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Urban regeneration and urban fabrics in Australian cities
Journal of Urban Regeneration and Renewal,
10
(2),
169-190
(2016)
Abstract
This paper describes Australian urban regeneration in terms of urban fabric — walking, transit or automobile, and geography — brownfield and greyfield arenas. Case studies are used to highlight the importance of understanding urban fabric when considering development and regeneration across any geography. Urban regeneration in Australian cities has been occurring in brownfields locations for the past three decades, initially driven by government intervention, but now a strong market force. The ‘peak car’ phenomenon is now associated with an even stronger demand for urban regeneration stretching beyond the inner city into the middle suburbs or greyfields. This paper provides a brief history of major regeneration influences followed by an overview of the processes, policies and practices that can enable the next phase of urban regeneration in all three urban fabrics, particularly the greyfields.
Keywords: urban regeneration; brownfields; greyfields; urban infill; automobile dependence; precinct redevelopment; transit oriented development; suburban re-urbanisation.
The full article is available to subscribers to the journal.
Author's Biography
Giles Thomson is an urban designer with experience in urban regeneration projects in the UK and Australia and more recently was research leader for the South Australian Government’s Integrated Design Strategy (5000plus.net.au). He is currently researching sustainable urbanism at Curtin University with funding from the Co-operative Research Centre for Low Carbon Living.
Peter Newton is a research professor in sustainable urbanism at Swinburne University of Technology in Melbourne where he leads research on sustainable built environments. He is involved in three Co-operative Research Centres: CRC for Low Carbon Living, CRC for Spatial Information, and CRC for Water Sensitive Cities, and is on the Board of the Australian Urban Research Infrastructure Network. He is also a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences Australia. Prior to joining Swinburne University in 2007 he held the position of Chief Research Scientist in the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation. His most recent books include ‘Resilient Sustainable Cities’ (2014), ‘Urban Consumption’ (2011), ‘Technology, Design and Process Innovation in the Built Environment’ (2009) and ‘Transitions’ (2008).
Peter Newman is Professor of Sustainability at Curtin University, Perth. His books include ‘The End of Automobile Dependence’ (2015), ‘Green Urbanism in Asia’ (2013), ‘Resilient Cities’ (2009), ‘Green Urbanism Down Under’ (2009) and ‘Sustainability and Cities’ which was launched in the White House in 1999. In 2001–3 Peter directed the production of Western Australia’s Sustainability Strategy in the Department of the Premier and Cabinet. In 2004–5 he was a Sustainability Commissioner in Sydney advising the government on planning and transport issues. In 2006/7 he was a Fulbright Senior Scholar at the University of Virginia Charlottesville. Peter was on the Board of Infrastructure Australia 2008–14 and was a lead author for transport on the IPCC for their 5th Assessment Report. In 2011 Peter was awarded the Sidney Luker medal by the Planning Institute of Australia (NSW) for his contribution to the science and practice of town planning in Australia and in 2014 he was awarded an Order of Australia for his contributions to urban design and sustainable transport, particularly related to the saving and rebuilding of Perth’s rail system.
