URBAN PLANNING AND INFRASTRUCTURE IN AUSTRALIA

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URBAN PLANNING AND INFRASTRUCTURE IN AUSTRALIA

The infrastructures ‘turn’

Australian cities have experienced a high rate of infrastructure development due to economic growth. This raises an important issue that need handling by the government. As the question of spatial and infrastructure planning raises urban problems arises (Gleeson 2000). This has basis in the fact that, infrastructure receives a considerable amount of bias, which is eminent in other forms of social typologies. Hydraulic, transport, and all kinds of energy networks represent infrastructure perceived to establish connective networks, therefore, they need attention since they form a ‘social-technical’ system in the urban areas that is extremely complex.

Urban planning in Australia has had insufficient consideration of environmental and critical social and political issues. As such, possibility of re-inscription of the previous errors into the current infrastructure systems is very high. In addition, the capacity of urban infrastructure strategy to meet its expectations has an inherent doubt, which remains for decades. Despite the fact that, urban planning strategy has the ability to coordinate and control resources for better outcomes, achievement of this has a limitation to political payoff attached to all infrastructure systems. Control to the influx of infrastructure is a major concern in maintaining sustainable development, thus, as many projects are developed, the question of whether their impacts to the area of development is positive needs intensive consideration. In addition, the agencies mandated the responsibility of infrastructure might find themselves in situations of weakening influence. However, infrastructure is a major developed in line with national interest.

Social infrastructure

Social infrastructure impacts urban growth, therefore, certain elements ought to be considered. This includes the principles and values identified in the growth strategic plans, issues rising from the concerned parties, and monitoring and implementation stages. It was evidenced during the social infrastructure world Australasia 2007, this provided government officials and other stake holders to discuss major issues concerning the region. Social structures such as schools and hospitals are funded more than ever before hence setting the agenda for progressive and constituent plan layouts.

Social infrastructure is also a key element of establishing social welfare of the societies. The infrastructure system considers literacy levels of the society, maintenance of religion, and health status of the society, recreation and social needs of the population, as well as the security of the population. This form of infrastructure creates room for social interaction for a nation’s population, which characterized by cultural values and practices exchange and skills development. The establishment of the social infrastructure demands extensive need identification and analysis of the target social setting. The process involves use of data collection methods and interacting with the society to get the views from the society itself. Nevertheless, social infrastructure acts as a key indicator of poverty levels in a given nation.

The NSW State Infrastructure Strategy

The state infrastructure relates to 2008-09-to-2017-18 period. The strategy ensures that the government keeps a record of expenditure related to capital, delivers all the infrastructural commitments established, and connects other planning strategies in all regions with the established budget. The key requirements, or drivers for the strategy include the distribution and growth pattern of the population, prevailing ageing trends, the dynamics within the technology, the various commercial, as well as industrial developments, the pressures resulting from costs, issues related to the environment, and infrastructure renewal.

The NSW state infrastructure strategy is a ten year plan that outlines the infrastructure projects to service delivery in the region within the projected period (Chesterfield 2005). Publication dated 2006; it has been updated after every two years, still with the overall ten year projection active. With the current SIS covering from 2008-09 to 2017-18 period, the strategy would address the current condition of the infrastructure as well as other needs connected to infrastructure. There is a need for all states governments involved to ensure that the statutory requirements and approaches are well dealt with in accordance to the strategy. The main objective to this, is to facilitate an effective budget planning towards infrastructure projects development

Planning agreements

Departments of planning and infrastructure are the most involved in coordinating and implementing programs agreed on towards sustainable development projects in infrastructure (Smith 2006). A successful project involves various stake holders; thus agreements play a vital role in enabling effective measures in the changes being implemented. An agreement towards these development and implementation methods, together with possible effects to other sectors is also important. Also, areas of accountability and cooperation between governments and other financiers, agrees on the best criteria to be followed. Long-term, as well as short-term planning approaches are likely to influence the performance that anticipates the growing population needs.Principles of section 94 developer contributions

Developer contribution refers to monetary contributions. Section 94 entails contributing on development projects as a source of funding infrastructure and services. It means reducing the level of risks and challenges of the future developments to future population. It is good to understand that developer contribution is not only essential source of funding but also necessary. There are other funding mechanisms, as alternatives to this, which includes; loans/borrowing, Grants from government agencies, rate levies and use of Charges/fees collected by the government body (Speth 2006). Both the contributions and alternative sources are used in short-term and also long-term investment developments. Further, use of these contributions or funds tends to help in the event that more issues arise in between the development phases, financial constrains or recurring costs. Section 94 plans enables councils in getting levy contributions towards the provision of public amenities and services. Principles guiding section 94; the contribution must be for, or relate to planning purpose in a council. The second states that, contribution must relate to the subject development. Lastly, the contribution must duly appreciate statutory duties like it should be as a reasonable planning authority.

Infrastructure assessment in NSW

In order to keep infrastructural development on course, assessment is one of the key activities needed. This process of infrastructure assessment concentrates on factors like data protection, recovery methods and operational efficiency of the system in place (Link 2006). It is important to the government to keep in touch on the progress of projects; the stages at which a project is at, in order to avoid gaps towards achieving the projects objectives. Given that projects are done in phases, assessment process acts like scoring board for determining how far the project is, whether it is on the timeline or behind schedule. It is through assessment, where by recommendations made helps in improving the identified difficulties or other factors. The ultimate aim of infrastructure assessment is to ensure performance up to an optimum level.

Developer contribution in Sydney’s Growth centers

Sydney growth centers receive facilitation from an established commission that has a role of planning and infrastructure provision. The commission carries several activities including infrastructural coordination, undertaking precinct planning, implementation of metro strategy in all the communities, and actively managing land release program in all regions. The commission concern on infrastructure is based on either, government, or non-governmental infrastructure. The governmental infrastructure includes the health facilities, conservation facilities, and new improved roads among others. Non-governmental infrastructure on the other hand includes the sewer system, telecommunications means, and electricity.

Sydney has grown economically with its tremendous growth centers enabling all sectors to feel an impact in a certain way. These growth centers have become as a result of commitment by the developer, who determines how and the impact a project comes in with (Golany 1978). Development centers provide a comprehensive assessment on the impacts the development project might cause to the environment. Growth centers provides facilities like commercial centers, business and employment opportunities. All these are met, as a result of the metropolitan strategy developed for Sydney in particular, to meet its vision. A comprehensive feasibility study is done by the project developers to examine the extent of effects on growth and development. They also come up with various development control mechanisms which are designed for reference to the growth and development.

Public Private Partnerships

Public–private partnerships have been used in the past as the engines for effective urban planning and infrastructure development in Australia (Beer 2003). Partnership strategy aims to improve infrastructure deficits holding urban service delivery as well as having good governance and management services. Since, all these affects human life hampers economic growth and makes investment opportunities limited, both private and public sectors are expected to cooperate towards achieving a common goal of socioeconomic advancement. As a government, urban planning and infrastructure involves professional expertise for efficient and active designing, planning and implementation policies in achieving comprehensive urban master plans (Golany 1978). All requirements for achieving this lies at the hands of professionals working in both the private and public sector. Therefore, with a combination of both sectors, through partnership, streamlined program implementation is in place. Partnership opens up for wide consultations leading to positive results.

The role of Infrastructure Australia

Infrastructure plays a critical role in Australian economic growth; therefore, it’s the governments’ responsibility to ensure it plays a part in the planning and implementing major infrastructural projects. Millennium development goals are to be made true through investing in the infrastructure. Before funding towards a certain project, cost benefit analysis has to be done in details (Osborne 2001). The current system in Australia use accountability and transparency in developing infrastructure, to ensure that most wanting infrastructure projects are handled first hence uplifting the living standards of all Australians.

Through funding from both the government and the private sector, justification for these projects is valued rightly. Infrastructure has also led to technological advances, with the introduction of information technology (Speth 2006). Information has been made available and accessible everywhere whenever someone needs it. Environmental sustainability has also been considered almost in every project undertaken, thus reducing environmental degradation, ‘which posses a threat to individuals health’. Manufacturers and other industry player are provided with a better working environment, through infrastructure. This increases productivity hence having surplus, thus social lives affected positively.

Perth Metropolitan rail project

Perth metropolitan rail project called for a joined team at the beginning. The areas of inclusion of the team varied from professional skills, support from political and administration sectors, and local stakeholders. However, the project was faced with disagreements that resulted from ignorance of council plans and visions. The issues raised in the disagreement related to the rail line route, construction method of the rail line, and inclusion of facilities, such as rail and bus stations. These issues ended at the adoption of an improvement strategy for the rail project. The strategy included media advertising, holding of workshops involving stakeholders, and eminent forms of political lobbying. The end results of this was route modification and agreement on underground laying of the rail.

Perth Metropolitan area is occupied by a population of around 1 million people. The rail project then translates to better means of transport to this population (Thompson 2007). It also provides faster movement of goods, more over creation of employment to the people. It opened opportunities to shopping areas and revitalized shopping to Australians. The rail system is considered efficient and modern in technology. To observe minimal environmental impacts, a number of management plans are identified .These includes; environmental management, stakeholder consultation strategy, construction management plans among others.

Green Infrastructure

The term green infrastructure attains different meaning and perceptions among people. This is exhibited in the various land conservation forums, and development dialogues in all regions of the world. For example, some people refer to green infrastructures as the number of trees that have grown in the urban areas, while others refer to green infrastructure as the number of engineered structures in all regions of the world. However, green infrastructure relates to something that all human beings ought to possess manage it effectively for the purpose of gaining ecological benefits. Nevertheless, depletion of a green infrastructure is easily restored back for continued enjoyment of the benefits it provides. As such, human beings need to actively take part in conservation of the green infrastructure, which is characterized by hubs and links.

By conserving ecosystem values and functions, human population in return are likely to get diverse associated benefits. It contributes to the health and quality life for communities in a state, with no exemption to Australia. As a country, it needs to address haphazard development; it must in one way or another address haphazard conservation (Chesterfield 2005). Sustainable green infrastructure development caters the needs and wants of the present population considering also the future generations and their needs and wants too. Therefore, when undertaking urban planning and infrastructure development, all activities accompanying these projects have to consider; protection, management, conservation and improvement of the landscape without interfering with its natural state (Smith 2006).

Bibliography:

Regional Growth Forum 1998. Social infrastructure: impacts of urban growth. Regional Growth Forum. Auckland, N.Z.

Speth, J 2006. Global environmental governance. Island Press, Washington.

Beatley, T 2009. Green urbanism down under: learning from sustainable communities in Australia. Island Press. Washington, DC.

Smith, J 2006. Living cities: an urban myth: government and sustainability in Australia. : Rosenberg, Dural, N.S.W.

Golany, G 1978. International urban growth Policies. Springer. New York.

Link, A 2006. Public/private partnerships: innovation strategies and policy alternatives. Springer, New York.

Osborne, S 2001. Public-private partnerships. Routledge, S.I

Chesterfield, C 2005. Green infrastructure: protecting resources for future generations. Chesterfield County. Chesterfield, Va.

Gleeson, B 2000. Australian urban planning: new challenges, new agendas. Allen & Unwin. St Leonards, N.S.W.

Thompson, S 2007. Planning Australia: an overview of urban and regional planning. Cambridge Univ. Press, Cambridge u.a.

Beer, A 2003. Developing Australia’s regions: theory and practice. University of New South Wales, Sydney.