2 - Attributes of Successful Towns and Cities
Towns and cities are increasingly the focus of national and international attention, and there is widespread recognition that to achieve national economic success it is necessary to have successful towns and cities. Success does not occur by chance but as a result of good planning based on a long-term vision and co-ordinated action.
This section identifies six essential attributes that successful towns and cities share. It is the combination of all these attributes that leads to success. They incorporate economic, environmental, social and cultural factors, drawing on the Sustainable Development Programme of Action.
Quality urban design is a common factor to all six attributes. High quality design of urban spaces, places, buildings and networks is an essential building block upon which many other attributes of successful towns and cities are built.
Successful towns and cities are:
Competitive, thriving, creative and innovative
Successful towns and cities are competitive centres and economic hubs for New Zealand. They are platforms for growth, especially in advanced business services, creative industries, hi-tech industries, and as centres of learning and innovation.
Competitive and thriving towns and cities attract dynamic and innovative knowledge workers, entrepreneurs and companies. Places that offer a high quality of life, effective transport systems, high environmental quality, leisure and recreation opportunities, thriving cultural centres, arts and historic heritage, and a distinctive identity, are places that thrive because they appeal to talented people.
Creativity is a hallmark of successful towns and cities. Creative towns and cities facilitate new ways of thinking and innovative ways of solving problems. They form new partnerships, and support centres of learning. Creative cities have a strong identity, a rich cultural life and are well connected regionally and internationally. They have a culture of innovation and they invest in people.
Liveable
Successful towns and cities provide a high quality of life where people choose to live and work. They provide an attractive living environment, they offer good leisure and recreational opportunities, and support a thriving cultural life.
Liveable places provide a choice of housing, work and lifestyle opportunities. They are easy to move around, with a variety of transport options and accessible services. They are safe and healthy places to live.
Environmentally responsible
Successful towns and cities celebrate, maintain and add to their best environmental attributes. They recognise the role the natural environment plays in making urban areas great places to live and work, and the contribution the natural environment makes to their identity, liveability and quality of life. They enhance these qualities by maintaining and sometimes recreating natural networks throughout urban areas, and by designing new buildings, transport services and infrastructure that meet the highest standards of sustainable design and construction.
Environmentally responsible towns and cities manage resources to take account of the needs of present and future generations. They ensure that growth and economic development is undertaken in sympathy with the natural environment and cultural heritage, and to minimise the environmental footprint of the city. Environmentally responsible towns and cities constantly seek ways to minimise adverse impacts on natural and cultural systems, including air and water quality. They minimise waste production, energy and water use, and maximise the efficiency of infrastructure.
Successful towns and cities have:
Opportunities for all
Successful towns and cities offer opportunities for young and old people, people with low incomes and people with disabilities. They provide access to jobs, affordable homes, services and community facilities. They respect and celebrate diversity and build a strong sense of community. Successful towns and cities are inclusive societies that care for the disadvantaged and allow people to participate in making decisions that affect them.
Distinctive identity
Successful towns and cities have a strong identity and sense of place that builds on the unique strengths and characteristics of each place and reflects our Kiwi culture. Natural and built environment, community, culture and heritage are the building blocks of identity. Recognising and promoting a town's or city's identity encourages diversity of cultural expression, local pride, civic engagement and confidence. It stimulates innovation, creativity and economic opportunities.
Shared vision and good governance
A successful town or city has a clear sense of direction and a long-term vision. It has a widely shared vision that may transcend political boundaries. There is genuine engagement with communities and leadership at many levels. Creative ideas are encouraged and freely exchanged between people and government.
In a successful town or city, local governance is effective, efficient and confident. Leaders are prepared to take risks to deliver the best outcomes, but priorities and trade-offs are made explicit, and the benefits and costs of decisions are understood. Decision makers think holistically and creatively, and they learn from mistakes. They work in partnership with businesses and communities to reach shared goals.
High quality design of urban spaces, places, buildings and networks is an essential building block upon which many other attributes of successful towns and cities are built.
