1. Building socially sustainable communities:
what role for planners?
Acknowledgement: Much of the content of this
article derives from a Parliamentary Briefing
Paper written by Jackie Ohlin, (2003) A Suburb
Too Far? Urban Consolidation in Sydney. Used
by permission of NSW Parliamentary Library.
Urban consolidation
Urban consolidation is essentially an approach
to planning which allows more compact,
higher density development, usually in
selected locations across a clty. ldeally, these
locations are chosen to integrate with transport
networks, employment opportunities and social
infrastructure. Looking at the 'local' picture
there are a range of policies in the Soufh
East Queensland Regional PIan 2005 - 2026
that aim to consolidate urban develooment in
existing and new urban areas. Some of the
claimed benefits of urban consolidation include
social and environmental benefits through a
smaller 'footprint' on the landscape; better
integration with and use of public transport
services; improved ease of access by residents
to employment and to local services; and
improved entry into the housing market with
more affordable real estate than detached
dwellings.
Social sustainability and urban
consolidation
A query which hangs over the phenomena
of ongoing growth at the urban fringe is the
sustainability, in social terms, of a megalopolis.
How equitable or accessible can services
or lifestyles be if they are accompanied by
overwhelming challenges in terms of transport,
distance and associated cost issues? Similarly,
how participatory can a community's life be
when constrained by the logistics of negotiating
these challenges on a daily basis? Critics
of urban consolidation counter this vista of
car-dependent suburbs with descriptions of
'unlivable' inner-city environments accompanied
by noise, pollution, alienation and crime.
Underpinning much of the discussion about
social sustainability within cities is the concept of
community. Sociologist Robert Putnam (2000).
suggests that in America, suburbanisation has
led to a loss of community. In Bowling Alone
he traces the decline in 'social caoital'that has
occurred since the 1960s. Social caoital refers
to connectedness between people, including
social networks and the norms of reciprocity and
trust arising from them. Community involvement
and civic engagement derive from these.
social organisation and the exercise of trust.
Social capital is a truly public good, transacted
voluntarily - it cannot be contrived (LGCAA,
1 999).
Many close-knit inner-city communities have
undergone immense and far-reaching changes
which have profoundly affected community
cohesiveness. Critically, the social sustainability
of urban consolidation will depend upon the
extent to which people in communities can
tolerate or embrace change. The catch-cry of
communities caught up in the change process
is 'over-deveiopment'. While perceptions of
'over-development' may be relative, human
nature suggests that peoples' poor experiences
of urban consolidation will most clearly define
their negative responses to it.
To date, much of the NIMBY(Not In My Back
Yard)ism associated with urban consolidation
has pivoted upon fear about falling property
values, street congestion, rising crime rates, loss
of local character, demands on infrastructure,
and poor design. Hence, it will be important
for the success and acceptance of urban
consolidation projects that they emphasise
planning aspects such as quality and energy
efficient design, high building standards,
noise attenuation, a focus upon visual impact
and access to open space, relationships with
public transport and jobs, and genuine social
integration (Ohlin, 2003).
Building socially sustainable communities:
the role for planners
. Being appropriately and securely housed
. Having access to education, employment,
recreation and the services we need
. Feeling valued and a part of the
community
. The symbols that remrnd us we belong or
bring back memories of events past
. The community events and ncidental
social encounte's thar b-ng us rogerher
and bridge our differences
. The ability to pulr togethe. io'eso've
personal and local issues
development)
. Real integration of new and existing
communities
. Urban design that supports social inclusion,
opportunities for social interaction and
physical activity
. Community as partners in the process of
planning, problem solving and ongoing
development
. Stronger collaborative approaches - State
and Local governments, private sector and
community
. More sophisticated planning tools &
approaches
. Collaboration and investment in the slow
process of creating community
In conclusion, there are challenges for building
communities undergoing urban consolidation.
To achieve sustainable urban consolidation
we will need to strive for outcomes which
show socially responsive results. Community
participation and supporting social capital are
cntical to planning for social sustainability.
References
Gleeson, Jim andYoung,Andrea (2005) Building
Community or Building Density? Presentation
at the PIA State Conference 2005.
Local Government Community Services
Association of Australia: Working together to
develop our communities, Townsville, 1999, p
B.
Putnam, Robert (2000) Bowling Alone: The
Collapse and Revival of Middle America , Simon
and Schuster, New York, p 402 .
Young, Andrea (2005) Building Community In
Rapid Urban Growth: a Community Response,
Robert Putnam Symposium, Brisbane City Hall,
1 8th August 2005.
Simone Cuers
PIA Social Planning Chapter
Other authors have noted a broad range of Ohlin, Jackie (2003) A Suburb Too Far?
features that make a community and described Urban Consolidation in Svdnev. parliamentarv
the subsequent role of planning in building Briefing paper. http:/Arvww.parliament.nsw.
socially sustainable communities undergoing gov.au/prod/parlment/publications.nsf/O/
urban consolidation. In response to the question i eSSAeA46E5047FDCA256ECF00075066
of 'What makes a community?' Gleeson and accessed on2gt1112006
Young (2005) indicate the following:
In Australia, academics and local community . Feeling safe, trusting and helprnc each
development practitioners alike have sought other out
to understand and apply concepts of social
capital in our societal context- Strong evidenc" What has this got to do with planning? Planners
of social capital may be found where there are have a significant role in building sooa y
community development processes invesiing sustainable communities, including (G eeson
in communities - that is, investing 'existing and Young 2005' Young 2005):
community resources, acquired money and the . committed resources to secure socral
economy of joint effort', (LGCAA, 1999). Local infrastructure and community development
Government practitioner groups conclude, qrrrradiac
however, that the building of social capital must
genuinely encourage and develop existing . Interventions to ensure social inclusion and
social networks, community bonds and ties, diversity (eg affordable housing, cultural
30 Queensland PlannerVol 46 No 4