Page 4586 - Week 11 - Tuesday, 19 October 2010
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practice in the planning for the Molonglo valley. We are establishing new approaches to water re-use in the Molonglo valley development and in the remaining suburbs of Gungahlin. We are continuing to drive energy efficiency in new and existing homes by phasing out electric storage hot-water heaters for class 1 and 2 buildings. This is consistent with the COAG national strategy on energy efficiency. We are participating in national think-tank projects on the design of sustainable cities and sustainable communities.
As Canberra’s population grows and the demand for new and affordable housing is driven by demographic and market forces, the government will continue to plan new suburbs in accordance with the Canberra spatial plan. At the same time, we continue to plan to meet the goal of the spatial plan to achieve 50 per cent of all new development in Canberra by 2030 within 7½ kilometres of the city centre. Along with providing new growth in appropriate areas, the government has continued to plan for residential intensification in existing areas of the city, to ensure a more compact and, most importantly, a more affordable city.
Despite the often ill-informed commentary on infill development, which is responding to the challenges we face, the reality is that the vast majority of Canberra as we know it—probably as much as 80 per cent of this city—will remain unchanged in character.
It is interesting to read about the way other cities are planning for their population growth while minimising their environmental footprint. One example is Melbourne’s planning and the Transforming Australian cities document. This was produced by the Victorian government and anticipates the growth of Melbourne. It states that cities should be aiming to maximise development along new and future road public transport corridors. The report also shows that high density does not have to mean high rise. Research shows that building heights of three to eight storeys are actually more sustainable than their higher counterparts, as they reduce the need for excessive, embedded and operating energy. In fact, the study argues that all of Melbourne’s projected population growth of around 1.9 million people could in fact be accommodated in buildings of no more than three to eight storeys along its public transport corridors.
The relationship of sensitively designed buildings to public space is also critical, and there is a challenge for all of us here—most particularly, though, for our design professionals and the development industry. Meanwhile, the balance of developed and developing suburbs needs to be planned and designed to minimise energy and water use, to reduce waste and to be more efficient in the use of land and materials. This built form not only needs to be environmentally sustainable but also to contribute to the economic viability of the city, its liveability and, critically, its social inclusiveness.
My vision for Canberra in 2030 is of a more progressive, more inclusive and more vibrant city, a city that offers even better services, entertainment, hospitality and amenities for a growing local and regional community. Over the next 20 years, Canberra’s population will grow by around 80,000 people. That is simply the excess of births over deaths. We will need about 50,000 more homes in Canberra to keep up and, in the context of climate change, this means a significant change to the way we have traditionally done things. This includes appropriately designed higher density
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