways to create sustainable urban communities. It will work with other Ministries and agencies such as Housing New Zealand, local government, service and utility providers and with private sector investors, builders and developers.
A discussion document, entitled Building sustainable urban communities – Exploring place-based approaches to sustainable urban development in New Zealand, is available on DIA's website for comment and input. Itoffers ideas to support existing urban development authorities with the powers and tools they need to address current barriers, and to plan for place-based sustainable development.
DIA programme leader Fiona Illingsworth says the discussion document puts forward the proposition that many of these emerging urban development issues could be addressed by improving the ways Ministries and agencies work together.
“We can bring support by increasing the availability of urban development skills in New Zealand, up-skilling urban development practitioners, and better monitoring of sustainable urban development progress and issues,” she says.
Ministry for the Environment lead for this project Lindsay Gow suggests that new powers could be used by an urban development organisation, such as a council-controlled organisation, a Crown entity, or a joint venture company with public sector involvement, to implement sustainable development.
A possible approach would be to create legislation to allow ministers to declare that special tools or powers could be applied in busy or complex areas, Gow says.
Overseas examples of this type of approach to comprehensive, future-focused urban developments are often a more intensive form of mixed residential and commercial development, with better quality public spaces and amenities; stronger local economic activity; an emphasis on social success; and less reliance on car travel.
“This new approach to sustainable urban development aims to improve the delivery of the right kind of development, in the right areas, at the right time. To bring together these elements, a new enabling ‘place-based’ approach to sustainable urban development is proposed,“ says Gow.
The Ministry for the Environment is currently working on the scope of a national policy statement which will also guide the direction of urban development in New Zealand. To view the document visit http://www.mfe.govt.nz/rma/central/nps/urban-design/index.html
To look at the Building sustainable urban communities – Exploring place-based approaches to sustainable urban development in New Zealand discussion document go to www.dia.govt.nz/sudu The closing date for submissions is 28 November 2008.
