Urban Regeneration Of The Melbourne Docklands Area Environmental Sciences Essay

It can be a challenge to introduce sustainable mixed-use infill development elements into existing cities because of the density issue. Since the attitude of communities of the public is that; high densities contribute to crime (Dekle and Mofson 1997)

While plans are created for the redevelopment of urban centres and former industrial areas in Australia (VicUrban 2006) and around the world, many existing cities, struggle with environmental, and economic problems, shattered urban areas, as well as present of public health social problems of inequality. Sustainability measures can be included as a key part of any infill strategy. to improve social equity (HSP and PIA 2009)

The demand for new homes in Melbourne is unsatisfied as elsewhere around Australia. Redeveloping brown-fields to meet part of this demand can add valuable benefits other than meeting the need for homes within the city (Melbourne 2007). It can add to any city vitality, also it can reduce the need to develop ¿½green-fields¿½ sites. As well as closeness of homes near to centres of activity encourages use of public transport, walking and cycling in addition to reduces the dependency on private cars. (HSP and PIA 2009)

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Measures of diversity in the SD plan have to taken into concidiration needs are best met by ensuring that an appropriate range of small, medium and large family homes is available. So the market will not over supply of small homes and a shortage of ¿½lifetime¿½ homes

The recent growth of urban brown-field redevelopment and greenfield initiatives is a positive indicator of the redirected priorities of the public and private sectors to re

The following case study reveals how the inclusion of sustainable growth in a large-scale urban redevelopment can strengthen a shattered urban area and create an efficient functional and iconic ESD

Case Study: Urban renewal of Melbourne Docklands, Australia

Pre-conditions leading to infill development:

The Docklands Area it is located on Victoria Harbor in South Australia (SA) in the heart of Melbourne city; situated nearby the Yarra River and directly southwest of the Melbourne central business area (DSE 2005).

Since 1970 to 1990s the Docklands Area was a major source of pollution to the harbor neighbourhood in Melbourne city due to past industrial activities (DSE 2005) because of that the area has endure from disinvestment. However, the need for quayside areas in developed countries in the 1980 including Australia has reduced due to globalization; Shipping, heavy industry and manufacturing has been repositioned to developing nations such as China (Dekle and Mofson 1997).

One of the difficulties to redevelop in Docklands was; land contamination, since most of it has been used for industrial activities for years (Commonwealth 2009). The Docklands area needed major design involvement to renew the vacant land as well as clean up the nearby stream (REF).

Ecologically Sustainable Development (ESD): Melbourne Docklands

In the recent peak oil era and the promote trend of globalisation and sustainability, it was apparently predictable that Melbourne CBD and Docklands area would be converted from heavy industry and shipping activities to a high-rise residential and light commercial areas (VicUrban 2006). In addition to the value of real estates in Australian cities, as in Europe increases; by means of closeness to both the central business quarter and waterfront (REA 2010)

While Docklands land is state-owned, it has been developed in partnership between the government and the private sector with national and international developers. (VicUrban 2010a).

Docklands redevelopment is one of largest Brown-field urban renewal projects in Australia (Commonwealth 2009). As shown in map below Docklands redevelopment is a 200-acre Brown-Field development (VicUrban 2010a) The Docklands redevelopment began in 1989 with the intention of setting a worldwide precedent to incorporate all aspects of sustainability; social, cultural, economic, and environmental (VicUrban 2006)

There are eight ESD principles for Melbourne Docklands as indicated in the ESD Guide 2006:

1. Conserve and protect natural resources

2. Create long-term value

3. Maximise precinct opportunities

4. Balance economic, social and environmental outcomes

5. Set standards, requirements and benchmarks, and continually review

6. Develop a collaborative approach, and capture and communicate knowledge

7. Promote alternative transport opportunities

8. Create a healthy urban environment

In 2004 the PIA Victoria Division has awarded the Docklands Development with Planning Excellence in the Community Based Planning Category and Planning for Health and Wellbeing (PIA 2004)

The (VicUrban) Victorian Government’s sustainable urban development agency has entered the award through a strategic plan that has engaged extensive research and consultation with local residence of Docklands community, local government and developers to deliver; public services and social sustainability at Melbourne Docklands. ¿½Place and Community: Implementing Sustainable Communities at Melbourne Docklands 2004-2020¿½ plan (VicUrban 2004)

Source: (Melbourne 2010)

VicUrban Plan for community wellbeing identifies facilities, superiority of service and presents an on-going monitoring program that keep an eye on execution of the plan (VicUrban 2004). This Practical fresh approach is driven from innovative service organizations to deliver the needs of the existing and future community of Melbourne.

The plan has advertise itself as ¿½healthy and active Docklands¿½ by focusing on variety of strategies and services intended to endorse diversity of community, its development and inhabitants wellbeing as well as workers and visitors (PIA 2004). In addition, the plan aims to create alternative active modes of transportation; such as walking and cycling, road safety (VicUrban 2004).

As it is predicted by the Department of Sustainability and Environment in Victoria (DES); in 2030 population of Melbourne will grow by one million people (DSE 2005) as a result the need to redevelop or regenerate more of existing brown-fields sites in inner city is essential to achieve goals of sustainable environment, urban amenity and community development (PIA 2004). This approach has been adopted by Victoria government and VicUrban to change the face of Melbourne traditional CBD and to improve waterfront of the city by creating more compact with higher density developments that is easy to be serviced in a sustainable way. The plan is to create

¿½development that meets the needs of current generations without compromising the ability for future generations to meet their own needs¿½ (WCED, et al. 1987) pp1

To Achieve a Sustainable Developments (SD) in Docklands that meets present and future needs the plan focuses and balance between three aspects or the ¿½three bottom lines¿½ Environment, Social (Equity) and Economy (Gilbert et al., 1996).

As shown in table below according with state of Victoria strategy population projections of Docklands it is estimated to increase from 6,000 residents in 2009 to 17,000 by 2020 (VicUrban 2010a)

Population Start 2009 End 2009 2015 2020

Residents 6,000 6,500 11,000 17,000

Workers 12,000 19,000 30,000 40,000

Visitors 8 million p.a. 10 million p.a. 13 million p.a 20 million p.a.

Development investment $5.5 billion $6 billion $9 billion $12 billion

TABLE 1: DOCKLANDS POPULATION PROJECTIONS,

Source: (VicUrban 2010a)

While Docklands land is state-owned, it has been developed in partnership between the government and the private sector with national and international developers. (VicUrban 2010a).

Docklands is one of largest Brown-field urban renewal projects in Australia (Commonwealth 2009). It is a mixed-use development includes eight precincts as shown in table XXX late 2009 $6 billion of development is either completed or under construction with a final development value of $12 billion by 2020 that will create a wide variety of jobs for 40,000 people (VicUrban 2010a)