Dimensions of liveability : a tool for sustainable cities

Abstract

In Australian urban centres, as in many western countries, urban consolidation and compact urban form are viewed as key strategies to manage urban growth and contain urban sprawl (1)(2). Several researchers have explored the impacts of compact urban form and note benefits relating to efficient use of land, reduced reliance on automobiles and enhanced social interaction (3)(4). However, the concept of high density living, a key feature of the compact city, has also received criticism in relation to potential impacts on people`s quality of life such as noise, limited space and perceptions of overcrowding (5) (6). A policy-driven shift from traditional low density suburbia to higher urban densities represents a significant redirection for Australia`s urban environment. Previous studies have indicated that community attitudes towards high density living in Australia have been neither positive nor supportive of this concept (7), concluding that the transition to high density living also challenges the existing entrenched suburban culture of Australia, where residents traditionally seek homes with backyards, rooms and features to meet their lifestyles (8). Lower-density environments based on almost `rural` values remain the `ideal` residential choice for many people. Nevertheless, as transport costs rise (including public transport fares, and the cost of fuel for private vehicles) more people rethink their choice of location from far-flung outer suburbs and seek locations closer to transport routes, sparking a crisis of housing availability and affordability, (9)and a wave of low quality speculative high-density development.

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