Archive for the ‘Regional Planning’ Category

20 Sep

Submission for the North Wyong Structure Plan NSW Australia

Posted by Habitat Association in Aboriginal Culture, Affordable Housing, Biobanking Natural Resources, Biodiversity Preservation, Climate Change, Extractive industires, Extractive Industries, Green Corridor Planning, Human impacts on natural Environments, LAnd Management and Land Values of Green Corridor Lands, New Town Centres, Population growth and planning for Tertiary Education Institutions, Public Transport, Rail and Bus Interchanges, Regional Planning, Social impacts on population growth, Wetlands.

The North Wyong Structure Plan is one of the most important documents compiled for the Central Coast. It identifies the pattern or template for development in the fastest growing areas of the Central Coast, the areas north of the township of Wyong.

The plan has been produced from the objectives of the Central Coast Strategy 2008, which is the main future looking document for the whole Central Coast.

The relationship of this plan to the Draft Central Coast Regional Transport Strategy (CCRTS)

Recently, the Central Coast has had the opportunity to be presented with the Central Coast Regional Transport Strategy.  This document although still in draft, in our opinion, was not able to satisfactorily identify the future transport needs of the Central Coast. By not using demographic trend data to show the huge needs in transport for the future of the Central Coast it was not able to properly analyze future transport trends and plan projects that relate to these trends. As this plan relies on the CCRTS for transport planning into the future we feel that the transport component of this plan is inadequate.

This document however, while only touching on transport has been able to show the capacity that the Central Coast will be able to contribute to NSW and the growth potential of the area covered by the North Wyong Structure Plan.

Trend from Private to Public Transport

The Plan outlines a potential of up to 10,000 new jobs with the release of developable land over the scope of the Plan. With this increase in employment opportunities there will be an increasing burden on transport infrastructure to move commuters. To increase efficiencies and reduce carbon emissions the Plan should move with the trend away from private forms of transport to public transport. This planned trend will help avoid cost blowouts on roads funding and time wasted by commuters waiting on congested roads.

It is expected that a large proportion of the jobs will be filled by workers from the southern parts of the Central Coast and Newcastle. It would be ideal that everyone living in the region would be able to walk or ride to work, but this would not be practical considering individual life style choices. However, workers will examine the feasibility of how to get to a particular job. This is where transport plans and transport planning must use a forward planning model to help enable large parts of the work force to easily access public transport.

The CCRTS, of which the Plan relies as a blue print to achieve sustainable transport is lacking in vision.  The Plan lacks a vision for transition from the medium term planning to the long term planning. The Plan, for example, relies on the CCRTS to supply the needed road infrastructure for the massive amounts of movement that is planned within the Plan.  This movement must be planned so that workers leave their cars at home and travel by public transport to work, either locally or from the regions. Bus services must become a seamless option for commuters.

<Read More Issues covered in this submission>

19 Sep

Central Coast – NSW – a Regional Growth Area

Posted by Habitat Association in Affordable Housing, Biobanking Natural Resources, Biodiversity Preservation, Climate Change, Green Corridor Planning, LAnd Management and Land Values of Green Corridor Lands, New Town Centres, Population growth and planning for Tertiary Education Institutions, Public Transport, Regional Planning, Social impacts on population growth, Water infrastructure planning.

Proposal to establish a ‘regional growth area’, including governance and planning structures, for the Central Coast – covering Gosford City and Wyong Shire.

Sustainable Communities Research (SCR) has recently been working on aspects of the growth centre of Warnervale / Wadalba as well as greenfield and renewal growth areas in Wyong Shire and Gosford City. The paper addresses key issues and major questions of strategic planning and infrastructure financing of these areas. Of priority importance for the Central Coast are water planning, population management and infrastructure provisions.

From this work SCR makes three recommendations for consideration, including: extending the area of responsibility of the CCRDC to the Warnervale / Wadalba growth centre; designating Wyong Shire as a Local Government Growth Area; and, designating the whole of the Central Coast as a Regional Growth Area.  The report also suggests five Central Coast plans need to complement the Central Coast Regional Strategy (CCRS) (2008). These plans as noted below are: infrastructure; sustainable transport; conservation; water management; and affordable housing.

Report Recommendations:

A. Growth Areas

We recommend that the State government designate the whole of the Central Coast (Gosford / Wyong) as a Regional Growth Area.

We make three suggestions (containing options) about growth areas for the State government to consider:

1.      State government extending the area of responsibility of the CC Regional Development Corporation (CCRDC) to the Warnervale / Wadalba growth centre;

2.       State government designating Wyong Shire as a ‘Local Government Growth Area’;

3.      State government designating the whole of the Central Coast (Gosford / Wyong) as a Regional Growth Area (preferred option).

B. Planning

We recommend that five plans complement the Central Coast Regional Strategy:

1.      CC Infrastructure Plan – with commitments to delivering needed infrastructure to meet population growth.

2.      CC Sustainable Transport Plan – follow-up actions under the CC Regional Transport Plan (2010) linking the existing major population centres and integrating public transport (rail/buses), roads, cycleways and walkways.

3.      CC Conservation Plan – the yet to be completed plan to conserve the local environment and address degradation from past development (especially the lakes and valleys)

4.      CC Water Management Plan – linking the three above to this plan under the newly formed CC Water Corporation.

5.      CC Affordable Housing Plan – to ensure many local people on lower incomes can afford to live on the Central Coast.

A report presented to:

Hon Bernie O’Farrell, Premiere of NSW, Australia on Wed 21st Sept 2011

by:                             Sustainable Communities Research

Compiled: Wed 24th August 2011

In association with

Habitat Association for Arts and Environment

www.habitatassociation.com.au

Authors            –       Kevin Armstrong and Dr. Ray Rauscher

To read the full report: <click here>


19 Aug

Submission to Transport NSW on: Draft Central Coast Transport Strategy 2010

Posted by Habitat Association in Climate Change, Human impacts on natural Environments, New Town Centres, Population growth and planning for Tertiary Education Institutions, Public Transport, Rail and Bus Interchanges, Rail Freight, Regional Planning, Social impacts on population growth.

This submission on the draft Central Coast Transport Strategy(herein referred to as the dCCTS or the Strategy) is laid out under the following headings:

  1. Structure of the dCCTS
  2. Issues, Concerns and Questions
  3. Connections between Statistical Data and Works
  4. A Complete Strategy for the Central Coast
  5. A Proposed Structure for the Strategy

1.0 Structure of the dCCTS

The dCCTS is divided into three time frames.

  1. Current to 2012
  2. Medium term 2012 to 2020
  3. Long Term 2020 to 2036

Each timeframe addresses: Rail, Road, Buses, Bicycles, Walking, Freight, Transport Interchanges, Car Parking and Governance.

The dCCTS lists projects in order of:

1. Recently completed or soon to be commenced;

2. Long term.

There is some reader confusion between these two project categories. For example, the $300 million roads funding is noted as a future project, though these funds are mostly already expended on the nominated projects. Also, the new bus routes as announced by the State were finalised with the commencement of new schedules on 8 Nov 2010.

2.0 Issues, Concerns and Questions

There are a number of issues, concerns and questions that must be raised.

2.1  Central Coast Bus Review

I see the dCCTS as needing to compliment the recent Central Coast Bus Review (under the Outer Metropolitan Bus Review) process. I draw attention to the submission on bus transport needs compiled by myself on behalf of the CEN.

Ref. (Bus review Central Coast 2009)

This submission highlighted the bus needs of the North Wyong District. The dCCTS heralds the result of the outer metropolitan bus review, but many of the North Wyong services (i.e. Lakehaven) as requested in the submission have not been incorporated within the new bus timetables (8 Nov 2010). The dCCTS states that a North Wyong Bus Servicing Strategy is to be prepared between 2012 and 2020. This seems to be yet another delay for the North Wyong area to get a comprehensive plan established. (dCCTS ref p32, 47).

Additional issues associated with the new expanded services for North Wyong extolled in the Strategy, are in contradiction to the new timetable which run the last services generally earlier in the evening than the old timetable to certain destinations north of Lakehaven and in particularly on the weekends. Finally, new peak hour services are ending their runs later at Morisset and Wyee stations than from Lakehaven, thus disadvantaging workers returning home from Tuggerah in comparison to these afore-mentioned locations.

2.2 More Services Needed for North Wyong

The claim in the strategy is that more services run past the Wyong Hospital. This is true except on Sundays where there are now fewer services to the hospital and services finish several hours earlier. Saturday services are not much better even though services between Tuggerah and Lakehaven have increased dramatically on Weekends (ref. p. 29 dCCTS).

2.3 Contributions from Key Stakeholders

I express concern in the comment that Transport NSW will allow contributions from key stakeholders when assessing the needs of the community for additional services. Can the State define ‘key stakeholders’ (dCCTS ref. p31)?

2.4 Bus Corridors

No Strategic Bus Corridors were identified in the North Wyong Area. There is a need, however, for these services, as follows (not exhaustive):

  • Lakehaven to Gosford via Bateau Bay
  • Lakehaven to Charlestown via Swansea
  • Lakehaven to Gosford Via Tuggerah
  • Tuggerah to The North Entrance via Mingara

2.5 Metro Bus

The Metro Bus is a Sydney program and would thus need more explanation of its introduction to the Central Coast (ref p31 dCCRTS). The Strategy suggests that it should be expanded to the Central Coast. If Metro Bus is to become the dedicated bus transit ways on the Central Coast, I suggest The Entrance and the Tuggerah transport interchanges should come under any Metro Bus program and other Central Coast interchanges should be investigated (dCCTS ref p32).

2.6 Fast Rail and Freight Services

The strategy mentions long-term planning for a fast rail and plans for a loop rail for freight services though there are no references to any improvements to the current level of access to the rail. The one exception here is, the addition of the Warnervale township station. The fast train and freight loop installations on the Central Coast will take pressure off the existing rail line, thus allowing an expanded system to meet the Central Coast’s growing population (ref p33, 38). CEN has submitted proposals to the State for two new stations, one at Blue Haven and the other at the southern end of the Coast’s rail line west of Woy Woy Station. This will give quicker access to rail for about 20,000 people by the year 2036.

Web Reference:

Planning Public Transport Structures in North Wyong: A Proposal for a Blue Haven Bus and Train Interchange

2.7 Parking Trains

2.8 Local Government Transport Plans

2.8 Minor Towns not Addressed in Strategy

2.9 Secure Bike Parking (Page 14)

2.10 Wyong town Centre (Page 24)

2.11 Commitment to Provide Alternatives to Private Transport in North Wyong (page 24/25)

2.12 Changing Demographic due to Climate Change

2.13 North Wyong Public Transport Links to Newcastle

2.14 Promoting Public transport use

3.0 Connections Between Statistical Data and works

3.1 The dCCTS quotes a range of statistical data.

3.2 What assumptions could be made from the nexus of these facts?

4.0 A Complete Strategy for the Central Coast

5.0 A Proposed Structure for the Strategy

To read detail on the above sub headings and see full document:

<Click Here>

Submission By

David Holland

B.A.S. Environmental Planning

Grad. Dip. Environmental Management

Member of the Sustainable Transport Committee of CEN

Member of the Community Environment Network (CEN)

11 Jul

Introduction to Brooklyn’s Bushwick Story

Posted by Habitat Association in Academy of Urban Planning NYC, Affordable Housing, Architecture, Arts, Brooklyn Community Based Plans, Bushwick, Bushwick High School, Bushwick Renewal, Coney Island Development Plans, Downtown Brooklyn, Long Island, New Town Centres, Places, Population growth and planning for Tertiary Education Institutions, Post Modern Buildings, Regional Planning, Social impacts on population growth, South Wiliamsburg, West Bushwick Historical Buildings. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , .

Brownstones and apartment buildings on Bushwic...

Bushwick Street

As a founding member of the Habitat Association, Dr. Ray Rauscher, with the assistance of several colleagues from the Class of
1961 Bushwick Highschool, Brooklyn, NYC, USA, put together the story of change in this neighbourhood of Brooklyn. The group is called Bushwick
Reflections and would love to hear your comments on their story, to Ray Rauscher, ray.r@idl.net.au

Review

The background to Bushwick and Brooklyn and their histories is outlined in
Chapter 1. The Bushwick Reflections group collected their stories and
others of life in Bushwick in the 1940s-1960s as outlined in Chapter 2.

The Bushwick HS of past and the Academy of Urban Planning (New Century
School Bushwick) of today is examined in Chapter 3.  The chapter outlines
the education system at Bushwick highschool in 1961. It looks at:
approaches to teaching; student activities; and school teaching staff and
counsellors. The chapter then looks at an education initiative that was
taken in 2003, through the assistance of Bill Gates Foundation and the
establishment of the New Century Schools. This program was aimed
essentially at places such as Bushwick HS (within a low socio-economic
area) where there were problems achieving an acceptable educational level.
Bushwick HS became three schools in one building, being: Academy of Urban Planning; School of Social Justice; and, School of the Environmental
Leadership (initially there was a harbour school, which later required a
location closer to water).

Bushwick of 1970s-2007 is reviewed in Chapter 4. This period includes the
demise of Bushwick that culminated in the catastrophic Bushwick fires and
looting in the NYC blackout of 1977. In this incident 20% of all Bushwick
housing was lost and 1/3 of the businesses closed. The recovery of
Bushwick in the 1980s, 90s and early 2000s is summarised. The 197a program (community planning system) under NYC administration was introduced to assist the revitalisation of areas such as Bushwick and surrounding Northeast Brooklyn. This planning system and how it was implemented in different ways within the three areas of Northeast Brooklyn is examined.

Bushwick and Brooklyn in moving to sustainable communities by 2008 is
summarised in Chapter 5. The chapter starts by comparing the 1880s roots
of universal thinking with nature as central to life. The current green
urban movement is examined as it relates to Bushwick and NYC. This
movement would likely have a flow on effect on Bushwick, given land
investments and housing would increase across the city. The shock of the
world economic crisis in 2008/09 slowed Bushwick’s revival. On recovery,
however, Bushwick is poised to stride forward adapting to green
innovation. The chapter examines ecologically sustainable development
(ESD) principles and the movement of Bushwick, Brooklyn and NYC towards
sustainable communities. Finally, the chapter looks at ways Bushwick can
adapt to becoming a sustainable community.

Bushwick Reflections group hope to have some of this material available on this site soon.

Dr. Ray Rauscher is an advocate for sustainable communities, community planning and ecologically sustainable development.

Please express your interest in finding out more about the above material gathered over several years by Dr. Ray Rauscher and his colleagues through the comments section of this blog.

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11 Jun

Commentary on Australia’s Future for Renewable Energy

Posted by Habitat Association in Climate Change, Freight handling centres, Human impacts on natural Environments, Hydrogen Chemical Carriers, Hydrogen economy, Public Transport, Rail Freight, Renewable Energy, Solar Hydro Power, Solar Voltaic Electricity Generation. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , .

This is a discussion paper about renewable energy and how Australia is placed to act on reforms to improve the uptake of renewable energy. The paper also comments on a series of letters sent to Federal Government Members and Ministers from 2006 to 2010.

The commentaries on the letters add additional information not given in these letters to the federal government. This additional information has been added with a contemporary nature relating to the year 2010.

This discussion paper has within its appendix list the actual letters sent to the federal government. In addition it has the two replies from two federal departments received from the final letter written in 2009. These letters are from the Minister for Resources and Energy and the Department of Infrastructure, Transport.

These replies outline some interesting plans for the direction of the then Rudd government and actions containing exciting programs underway. The commentary on the letter from the Minister for Resources and Energy analyses information presented in the letter that explain the government’s promoting of the ‘hydrogen economy’, and the continuation of research into carbon abatement programs. Some interesting results are emerging from this program that may be environmentally friendlier than the simple carbon capture and storage concept.

The commentary on the reply from the office of the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, makes two important points. Firstly the government is continuing the planning for coal extraction by providing additional rail infrastructure for the coal mining industry. Secondly, though the introduction of Infrastructure Australia a range of much-needed infrastructure within Australia can be planned, This will ensure proper investment in future infrastructure provided consideration is given to issues surrounding the impacts of climate change and peak oil. These should include best practice planning for the use of renewable fuels and renewable energy.

The commentaries on the letters are detailed, adding to the information contained in the letters. When reading these commentaries the original letters should be referenced to get a better picture of how the subject has evolved over the 2 to 3 year period between the letters and the commentary.

Some of the subjects canvassed by the letters include; ‘the future of fuel cell technologies’, ‘the hydrogen economy’, ‘using hydrogen as an energy carrier’, ‘the efficiencies of heavy freight rail’ and that a move towards higher levels of public transport use will help reduce carbon emissions and reduce government spending on high cost infrastructure such as roads.

The letters cover, as does the commentary, the issue of a carbon trading system or carbon tax. It outlines in brief the need for some market based system to line up with world’s carbon trading systems or programs that provide ways to give disincentives for producing greenhouse gases by manufacturing enterprises. These enterprises utilize the ‘public good’ resources such as a balanced gaseous air mix in our atmosphere and clean seas that still have a capacity to absorb carbon dioxide. However many industrial and transport processes are impacting on the percentage of CO2 in the atmosphere which is tending to cause changes to other economic systems reliant on stable weather patterns. These economic systems such as food production and other systems including natural systems rely on stable climate and weather patterns. When these systems are impacted the world’s population and general economy can be drastically affected. High levels of CO2 impact the very wellbeing of human life on earth and any compensation by manufacturing and industry is meaningless. However, these externalities explained above are considerable and morally they should somehow be accounted for in the manufacturing process. With these externalities accounted for by an artificial but morally sound price signal, it then may be that a cheaper and more economically sound (assuming the pure economics of a level playing field) process may be found that is better for the manufacturer. This is where a price on carbon helps to artificially price the damage these externalities are causing and attempts to give industry some impetus to find more carbon neutral forms of energy production.

One of the most important areas the commentary covers is that of a future change in energy sources from a fossil fuel driven economy to a renewable energy economy.

This move must be accompanied by a government planned response to supporting infrastructure. It is one thing to drive a renewable energy industry and connect it to an existing grid, but another to plan for and encourage infrastructure development by private industry to build plant in areas away from the grid.

Similarly, an organized plan is need for the infrastructure needed to support a move away from fossil fuels in the automotive industry. Without government initiatives and proper planning to a standardized type of automotive support infrastructure, private investment will continue to identify a move towards renewable automotive fuels too risky.

With no standards for a supply route for a renewable energy fuel, private industry will find it a mammoth task to provide both a vehicle to run on a particular renewable energy source as well as provide the infrastructure, this with the high possibility that the whole new type of renewable energy system, including the vehicle and infrastructure, will not be embraced by the public due to its initial costs or lack of convenience etc.

The paper makes no apologies for being prescriptive. Although many of the concepts in the paper have been thought through by government experts, there is always the danger that assumptions can be made about the detail of what is being explained in a paper. So the avoid this some level of detail in some of the concepts and processes are present in the document.

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