Building back healthier? The transformative potential and reality of city planning responses to COVID-19 in Melbourne, Australia

Melanie Lowe · Sarah Jayne Bell · Peter D. Ferguson · Merrick Morley · Hannah R Morrice · Sarah Alexandra Foster

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Urban Planning and Governance Disaster Management and Resilience Public Health Policies and Education

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic was one of the most significant public health and urban planning challenges that cities have faced in recent times. From an evolutionary resilience perspective, the disruption caused by the pandemic was a potential opportunity to create more resilient urban environments that reduce infectious and non-communicable disease risks. This paper examines whether and how city planning policy responses to COVID-19 in Melbourne, Australia, supported evolutionary urban resilience and transformation towards healthy built environments. Content analysis was undertaken of relevant City of Melbourne and Victorian state government policy documents adopted between January 2020 and October 2022, to identify and evaluate city planning responses to COVID-19 against evolutionary resilience and healthy cities frameworks. Policy changes included public space adjustments, supporting walking and cycling, and addressing housing affordability and homelessness. Most policy actions in response to COVID-19 were consistent with evidence on planning healthy and resilient cities. However, Melbourne's city planning responses to the pandemic prioritised recovery more than positive urban transformation in response to disruption. The findings illustrate the challenges of realising evolutionary urban resilience in practice. We develop recommendations for city planning that prepares for future pandemics and builds resilience to other shocks and stresses. • Melbourne's city planning COVID-19 responses promoted urban health and resilience. • City planning changes prioritised recovery more than evolutionary urban resilience. • Findings illustrate the challenges of realising evolutionary resilience in practice. • Disruptions should be used as opportunities for beneficial urban transformation.

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2015Defining urban resilience: A review 2021Introducing the “15-Minute City”: Sustainability, Resilience and Place Identity in Future Post-Pandemic Cities 2016City planning and population health: a global challenge 202115-Minute City: Decomposing the New Urban Planning Eutopia 2020How is COVID-19 reshaping activity-travel behavior? Evidence from a comprehensive survey in Chicago 2021New urban models for more sustainable, liveable and healthier cities post covid19; reducing air pollution, noise and heat island effects and increasing green space and physical activity 2014Urban liveability: Emerging lessons from Australia for exploring the potential for indicators to measure the social determinants of health 2022Urban resilience: A vague or an evolutionary concept?

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