Social Sustainability

Kawana Community Development Strategy

The CDS was prepared under the guidance of a joint project group comprising Stockland, the Sunshine Coast Regional Council (formerly Caloundra City Council) and the Department of Natural Resources. The fundamental purpose of the CDS was to confirm the type and location of facilities to be required to accommodate the needs of Kawana Waters, and to provide a framework for the timing of development of these facilities. It also provided the context of a wider strategy identifying plans and programs for community development, and actions required, responsible stakeholders and estimated costs to implement these.

The strategy is being implemented, with planning in train for various items of social infrastructure.

Community Diversity in Transit Oriented Development Precincts

The reports aimed to assist stakeholders in the delivery of TOD precincts. This in turn was designed to support implementation of the objectives of the Draft SEQ Regional Plan 2009 – 2031, particularly, to create: ‘cohesive, inclusive and healthy communities (which) have a strong sense of identity and place, and access to a full range of services and facilities that meet diverse community needs’.

The Guide is now part of the ‘Transit Oriented Development Guide’ issued by the Department of Infrastructure and Planning in late 2010 and received a Certificate of Merit in the PIA State Awards for Excellence.

Fraser Coast Community Health and Wellbeing Strategy

This study was innovative in identifying current issues and needs relating to community health and wellbeing, and identifying areas in which the Planning Scheme (and other mechanisms including community development initiatives and social infrastructure planning) could help to address them.

Part of the study involved carrying out a baseline evaluation of current community health and wellbeing on the Fraser Coast from all available data sources (qualitative and quantitative).
Indicators considered included:

• Crime and public safety
• Community health, e.g. opportunities for physical activity, creation of active living environments, access to medical specialists etc
• Accessibility to public transport, walking and cycling
• Community empowerment and civic participation
• Community development and creation of strong communities.

Rockhampton Rural Lands Study

There is little research that identifies what makes a community socially sustainable. A checklist of possible indicators was developed to enable determination of whether particular rural communities might be socially sustainable. A range of indicators were workshopped and finalised with Council officers and Councillors.

Issues and threats to rural sustainability were reviewed, including loss of services and facilities such as bank closures, health gaps, transport disadvantage, youth isolation and lack of jobs for young people, competing land uses including mining and the economics of modern agriculture.

The study highlighted the real and perceived issues facing many rural communities in the region, and the threats to ongoing viability of many towns in the absence of intervention.

Policy directions were identified which could be included in Council’s Draft Planning Scheme to provide a strong planning framework which confirmed a hierarchy of sustainable rural centres within which some growth can be directed, services can be provided efficiently, and social disadvantage addressed. This was found to have advantages, but also implications, for social infrastructure provision of all types.

Social Planning Strategy Fitzgibbon Urban Development Area

The role of Briggs & Mortar Pty Ltd was to prepare the social infrastructure strategy, and also to identify strategies to assist in community wellbeing in a potential Transit Oriented Development area.

The social planning strategies fed directly into the Fitzgibbon Development Scheme, which became effective in July 2009.

Strategic Regional Land Use Planning Project

The need to undertake the project arose from increasing land use conflict with mineral development. A need had been identified to protect values which might not be protected by law. There was consequently seen to be a need to examine existing legal frameworks and identify strengths of an ideal model. There was also a need to consider whether this model would apply to the strategic planning or assessment regime – or both.

A Discussion Paper was prepared for promotion to Commonwealth and State Governments for consideration in the development of strategic regional land use plans. It was anticipated that the process would lead to a longer term outcome of greater clarity and certainty for mining and other sectors.

Gold Coast Youth and Community Facilities Planning Study

While conducting a traditional needs assessment, this project developed a new way of thinking about old ideas by Local Government. With the help and input of local young people themselves, it developed plans for a unique built and virtual network of young people’s facilities based on an original facility model comprising core and specialist units tailored to local circumstances and capabilities.

The outcomes included:

• Development of a framework for facilities for young people
• Possible opportunities for joint provision with community centres
• Identification of priority locations for youth facility development
• Strategy development for re-use or redevelopment of existing facilities
• Strategy development for new facilities for young people and
• Consideration of funding and management requirements.

The project received a Certificate of Merit in the PIA State Awards for Excellence.