3 Results: Organisations Conducting Research

University of Otago

Michelle Thompson-Fawcett (Senior Lecturer)

Email: mtf@geography.otago.ac.nz
Website: www.otago.ac.nz

New Zealand research

In planning:

Title:

'Democracy within the 'urbanist' planning paradigm: social justice or empty rhetoric?'

Purpose:

To establish what role 'urbanist' participatory processes play in the design of urban space (includes case studies in New Zealand, Australia, and Europe).

Principal researcher:

Michelle Thompson-Fawcett.

Co-researcher:

Sophie Bond.

In progress:

Title:

'Public participation and New Urbanism: a conflicting agenda?' (2004)

Purpose:

To examine the practice of New Urbanism's participatory planning process against the principles of inclusionary participatory planning, based on the case study of the Wanaka enquiry by design/charrette, conducted in 2002.

Principal researcher:

Sophie Bond.

Co-researcher:

Michelle Thompson-Fawcett.

Completed:

Title:

Lived Experience of a Planned Urbanist Development: Resident observations on life in Botany Downs, Manukau (2003)

Purpose:

To understand perceptions of life, and resident behaviour, in a 'master planned' medium-density development (based on a 48-question survey of 121 households, covering such issues as design, identity, quality, services, activities, community interaction, privacy, transport, property management, future planning, problems, demographics).

Title:

Lived Experience of the Inner City Periphery: Resident observations on life in Eden Terrace, Auckland (2003)

Purpose:

To understand perceptions of life, and resident behaviour, in a market-led medium-density neighbourhood (based on a 48-question survey of 150 households, covering such issues as design, identity, quality, services, activities, community interaction, privacy, transport, property management, future planning, problems, demographics).

Title:

Urbanist Intentions for the Built Environment: Botany Downs, Manukau case study (2003)

Purpose:

To examine the implications of the production of urban form in the communication of meanings and social relations (based on in-depth interviews with architects, developers, planners, designers involved with development in Botany Downs town centre and residential areas).

Principal researcher:

Michelle Thompson-Fawcett.

Co-researcher:

Sophie Bond (University of Otago).

Title:

Sustainable Urban Layout: New Zealand approaches (2003)

Purpose:

An evaluation of four case studies in New Zealand where local authorities have attempted to move towards a sustainable urban form: Queenstown, Dunedin, Tauranga and Auckland.

Title:

The Vibrant Square: Planning and design guidelines for city squares in New Zealand (2002)

Purpose:

To identify the preconditions and planning and design mechanisms that promote vibrancy in New Zealand city squares.

Researcher:

Andrew Macleod.

Title:

Communicative Planning in Practice: An exploration of public participation in community planning (2002)

Purpose:

To critically examine participatory planning, using a case study of the enquiry by design/charrette process facilitated by New Urbanist practitioners in Wanaka in 2002.

Researcher:

Sophie Bond.

Title:

Landscape Transformation in Queenstown (2001)

Purpose:

To examine power relations and power networks evident in the development of Queenstown.

Principal researcher:

Maree Hogg.

Co-researcher:

Michelle Thompson-Fawcett.

Title:

Rural Cluster Housing

Purpose:

To evaluate the potential of cluster housing as an option for environmentally appropriate development on the urban periphery.

Principal researcher:

Craig McKibbin.

Co-researcher:

Michelle Thompson-Fawcett, John Baldwin.

International research

Completed:

Title:

Participatory Community Planning Urbanist Style: Theory and practice at Poundbury, UK (2004)

Purpose:

To critically examine the use of participatory processes used in the urban extension of Dorchester in Dorset.

Principal researcher:

Michelle Thompson-Fawcett.

Co-researcher:

Sophie Bond.

Title:

Transformation of Crown St in the Gorbals, Glasgow (2004)

Purpose:

To assess the landscape transformation processes present in the regeneration of this inner-city locality intended to improve the sustainable management of the urban landscape.

Title:

Urbanist Intentions in the Built Landscape (2003)

Purpose:

To investigate the ideological foundations and implications of urbanist activity, based on case studies in New Zealand, Canada and the UK.

Principal researcher:

Michelle Thompson-Fawcett.

Co-researcher:

Sophie Bond.

Title:

The Urbanist Diffusion Network (2003)

Purpose:

To examine the international diffusion of urbanist thinking and construction.

Title:

Urbanist Lived Experience: A Poundbury case study (2001)

Purpose:

To analyse the perceptions, experiences and behaviours of all residents living in the new Poundbury urbanist settlement.

Title:

The Contribution of Urban Villages to Achieving Sustainable Urban Form (2000)

Purpose:

An analysis of two UK case studies of urban village developments intended to improve the sustainable management of the urban landscape.

University of Waikato

Richard D Bedford (Professor and Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research))

Private Bag 3105
Hamilton

Email: richard.b@waikato.ac.nz
Website: www.waikato.ac.nz

In planning:

Nil.

In progress:

Title:

'Enhancing wellbeing in an ageing society 2004-2009'

Purpose:

To provide an understanding of policy formation and the delivery of services for enhancing wellbeing in an ageing New Zealand society.

Co-researchers:

Professor Jacques Poot, Peter King, Dr Arunachalam Dharmalingam, Dr Sarah Hillcoat-Nalletamby, Charles Waldergrave.

Title:

'Sub-national differentials in population health status (1998-2004)'

Purpose:

To analyse regional differences in population health status and its social and economic determinants. The project deals with the issue of equity (as defined by access), and thus throws light on the allocation of health resources. The project addresses health systems, including their population attributes, rather than specific service implementation and individual risks. The resultant evidence can drive resource allocation, and provide baselines for the evaluation of policy impacts on populations.

Co-researchers:

Professor Ian Pool, Sandra Baxendine.

Title:

'New demographic directions programme (1996-2004)'

Purpose:

To elaborate the evidence base for policies seeking to achieve greater social cohesion within frameworks of sustainable national, regional and community development by analysing the characteristics, structures and dynamics of projected population to 2051.

Co-researchers:

Professor Ian Pool, Dr Arunachalam Dharmalingam, Prof. Richard Bedford, Sandra Baxendine, Dr Elsie Ho, Jacqueline Lidgard, Dr Sarah Hillcoat-Nalletamby.

Title:

'Planning under co-operative mandates'

Purpose:

An ongoing programme of research that is progressively evaluating the quality of planning and governance under the RMA (1991), by first examining regional policy statements and plans (completed), then the implementation of a selection of district plans through the resource consents process (completed), and then the outcomes from those plans and processes (in progress). Lessons from the RMA are now being applied to planning and governance under the Local Government Act (2002) (in progress).

Co-researchers:

Neil Ericksen (IGCI/UOW) Programme Leader, Jan Crawford (Planning Consultants Ltd, Auckland) Obj#1 leader, Ali Memon (Lincoln University) Obj#2 leader, Richard Jefferies (KCML Solutions Ltd, Opotiki) Obj#3 leader, Tom Fookes (Planning at Auckland University) Obj#4 leader, Phil Berke (University of North Carolina) advisor, Lucie Laurian (University of Arizona) advisor, Sarah Chapman (Lawrence, Cross and Chapman Planning Assoc, Thames) researcher).

Completed:

Nil.

Waikato District Council

Fraser McRae

Email: fraser.mcrae@waidc.govt.nz
Website: www.waikatodistrict.govt.nz

In planning:

Nil.

In progress:

Nil.

Completed:

Title:

Neighbours Who Gave Consent (2002)

Purpose:

To assist the rewriting of side yard rules by defining issues of building within existing yards.

Waitakere City Council

Michael Mills (Crime Prevention Projects Leader)

Private Bag 93 109
Henderson
Auckland

Phone: (09) 836 8000 ext 8421
Email: michael.mills@waitakere.govt.nz
Website: www.waitakere.govt.nz

In planning:

Title (provisional):

'District Plan Mechanisms for Intensification'

Purpose:

Research into appropriate district plan mechanisms to promote intensification in town centres.

Title (provisional):

'Pre- and Post-Occupancy Evaluation of New Civic Building'

Purpose:

To evaluate effectiveness of sustainability measures in the new Civic Building.

Co-researchers:

To be determined.

In progress:

Title:

'TUSC - Tools for Urban Sustainability Code of Practice'

Purpose:

See Ministry for the Environment - Sustainable Management Fund entry.

Title:

'Sustainability in the Residential Built Environment'

Purpose:

To develop better, healthier New Zealand housing and neighbourhoods. Covers nine comprehensive objective areas to provide built solutions that meet national goals for social, environmental and cultural outcomes. Includes construction of the "Now Home" in Waitakere City, demonstrating a desirable, energy and water efficient home using off-the-shelf technologies and staying within an affordable budget.

Co-researchers:

Beacon Consortium (Forest Research, Fletcher Building, BRANZ and Waitakere City Council), with research inputs from Landcare Research, QZONE and Victoria University of Wellington.

Title:

'Car Parking Rules in Community Environments'

Purpose:

To research and analyse the holistic principle that town centre car parking need not be accommodated site-by-site, and that the demand generated by different activities can be balanced out over the whole centre.

Co-researcher:

Hill Young Cooper.

Completed:

Title:

Safety and Access by Design (2003)

Purpose:

To develop principles and best practice to address crime prevention, injury prevention and barrier-free access in urban design.

Co-researchers:

Helen McCracken (Injury Prevention), Vivian Naylor (CCS), Chris Orr (RNZFB).

Title:

The Better Building Code for Public Buildings (2000, reprinted 2002, revised 2004/2005 version currently in planning)

Purpose:

Intended to be a voluntary minimum environmental standard for council buildings, and to provide standard clauses for tendering and briefing documents for the design and construction of public buildings. Additionally, it contains guidelines for sound project planning and management and for the maintenance of existing buildings.

Co-researchers:

Ministry for the Environment Sustainable Management Fund.

Title:

Social Impacts of Intensive Housing (2005)

Purpose:

• To assess the evidence to support or refute public perceptions regarding the social impacts of intensification (both positive and negative) in the Auckland region.
• To identify the social impacts of more intensive living environments in the Auckland region.
• To identify whether good urban design can contribute to reducing any negative social impacts and enhancing positive social impacts.

Co-researchers:

Auckland City Council (lead), Auckland Regional Council, Housing New Zealand Corporation.

Wellington Regional Council

Kirsten Forsyth (Policy Advisor, Environment Division), Greater Wellington

PO Box 11 646
142 Wakefield Street
Wellington

Phone: (04) 384 5708
Fax: (04) 385 6960
Email: kirsten.forsyth@gw.govt.nz
Website: www.wrc.govt.nz

In planning:

Nil.

In progress:

Nil.

Completed:

Title:

The ecological health of urban streams in the Wellington region (July 2005)

Purpose:

To assess and report on the ecological and habitat condition of 24 urban and peri-urban streams in Wellington, Porirua, Kapiti Coast, Hutt and Upper Hutt cities and six peri-urban streams in the Wairarapa. Each stream's ecological health is reported in the context of the degree of urbanisation of its catchment. The results will be used to provide guidance on resource management policy in regional plans and resource consent decisions.

Co-researchers:

Kingett Mitchell Ltd, Porirua City Council, Wellington City Council.

Whangarei District Council

Nina Murphy (Environmental Policy Planner)

Private Bag 9023
Whangarei

Phone: (09) 430 4200, ext 8893
Email: ninam@wdc.govt.nz
Website: www.wdc.govt.nz/

In planning:

Title (provisional):

'Design guidelines for residential and commercial development'

Purpose:

To ensure that changes in urban form are compatible with the character, amenity and identity of the surrounding environment.

Co-researchers:

Ngaire Thomson, Kylie McLaughlin.

In progress:

Title:

'Structure plans for eleven areas within the urban area of Whangarei'

Purpose:

To micro-plan the development of each of these areas, including identifying unique character areas and special features to consider when planning future development.

Co-researchers:

Ngaire Thomson.

Title:

'Inner City Revitalisation Working Group'

Purpose:

Council and staff working group to examine ways to 'revitalise' Whangarei city centre, including updating Council's 20/20 Vision document.

Completed:

Title:

Town basin variation to district plan

Purpose:

To recognise and provide for the unique character of the Whangarei Town Basin. There are a number of objectives, including "To maintain and enhance the special amenity, recreation and cultural values and sense of place unique to the maritime setting of Whangarei Town Basin and valued by the District".

Co-researcher:

BECA Planning.

Title:

Urban Growth Strategy (October 2003)

Purpose:

To provide long term guidance for the management of our urban environment. This includes identifying a vision for the urban area of Whangarei and issues to be addressed in achieving this vision.

Co-researcher:

Ngaire Thomson.

Title:

10 High Priority Coastal Structure Plans (November 2003)

Purpose:

To provide a broad concept or plan of how the community should look in 20 years' time.

Co-researcher:

Kylie McLaughlin (BECA Planning).

Title:

Coastal Management Strategy (September 2002)

Purpose:

To establish a strategic integrated framework for managing the protection, use and development of the coastal environment, within the Whangarei District.

Co-researcher:

Kylie McLaughlin.