To tackle the rapidly escalating housing and rental crisis, the NSW Government recently announced plans to deliver 170,000 homes in mid-rise buildings over the next 15 years near key train stations in Sydney and the Illawarra.

However, urban planner Mike Day says that such areas must be designed as compact, connected, mixed-use, walkable neighbourhoods, integrated with the existing urban pattern, or risk creating disconnected and sterile places.

While acknowledging that mixed-use density developments near public transport will reduce residents’ dependence on cars and promote walking and cycling as the preferred modes of movement, Day urges developers to build projects with all the hallmarks of walkable urbanism and neighbourhoods that feature a raft of public amenities such as parks and community centres to avoid separated land uses, which compel residents to drive everywhere.

He points to the success of ‘20-minute neighbourhoods’ – a concept that’s gaining global traction – in delivering sustainable urbanism. Compared to conventional subdivisions that lack diversity in housing and amenities, 20-minute neighbourhoods offer communal areas, remote working hubs and access to nature, which boost community wellbeing and safety.

“With the Federal Government rolling out its ambitious plan to build 1.2 million homes over five years starting from June, we have a unique opportunity right now to rethink the communities and neighbourhood designs we want.

“These areas will need more than a bunch of residential blocks and a café. They need to prioritise walkability, green space, social amenities such as childcare centres, healthcare, and a connectedness with other neighbourhoods in their suburb. Australians need affordable housing now, but by also prioritising livability, we have the chance to future-proof our communities by meeting the needs of residents for generations.”

Taking the New Epping precinct, an urban renewal project in the City of Whittlesea, 18km north of Melbourne CBD, as an example, Day says that it will comprise thousands of townhouses and apartments across multiple neighbourhoods, as well as commercial, hospitality, retail and community spaces, and healthcare.

Before the new development, key problems identified in the area included mortgage stress, homelessness, and the need to commute by car to work.

Since commencing development in 2021, the first stage has delivered a mix of social and affordable housing for people who work nearby, people with disability, families with children in local schools, and others who were struggling to find affordable private rental accommodation. Hatch worked with community and affordable housing provider Haven Home Safe to deliver the apartments.

While speaking at a major UDIA Geelong industry event last month, Haven Home Safe CEO Trudi Ray said: “Creating a liveable neighbourhood means a few things: we need to embrace diversity of housing to meet people’s differing needs at various stages of their lives. It means we cater for all socio-economic groups throughout the housing continuum from people who need social housing to people who want to own a home. It means we ensure people are connected with their community by having a place to live that has education, employment, retail options, green spaces and local transport.”

“These elements are at the heart of the 20-minute neighbourhood, which support people to meet most of their everyday needs within a 20-minute return walk from home – and are key to liveability.”

Image: https://newepping.com.au/news/city-of-whittlesea-approves-new-epping-development-plan/