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A handbook for planners, designers and developers in South East Queensland

Affordable LivingSmart Growth Form-based codes SEQ Place Model

Next Generation Planning

Next Generation Planning. A handbook for planners, designers and developers in South East Queensland

First published 2011 by the Council of Mayors (SEQ), www.seqmayors.qld.gov.au.

Copyright © Council of Mayors (SEQ) and the State of Queensland (through the Department of Local Government and Planning) 2011. All rights reserved.

ISBN 978-0-9870751-0-9

The Council of Mayors (SEQ) and the Queensland Government support and encourage the dissemination and exchange of information. However, copyright protects this publication. The Council of Mayors (SEQ) and the State of Queensland have no objection to this material being reproduced, made available online or electronically but only if they are recognised as the owners of the copyright.

Copyright inquiries about this publication should be directed to the Council of Mayors (SEQ) via email info@seqmayors.qld.gov.au or in writing to PO Box 12995 GEORGE STREET QLD 4003.

Disclaimer: Whilst the Council of Mayors (SEQ) and the Queensland Government (the ‘Owners’) believe this information will be of assistance to you, it is provided on the basis that you are responsible for making your own assessment of the topics discussed. The Owners expressly disclaim all liability for errors or omissions of any kind whatsoever or for any loss (direct or indirect), damage or other consequence arising from your reliance on the material.

The material is provided on the understanding that the Owners are not, through the issuance of this information, engaging in rendering to you any legal or other professional service. Recipients are encouraged to seek independent advice if they have any concerns about the material.

ForewordsCouncil of Mayors (SEQ)

South East Queensland is a region renowned for liveability, our tin and timber houses, leafy streets and subtropical neighbourhoods.

We are blessed with pristine natural landscapes, world class beaches and rural settings.

Vibrant urban areas are part of our surroundings as our region grows, changes, diversifies and prospers.

Good planning is needed to preserve what is best about living in SEQ while building the communities of the future.

The Next Generation Planning handbook provides a planning toolkit to address these challenges. It is about improving affordability while ensuring liveability.

It is about bringing more choice and better housing designs to SEQ. These guidelines are not statutory but provide ideas for people to choose what may apply to their own situation.

Next Generation Planning will help planners to strengthen the regions identity in future development, especially new residential communities and renewal areas.

Good planning today is essential to create the liveable communities of tomorrow.

Councillor Campbell NewmanThe Right Honourable, the Lord Mayor of Brisbane, and the Council of Mayors (SEQ) Chairman

State Government

Population and economic growth over recent years has brought many benefits as well as new challenges for South East Queensland.

Managing growth while maintaining our regional character and enviable lifestyles is the reason that the Queensland Government, working with local governments, prepared the South East Queensland Regional Plan 2009-2031. It is also the reason why the Queensland Growth Management Summit was held in March 2010, and why a new dedicated agency - Growth Management Queensland - was established to provide leadership in growth management.

I am pleased that Next Generation Planning continues this collaboration between local and State governments. By studying some of SEQ’s best housing, streets and neighbourhoods, the designs, strategies and references in Next Generation Planning will provide invaluable guidance when developing new planning schemes.

The Next Generation Planning handbook forms another key step in the delivery of a comprehensive suite of planning tools for Queensland, delivered as part of Qplan; Queensland’s planning, development and building system.

Qplan incorporates all aspects of planning, from state planning policies and regional planning, right through to the local government planning schemes and building codes that influence the streetscapes in our neighbourhoods. Qplan includes a series of statutory tools to underpin Queensland’s planning framework, as well as non statutory guidelines such as the Next Generation Planning handbook.

Next Generation Planning builds upon the SEQ Regional Plan and provides the detailed guidance necessary to ensure that our growth is smart growth, and to make certain that our lifestyles and housing remain affordable for the next generation of South East Queenslanders.

The Honourable Paul Lucas MPDeputy Premier, Attorney-General, Minister for Local Government and Special Minister of State

Federal Government

Access to affordable and liveable housing is a key to building sustainable communities and a sustainable Australia. The National Housing Supply Council estimates the shortfall of housing supply nationally to rise to 308,000 dwellings by 2014. This pressure is particularly acute in places like South East Queensland that have experienced significant population growth.

Improvements in land use and planning can make a considerable contribution to housing supply and affordability. I am pleased to be able to work with my colleagues in the state and local governments on this important project that will assist in accelerating housing and planning reform in South East Queensland.

If fully adopted across the region, the measures in the Next Generation Planning Handbook can streamline the assessment process for residential development by reducing assessment complexity - thereby reducing delays and costs.

One of the great challenges for local governments across Australia is how to deliver developments that are supported by the community and efficient for industry. The handbook illustrates how planning can be done in a way that integrates the social, economic and environmental needs of the community. Funding for this project was provided through the Australian’s Government’s $450 million Housing Affordability Fund.

The fund provides grants to local governments and state and territory agencies to reduce housing related infrastructure and planning costs, and to pass these savings on to home purchasers. It is an important component in the Australian Government’s $20 billion commitment to understanding and addressing issues affecting housing affordability.

I am pleased to support this handbook through the Australian Government’s Housing Affordability Fund and applaud the work of the Council of Mayors (South East Queensland) and the Queensland Government who have worked in partnership to produce it.

The Hon Tony Burke MPMinister for Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities 

Table of contents

About this handbook 1The need for a consistent approach 2Affordable Living 3Smart Growth in SEQ 3Form-based codes 4SEQ Place Model 4Creating this handbook 5How to use this handbook 5

PART A The guidelines 71.0 Sub-regional and district scale 8

1.1 The SEQ Place Model 91.2 Natural Places (P1) 111.3 Rural Places (P2) 121.4 Rural Townships (P3) 131.5 Next Generation Suburban Neighbourhoods (P4) 141.6 Urban Neighbourhoods (P5) 151.7 Centres of Activity (P6) 161.8 CBDs (P7) 171.9 Specific Use Places (P8) 18

2.0 Neighbourhood (local) scale 202.1 Walkability 212.2 Neighbourhood structure 222.3 Block size and structure 232.4 Street Network 242.5 Subtropical design 252.6 Housing choice 26

3.0 Street Scale 303.1 Complete streets 313.2 Neighbourhood streets 323.3 Connector streets 333.4 Rear lanes 343.5 Intersections 353.6 Pedestrian crossings 363.7 Kerbs 373.8 Shelter and shade 383.9 On-street parking 393.10 Water Sensitive Urban Design 40

4.0 Lot and building scale 424.1 Detached houses on wide lots 434.2 Detached houses on narrow lots 444.3 The ‘plexes’ – duplexes/triplexes/quadplexes/quinplexes 454.4 Row houses 464.5 Secondary dwellings 47

4.6 Live/work buildings 484.7 Low rise apartments 494.8 Medium and high rise apartments 504.9 Consistent lot types and dimensions 514.10 Off-street parking 534.11 Addressing the street 544.12 Build to the slope 554.13 Height 564.14 Space around the house 574.15 Carports and garages 58

PART B Planning scheme modules 595.0 Sub-regional and district scale 60

5.1 SEQ Place Model in a strategic framework 615.2 SEQ Place Model in a strategic plan mapping 73

6.0 Neighbourhood (local) scale 766.1 Neighbourhood scale module 77

7.0 Street scale 847.1 Street scale module 85

8.0 Lot and building scale 908.1 Performance outcomes for lot and building scale 918.2 Detached houses on wide lots 938.3 Detached houses on narrow lots 958.4 Duplex 978.5 The ‘plexes’ (triplex, quadplex, quinplex) 998.6 Row house or terrace house 1018.7 Live/work (dual street frontage) 1038.8 Low rise apartments 1058.9 Medium and high rise apartments 1078.10 Secondary dwellings (granny and Fonzie flats) 1098.11 Consistent lot types 110

PART C The study behind this handbook 1119.1 The Next Generation Planning Project and Model Code for Smart Growth 1139.2 Choosing a methodology 1149.3 The study and its results 1179.4 Illustrated case studies 1219.5 Selected results 155

References and further reading 183Glossary 189Acknowledgements 191

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About this handbook

Next Generation Planning is about new ways of planning for the suburbs, towns and cities of South East Queensland (SEQ). This handbook identifies four Next Generation Planning concepts:

- Affordable Living

- Smart Growth

- Form-based Codes

- SEQ Place Model.

At their core, these concepts are about making places great for people, and ensuring they can afford to live there.

The key products in this handbook are strategic and statutory planning tools, in the form of the SEQ Place Model and supporting neighbourhood, street and lot and building scale planning techniques; including planning scheme modules designed to promote easy delivery of a range of housing. The inspiration for this handbook came from the great places of SEQ, studied in detail in its preparation. It deliberately focuses on the key variables which really make a difference. Where other good work has already been undertaken on urban development standards in Queensland, it cross references to them.

The Next Generation Planning handbook is a joint project of the Council of Mayors (SEQ) Next Generation Planning initiative under the Australian Government’s Housing Affordability Fund (HAF) and the Queensland Government’s Growth Management Queensland, based on the Smart Growth directions in the South East Queensland Regional Plan 2009 – 2031 (SEQ Regional Plan).

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The need for a consistent approachInconsistencies in planning scheme requirements can cause delays and contribute to the costs for housing. Sometimes, housing products common in one area are not permitted in another. Even apparently innocuous matters can have major implications for house builders - floor plans can require redesign for small variations in widths and setbacks.

South East Queensland varies from coastal to rural hinterland to capital city, but local variation does not need to be at the expense of common sense. The size of a door, width of a room, or the size of a garage do not vary across the region.

Focussing on residential development, this handbook promotes a consistentapproach to planning and gives detailed examples and appropriate criteria to allow Councils to explore such an approach for themselves.

Consistency in criteria such as lot frontages, street widths and building setbacks does not mean standard local character. Features such as the topography of a place, building materials, tree species and architectural style can be more effective in creating local character.

For common development like housing, lengthy application processes add cost, but often have little effect on outcomes. This handbook advocates the use of Form-based codes which strictly regulate key outcomes of new development, while at the same time providing a greater certainty for all involved about the appearance of buildings allowing quicker, more cost effective development assessment.

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Affordable Living

Affordability of housing is a challenge in most high growth regions and SEQ is no exception. In 2009, the Council of Mayors (SEQ) secured HAF funding for its Next Generation Planning project, designed to address housing affordability.

Affordable living is about more than just the cost of housing. It brings to account a range of factors, including the size, type and cost of housing we choose, how we move around and the resources we use.

Many factors can influence housing affordability – the type of housing; the climate; construction costs; land and infrastructure costs; approval processes; the cost of borrowing money; and the overall supply and demand for housing.

But there are many other important influences on the affordability of living in SEQ, such as access to transportation options, access to employment, services and education, and the consumption of energy and other natural resources.

Many households in SEQ need two cars and travel long distances to work and services. Their house may be ‘affordable’, but the time and money involved in this travel can cause financial stress. Many local areas also don’t offer variety in housing choices to meet household needs as their housing requriements and lifestyle change over time.

This handbook focuses on Affordable Living. It puts forward consistent Next Generation Planning tools designed to contribute to Affordable Living through better strategic and local planning. It also promotes consistent planning scheme provisions to reduce cost through more certainty and more efficient development assessment processes.

Smart Growth in SEQ

In the second half of the 20th century, much of the western world catered for growth of its cities by expanding outwards along major roads. In SEQ, the result of this approach was large, dispersed tracts of detached housing, or ‘urban sprawl’. As a result, many parts of the region are now heavily car dependent and characterised by long commutes and significant lag times in providing important community infrastructure.

For many people, the Australian dream of owning a home is achievable only at the fringe of cities. The reality of the dream often means significant travel time and cost for residents to access their daily needs. The sustainability of this approach has come into sharp focus more recently, particularly with the challenges of climate change, energy dependence, demographic change, public health and infrastructure funding.

New ways of planning have emerged to address these challenges, including the smart growth movement in North America. In Queensland, the SEQ Regional Plan embraces smart growth principles such as:

- a more compact urban form

- the need to create quality housing for people of all income levels

- a focus on designing walkable neighbourhoods

- creating distinctive, attractive communities based on a mixture of land uses

- providing for a variety of transportation choices and reduced car dependency

- protecting the region’s natural landscapes

- targeting new development to accessible infill locations

- prioritising use of existing infrastrcture.

This handbook is also an outcome of the SEQ Regional Plan program intent to prepare a Model Code for Smart Growth to help achieve these goals.

4

SEQ Place ModelForm-based codes

A code is a set of ‘rules’ used in planningschemes and other regulating documents to govern development. They are an important component of the Queensland planning framework, and deal with aspects like building height, setbacks, car parking rates, street widths and open space provisions.

Form-based codes are a new type of code. They place an increased emphasis on the physical form of buildings and infrastructure, and use graphics to clearly illustrate the required form of new development, such as new buildings, streets or parks.

This emphasis on form provides more certainty to planners and communities about what new development will look like and how it will function. In turn, this certainty can allow assessment regimes to be streamlined, as the impacts of development are known from the start. For this arrangement to work, form- based codes tend to be more prescriptive in nature.

The planning scheme modules in this handbook promote a more Form-based approach to codes; designed to create consistency and certainty, to simplify and deregulate housing approval processes, and to promote affordable living and great places.

The research underpinning this handbooksuggests that settlements in SEQ can be understood as a series of place types, each with common characteristics, similar land use mixes and intensities of development.

The SEQ Place Model identifies eight place types in SEQ from the study of well known locations around the region. Each place type is recognisable by its function, special qualities, intensity, character and housing forms. These include natural areas, rural areas, rural towns, next generation suburban and urban neighbourhoods, mixed use activity centres and CBDs. While the SEQ Place Model is a useful framework, it is not suggested that all place types will be found in all local governments in SEQ.

The SEQ Place Model is designed to promote a more compact urban form, including increased availability and diversity of housing for people of all income levels, walkable neighbourhoods, attractive mixed use communities, access to transportation choices, reduced car dependency, and protecting our natural landscapes.

The SEQ Place Model is designed as a way of planning strategically about a local government area and is a useful communication tool in describing the elements that make up each place. It provides a practical and useful tool to plan strategically for a range of connected communities based on Smart Growth and Affordable Living principles.

The SEQ Place Model is described in more detail in Part A of this handbook. The role of the SEQ Place Model in the strategic planning frameworks of SEQ planning schemes is described further in Part B.

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Creating this handbook

This handbook is based on research of best practice and emerging approaches used nationally and internationally; and uses an empirical approach to the analysis of a wide range of places and housing in the SEQ region. The places in SEQ examined during the preparation of this handbook were selected based on the quality of the urban environment; the community’s aspirations to live, work and visit these locations; and affordable living characteristics – the ‘best of the best’ urban environments that SEQ has to offer.

Land suitability was not a key factor in selecting these places as it was considered that land constraints such as bushfire, flood, landslide and cultural heritage had previously been taken into account. This handbook respects the wide range of useful work already done and avoids duplication. Instead, it focuses on SEQ as a distinct region and uses empirical evidence based on SEQ’s natural and built environment to inform the range of Next Generation Planning themes.

This work establishes a sound basis for the themes of the guidance including:

- diversity of housing types and lot dimensions

- walkable neighbourhoods as the appropriate urban structure tool for quality neighbourhoods

- use of grid street pattern and rear lanes - modest average dwelling sizes, allowing

increased vegetation in back yards - consistent street designs - simplicity and clarity is important – it is

more useful to focus on the key variables rather than to regulate everything

- a level of prescription assists in achieving desired outcomes

- a modular approach, involving a package of issue based code modules

- reduced levels of assessment for development due to increased certainty and efficiency of the development process (which can affect affordability).

How to use this handbook

This handbook identifies new planning tools reflecting four key Next Generation Planning themes of Affordable Living, Smart Growth, Form-based codes and the SEQ Place Model.It provides a practical resource for planners, designers and developers to implement these tools in planning schemes and when designing or assessing development. It is also designed to equip those people involved in creating new communities in SEQ, with a more consistent approach which in turn saves time and money for all involved. The handbook is intended to be used as a guide. It is expected that the SEQ Place Model and neighbourhood scale planning guidelines and modules will require adaption depending on local circumstances. Although not exhaustive, the street and housing typologies in Part B summarise good innovations to allow for their ready integration into SEQ Council planning schemes. There will be other innovations in housing, and this handbook does not mean to exclude these.

The handbook has a particular focus on theNext Generation Suburban Neighbourhoods (P4) and Urban Neighbourhoods (P5) in the SEQ Place Model, as these are most relevant to promoting Affordable Living outcomes (and there is already a lot of great work being done for other place types, including local area plans for Centres of Activity (P6) and CBDs (P7).Part A of this handbook provides detailed guidelines on aspects of the four Next Generation Planning themes. Part B provides modular planning scheme provisions designed to allow implemention of these concepts into SEQ Council planning schemes. Further adaption of these modules will be needed to satisfy planning scheme requirements. Finally, this handbook is structured by scale, which is illustrated in the diagram on page 6. The diagram indicates the relationship between scale, the Next Generation Planning concepts and their application to different chapters of a planning scheme.

6

Thinking about planning at different scales helps put planning scheme provisions in context, and ensures the right issues are addressed at the right time. The planning concepts in this handbook have relevance to different scales of planning, and to different parts of a Queensland Planning Provisions planning scheme. The diagram above illustrates these relationships.

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The guidelines

PART A

This part of the handbook provides guidelines for governments and industry about planning and delivering affordable and sustainable communities. They are arranged in a simple format – one issue at a time. The guidelines are informed by the research undertaken in the preparation of this handbook and include relevant examples.

The guidelines are ordered by scale as follows:

1.0 Sub-regional and district scale2.0 Neighbourhood (local) scale3.0 Street scale4.0 Lot and building scale.

The key sub-regional and district scale concept is the SEQ Place Model – a strategic planning tool that can also be a powerful communication tool to understand planning for an area.

Sub-regional and district scale

1.0

This part of the guidelines covers:

1.1 The SEQ Place Model1.2 Natural Places (P1)1.3 Rural Places (P2)1.4 Rural Townships (P3)1.5 Next Generation Suburban Neighbourhoods (P4)1.6 Urban Neighbourhoods (P5)1.7 Centres of Activity (P6)1.8 CBDs (P7)1.9 Specific Use Places (P8)

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The SEQ Place Model

The research underpinning this handbook suggests strongly that settlements in SEQ can be understood as a series of places, which have common characteristics, similar land use mixes and intensities of development. These range from natural areas, rural areas, rural towns, areas with predominantly suburban housing and more urban areas of significantly differing densities, through to mixed use activity centres and CBDs.

This handbook illustrates these place types together in the SEQ Place Model. It identifies a progression of much loved natural and human habitats in SEQ, recognisable by their function, special qualities, intensity, character and housing forms associated with each place type.

This SEQ Place Model is a handy way of thinking about, and planning for, a local government area, or a large scale planning project such as a major new greenfield community.

The model has potential application to urban growth areas and existing suburbs at the discretion of local governments. The model can help organise different parts of a local government area towards achieving similar strategic planning outcomes, and inform the distribution, balance and role of each place.

The SEQ Place Model drawing (above) provides a snapshot of the main characteristics. Each place type is further described in sections 1.2 to 1.9.

Natural Places (P1)

Rural Places (P2) Next Generation Suburba

Rural Townships (P3)

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Part B of the handbook explains how the SEQ Place Model can be used in a planning scheme to:

- describe a menu of quality place types found across a local government area

- explain the recipe for creating each place type, such as the housing mix, scale and urban form that is characteristic of each place type

- provide the ingredients in the form of code provisions, zones and levels of assessment

Note: The SEQ Place Model shows a series of common, useful place types. Intensity of development is indicated, as is residential and non-residential uses and public transport. The form and intensity of place types are expected to overlap. The SEQ Place Model is an illustrative concept and does not show the non-linear corridors and special use places of cities, nor does it indicate a quantum for any place type. Further, depending on the strategic context of each local government area not all place types may be applicable.

an Neighbourhoods (P4) Centres Of Activity (P6)

Urban Neighbourhoods (P5) CBDs (P7)

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Areas essentially untouched by human habitationNatural Places (P1)

Natural Places are areas dominated by the natural environment. They perform essential functions as green space, ecological and regional landscape areas which are vital to protecting our ecological assets and biodiversity, provide access to natural experiences and a landscape setting for their surroundings, including many towns and cities.

Typical examples include national parks and similar publicly owned, relatively undisturbed areas. Some privately owned land will have the same attributes.

In the SEQ Regional Plan, Natural Places are usually found in the Regional Landscape and Rural Production Area, although natural features like rivers, beaches and bushland in urban areas can also be Natural Places.

Lookout at O’Reilly’s

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The broad rural parts of the regionRural Places (P2)

Rural Places are mostly used for rural production, from less intense activities like cattle grazing, to more intensive cropping and animal husbandry. Some are used for forestry and carbon sequestration. Non-production functions such as small scale tourism and rural industries are also present.

These places are important for their rural production and contribute to the landscape setting of the region. Housing is mostly single dwellings on farm properties for those who live and usually work on the land. Some of these places are used for rural living, where people live on large lots but don’t use them for any substantial rural production.

While rural living is an element of rural places, this is secondary to rural production in smarter communities. Rural Places are predominantly in the Regional Landscape and Rural Production Area of the SEQ Regional Plan, but are also found in the Urban Footprint (e.g. rural in nature but identified for urban development in the future) and Rural Living Area.

Sunshine Coast Hinterland – one of the rural places of the region

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Small settlements surrounded by rural placesRural Townships (P3)

Rural Townships centre on a mixed use, low scale main street, usually with traditional awnings over the footpath. The mix of uses is often eclectic, with shops, halls, churches, schools, industry, a park and housing jumbled together, bound together by the character of the street and the buildings.

Rural Townships are characterised by a range of housing, predominantly detached on lots larger than found in suburban and urban neighbourhoods. Other types of housing in Rural Townships, such as duplexes and aged care facilities, cater for people in these areas as their housing needs change. Rural Townships have a range of local community facilities and services but rely on larger centres for higher order uses such as employment, hospitals, education and cultural facilities, universities and theatres, as well as major shopping centres.

They are, and should continue to be, based on a traditional grid street pattern, which give them a robust structure which is easy to navigate. Rural Townships with public transport, like railway towns, can have potential for further urban development. Urban expansion of these places would extend existing grid pattern to reflect the traditional character of the place.

Rosewood exemplifies rural townships

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Characterised by walkability between a range of housing and a central focusNext Generation Suburban Neighbourhoods (P4)

Next Generation Suburban Neighbourhoods (P4) offer housing choice, from detached houses and duplexes to row houses, shop-top housing and even live/work buildings. While detached houses are most common, many detached houses are on smaller lots.

Attached housing in these neighbourhoods are often on lots with particular attributes, like corners, lots with rear lane access and locations close to open space, centres or public transport. Non-residential uses in P4 neighbourhoods meet the day-to-day needs of residents. Housing in these places is within easy walking and cycling distance to a wider range of facilities including shops, schools, parks and public transport. Next Generation Suburban Neighbourhoods (P4) are generally low in scale and comprise well landscaped environments. These neighbourhoods provide 15–30 dwellings per hectare, as envisaged by the SEQ Regional Plan for significant greenfield areas.

P4 streets are characterised by street trees providing shade and character, and shared use by cars, bikes and pedestrians. They are usually grid-based, making it easy to find your way around.

P4 neighbourhoods are mostly located close to Urban Neighbourhoods (P5) and Centres of Activity (P6) where residents can readily access higher order services and facilities. They are always in the Urban Footprint in the SEQ Regional Plan. P4 neighbourhoods are different from many existing suburban areas common throughout SEQ and can be distinguished by their walkability, housing choice and access to public transport, jobs and services. Greenfield and existing areas identified by local governments for urban renewal are most likely to exhibit characteristics that make them suitable for P4 neighbourhoods. It is not expected or intended that all existing suburban areas will transition into P4 neighbourhoods.

North Ipswich exemplifies the next generation suburban neighbourhood

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Higher density, walkable, mixed use neighbourhoodsUrban Neighbourhoods (P5)

Urban Neighbourhoods may be older suburbs closer to centres or parts of new communities that are planned to achieve this outcome from day one. They have good public transport access and have been developed or redeveloped over time at higher densities and with a greater mix of housing and uses than Next Generation Suburban Neighbourhoods (P4).

Detached houses are found in these areas, but usually in small pockets and with a more urban setting. These neighbourhoods take different forms, from areas where medium density or low to medium scale buildings are dominant to higher density places with high rise buildings. Urban Neighbourhoods provide greater than 30 dwellings per hectare, and sometimes as many as 100 dwellings per hectare. They are often transit oriented. Higher density Urban Neighbourhoods usually have a number of Next Generation Suburban Neighbourhoods (P4) nearby.

Urban Neighbourhoods are characterised by mixed use, providing ready access to a range of shopping, community and other local services and places of employment such as small to medium scale offices. Housing not in a mixed use setting is within easy walking and cycling distance to these other uses and public transport.

Urban Neighbourhoods have a sense of enclosure at the street level provided by small building setbacks, with the built form character usually dominant. Their streets are characterised by street trees, which provide shade and character, footpaths for walking and roadways shared by cars and bikes. They are usually grid based and connected in a way that make it easy to find your way around.Urban Neighbourhoods are always in the Urban Footprint in the SEQ Regional Plan and usually near Centres of Activity (P6), CBDs (P7) and Next Generation Suburban Neighbourhoods (P4).

Urban renewal areas of Bulimba exemplifies Urban Neighbourhoods

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Concentrations of non-residential activities at the focus of transport networksCentres of Activity (P6)

These centres have concentrations of non-residential activities like shopping but are also centres for employment, higher education and entertainment. They come in various scales, from local to district and regional, and are more varied in character than suburban and urban neighbourhoods. They are a focus of transport networks, and a hub for public transport and local pedestrian and cycling systems.

Centres of Activity also contain housing, usually apartments. They provide residents in and around the centres with ready access to the range of uses and employment they offer.

They have a strong sense of enclosure at the street level, with little or no building setback to the street. The man made part of its character is dominant, but punctuated by squares and urban parks.

Vibrancy flows from their mix of uses, particularly at the street level. They are important meeting places and focal points for their communities. Their streets are lined with mature trees, which provide shade and character, footpaths for walking trips and roadways shared by cars and bikes. They are usually grid-based and connected in a way that make it easy to find your way around. Regionally significant Centres of Activity are identified in the SEQ Regional Plan. Many more local, district and neighbourhood centres exist across the region.

South Bank exemplifies this place type

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CBDs (P7)The centre and heart of a city

CBDs are the centres of cities. They are the biggest centres, with the widest range and greatest intensity of activity in the city. They are also the heart of a city, and usually the place that most people think of when it is mentioned. They are laid out in a grid, and at the centre of transport networks, for public transport, cycling and pedestrians.

They are urban environments. Buildings dominate the streets, although the streets are important elements of their character. Their large scale and intensity provides a vibrancy unlike any other part of the city. They are the key focal point for their communities, as places to work, do business, for entertainment or just to enjoy. They are meeting places, with squares and urban parks. CBDs are important to the economy of the city, both as centres of production and consumption.

Their streets are lined with street trees, have hard footpaths for walking trips, and roadways shared use by cars and bikes.

Toowoomba CBD

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Limited use, often large places that do not fit into other place typesSpecific Use Places (P8)

These places are restricted to a small number of locations where a large single use or focus does not fit into other place types, and takes a quite different form to those other place types. In these places, housing usually has a very minor role, if at all.

Particular examples include places such as industry areas, ports, prisons and large sport and recreation facilities including stadiums. They are recognised as a different place, because their scale and nature mean they have a quite different form that does not integrate with the other place types in the SEQ Place Model.

The purpose of this place type is to recognise these particular places, rather than to encourage the continued use of single purpose zonings for places such as large shopping centres, which have the ability to be integrated into other place types.

The Port of Brisbane is a typical Specific Use Place

Neighbourhood (local) scale

2.0

The creation of walkable mixed use neighbourhoods, in contrast to sprawling, single use residential development, is fundamental to the more sustainable urban form which Next Generation Planning aims to achieve. This means each neighbourhood contains a mix of uses and housing types, organised with a street network, block size, and structure which is appropriate to its place type and maximises its walkability to its key focal points including public transport.

This part of the Guidelines covers:

2.1 Walkability2.2 Neighbourhood structure2.3 Block size 2.4 Street network2.5 Subtropical design2.6 Housing choice

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A key attribute of Next Generation PlanningWalkability

The climate of SEQ is ideal for walking most times of the year. Walkability is a fundamentally important part of neighbourhood design.

Walking is encouraged and enhanced when there is something to walk to (destinations such as shops, jobs, public transport stops, community facilities, parks, open spaces or just neighbours), something to walk on (a footpath) and an easily understood direct route to get there.

Streets need to have appropriate shelter from the sun with street trees or awnings, and be overlooked by development with casual surveillance to improve safety. High fencing adjoining streets, parks and public spaces should be avoided as these create unattractive environments with little opportunity for passive surveillance.

Appropriate street network design makes walking easy with direct routes and memorable vistas, which might include distinctive buildings, parks, open spaces and distinct landmarks.

The design of Varsity Lakes town centre promotes walkability

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Neighbourhood design is fundamental to sustainable, walkable urban formNeighbourhood structure

Next Generation Suburban Neighbourhoods (P4) and Urban Neighbourhoods (P5) are designed for walkability using a five minute walking catchment (400 m) around a focal point or centre. This central focus is also a key part of neighbourhoods and can involve a mix of local shops and offices, and/or some community uses, such as library or primary school, and local parks. The mix of non-residential uses depends on the context. For many suburban locations, a small park and bus stop might be all that is expected, while many Urban Neighbourhoods (P5) demonstrate a wider range of amenities. Most parts of the neighbourhood are within a five minute walk of this central focus.

Note that in transit orientated development precincts, walking catchments of five, 10 or 15 minutes may be an appropriate structuring tool (Queensland Government, 2010e).

All housing is part of a neighbourhood and all neighbourhoods provide a variety of housing types, with the range and balance of this housing reflecting their place type in the SEQ Place Model (see 2.6).

The centre of the neighbourhood is located close to or adjacent to an existing (or planned) public transport routes, on the local through street network in accessible and visible locations. This street network connects to nearby centres and larger neighbourhood and town centres. These routes are also efficient public transport routes for buses, light or heavy rail.

Neighbourhood design respects natural landform and systems, including drainage. This means minimising cut and fill when designing streets and lots and integrating with the existing landscape.

Five minute walking catchments promote a more sustainable urban form

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A basic tool of place buildingBlock size and structure

Block sizes are scaled to create a mix of lots that can accommodate development and housing of varying scales and intensities. Block sizes encourage walkability, but are not so small as to create more streets than needed as this impacts on affordability. Typical blocks are 2-3 times longer than their width; with lengths (in P3, P4, P5 places) between 160-200m and widths around 50-80m. This allows flexibility for a range of lot sizes to provide for a variety of housing which will vary according to place type. Centres of Activity (P6) and CBDs (P7) require a wider range of block dimensions to suit centre design. Streets surrounding blocks can be of differing functions, scales and traffic volumes, which allows each street to have different forms of development. Blocks closer to centres have higher intensity development with land use and built form transitions across rear boundaries.

Rear lanes are a feature of block size and structure. Blocks that front onto busier through streets that cannot have direct driveway access can have higher density development using rear lanes for vehicle access, with the housing still addressing the primary street frontage. These lanes can be used in appropriate locations, for example, opposite parks or centres, to create high quality streetscapes and to provide pedestrian safety and amenity through a consistent street rhythm not disturbed by driveways and car parking. Lanes also provide opportunities for different housing forms that aid affordability, such as row housing and ‘Fonzie flats’.

The ends and corners of blocks allow for more diverse and denser housing types as these sites have more street frontage and more opportunities for pedestrian and vehicle access. Streets along end blocks can be the busier ones that lead to centres. This also assists walkability and legibility.

The block sizes of North Ipswich provide for a range of lot sizes and housing diversity

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Build modified grids fit for purpose, use laneways for walkability and amenityStreet Network

This study indicates street networks work best when they are interconnected, usually grid based, and respond to the existing regional street pattern and geometry, topography of the site, waterway corridors, significant vegetation and desired open spaces. Streets orientated close to north/south or east/west enable appropriate climate orientation of lots and buildings.

Streets are different, each with a function and scale to suit movement requirements and to accommodate different scales and forms of development. Busier streets can accommodate a greater variety and density of development.

The street network should provide direct and easily understood choices of routes to walk, cycle and drive to centres, public transport and other community destinations in the locality.

Fine grained street networks encourage active forms of transport, walking and cycling. Streets closer to centres are generally closer together to create a finer grain of smaller block sizes.

A detailed method for designing a street network is outlined in Complete Streets: Guidelines for urban street design (Institute for Public Works Engineering Australia, 2010).

An interconnected grid system provides direct routes for pedestrian, cyclists, public transport and cars

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A defining characteristic of SEQSubtropical design

Subtropical Design in South East Queensland

A Handbook for Planners, Developers and Decision Makers

Sympathetic design for climate creates a more sustainable built form and lifestyles that require less energy use, and provides for more affordable living.

South East Queensland has a subtropical climate which has become a defining characteristic of design in the region, responding to the lifestyles of its inhabitants, while acknowledging the history and traditions of the place.

Subtropical design places importance on topographical features and natural drainage processes in determining the optimal pattern of development. In also includes design features such as good shelter and shade, indoor/outdoor living relationships, lightweight construction, prominent roof forms and overhangs, hoods on windows and design for sun and breezes with good orientation.

For more information, refer to Subtropical Design in South East Queensland – A Handbook for Planners, Developers, and Decision-makers, (Queensland University of Technology, 2010a).

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Housing choice contributes to Affordable LivingHousing choice

Households in SEQ are becoming more diverse and generally smaller. More than half comprise only one or two people, while families with children remain a major group. Average household size has decreased from five in the early 1900s to 2.6 in 2006, and predicted to be 2.4 by 2031(Queensland Government, 2010g). This creates an increasing need for varying housing types and sizes.

At the same time, our houses have been getting larger, so that Australia has amongst the largest average dwelling sizes in the world (ABS, 2005). This disparity has exacerbated the affordability challenge. Smaller housing options in the marketplace can address this issue, and industry, government and consumer changes are needed to allow this to happen. There is a direct connection between providing a choice of housing and affordable housing. Variety in housing types attract a variety of household types with different incomes, social and cultural backgrounds and household sizes.

Providing a range of housing types in more places means that affordable living can be achieved more generally, rather than concentrated in a few places. It also means people can relocate in their existing community as their housing needs change. In later sections, this handbook identifies a range of housing types for SEQ including detached houses, secondary dwellings (such as granny and fonzie flats), small multiple dwellings (3-5 dwelling units), row houses, live/work dwellings, low rise, medium and high rise apartments. The diagram on the following page indicates how housing choice can be achieved across the SEQ Place Model. Many housing types have the added advantage of using land and materials more efficiently, allowing flexibility to adapt to the changing needs of households over time, including work from home arrangements.

Broadbeach offers a range of housing options

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P2. RURAL PLACES P3.RURAL TOWNSHIPSP4. NEXT GENERATION

SUBURBAN NEIGHBOURHOODS

Ho

usi

ng

Typ

olo

gie

s

Detached houses on wide lots

Detached houses on

narrow lots

The “plexes” Duplexes/Triplexes/

Quadplexes/Quinplexes

Row House

Live/Work Building

Low Rise Apartment

Medium and High Rise

Apartment

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P5. URBAN NEIGHBOURHOODS P6. CENTRES OF ACTIVITY P7. CBDs

Detached houses on wide lots

Ho

usin

g Typ

olo

gies

Detached houses on narrow lots

The “plexes” Duplexes/Triplexes/Quadplexes/Quinplexes

Row House

Live/Work Building

Low Rise Apartment

Medium and High Rise Apartment

Street Scale

3.0

Street function and design depends on its context in the SEQ Place Model and the neighbourhood. Streets are critical for movement, but have several other important functions too. These include access to properties, parking, utilities and services, biodiversity and most of all, placemaking. Depending on the context of an individual street, the priority of these functions will vary, and street design must respond appropriately.

This part of the guidelines covers:

3.1 Complete streets3.2 Neighbourhood streets3.3 Connector streets3.4 Rear lanes3.5 Intersections3.6 Pedestrian crossings3.7 Kerbs3.8 Shelter and shade3.9 On-street parking3.10 Water Sensitive Urban Design

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Successful streets are places for people, not just movementComplete streets

Moving people and goods efficiently is essential to maintaining prosperous, sustainable communities. Our roads link people and places all across the region and form the backbone of the movement network in SEQ, connecting suburbs, towns and rural areas.

While streets are critical for movement, they have several other important functions too. These include access to properties, parking, utilities and services, biodiversity and most of all, placemaking. Depending on the context of an individual street, the priority of these functions will vary, and street design must respond appropriately.

In this study, the most successful streets blend their movement function with placemaking. The best residential streets were often simply designed and featured large street trees.

Streets in Centres of Activity and CBDs were carefully designed with footpaths, street trees, lighting, seating and other elements that collectively contribute to the public realm and streetscape.

Complete streets in SEQ integrate with an appropriate scale and form of neighbouring buildings, and also exhibit that SEQ subtropical essence, through materials, fences, shade, landscaping and other elements.

More detail of the principles of quality street design can be found in Complete Streets: Guidelines for urban street design (Institute for Public Works Engineering Australia, 2010).

Grey St, South Bank incorporates cycle ways in the road network

Scarborough St, Southport incorporates wide pedestrian footpaths and crossing points

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The best neighbourhood streets are places in their own rightNeighbourhood streets

Abbott St, New Farm – a classic neighbourhood street

In SEQ, most residents live in neighbourhood streets. They are the most abundant of streets, stitching our residential and mixed use neighbourhoods together and providing access to homes and sometimes workplaces. As the name suggests, these streets are local in nature, providing access to properties in a neighbourhood but having a relatively minor traffic function. Neighbourhood streets also have many other functions, they are used to service properties with water, electricity and other services and provide routes for walking and cycling for recreation as well as commuting. They are also used for parking and maintain important stormwater conveyance and local biodiversity functions.

The best neighbourhood streets identified in this study did not have a prominent traffic function. Even when neighbourhood streets were wide, the space was often dominated by substantial trees, not asphalt.

Other streets are narrower and lined with attractive buildings and gardens, instead of blank fences or empty unused yards. Neighbourhood streets are as important to placemaking and neighbourhood character as they are to movement and property access.

Historically, street widths have been devised for many reasons, but this study identifies a common neighbourhood street typology comprising of a 7-8 m wide carriageway in a 15 m reserve (up to 20 m in older areas). Where wider verges are found, they were generously landscaped. Wider streets enable plenty of space for walking and cycling, a good relationship between buildings on either side of a street, and adequate space for vehicles, parking and trees.

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Connect people and places, don’t just collect carsConnector streets

Streets with a more important connecting function must be designed to accommodate increased movement for all travel modes. The goal in planning these routes is connecting people with destinations, rather than collecting cars.

What’s more, connecting streets are often important people places. These streets house public transport routes, are home to shops and commerce (reflecting their accessibility to higher numbers of people), and form well known linear landmarks of our towns and cities.

A connector street typology of a 12.5 m roadway in a 20 m reserve was evident in this study. This width allows on-street parking, bus stops and cycle lanes to be accommodated into the street. A median is sometimes included with trees to form a boulevard.

More detail of street types can be found in Complete Streets: Guidelines for urban street design, (Institute for Public Works Engineering Australia, 2010).

Grande Ave, Springfield – a connector street

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Use rear lanes frequently in neighbourhoods and centresRear lanes

This study found examples of laneways in every urban place type, serving a variety of functions. A laneway in a suburban neighbourhood can provide vehicle access to rear loaded houses, increasing the amenity of the primary streetscape and reducing impacts on traffic from frequent driveways. The relationship of buildings to the street is the key to the success of this street typology. For example, Varsity Lakes demonstrates how well a residential lane can function as a service and vehicle point for rear loaded housing product as well as the primary street frontage for secondary dwellings and fonzie flats. The interface between the rear loaded dwellings and those facing the laneway needs to be carefully considered for this configuration to succeed.

The position of buildings and windows must allow overlooking of the lane to maintain personal safety. Short lane lengths and views from neighbouring dwellings also assist.

In Urban Neighbourhoods (P5) and Centres of Activity (P6), laneways are an effective way to address parking and servicing requirements for businesses and residents. Continuous street frontages of active uses can be maintained by ensuring on-street parking is available, limiting driveways and providing for a quality public realm. Rear lanes were a frequent success factor in centres visited during this study.

Laneways in Centres of Activity and CBDs can transform an empty space in between buildings into a vibrant, attractive hub for people to meet and pass through.

Varsity Lakes utilises rear lanes for vehicle access to row houses and secondary entry points for home based businesses

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Use four-way intersections in P4 and P5 NeighbourhoodsIntersections

Grid street networks have many advantages, including great connectivity, legibility and longer vistas. Grids also result in frequent cross-streets, or four-way intersections that must be managed appropriately.

For several decades, roundabouts have been used to do this job. While efficient at moving vehicles, roundabouts prioritise vehicles over walkers and cyclists. When overused, even drivers are inconvenienced. Two lane roundabouts are almost never suitable for places for pedestrians and cyclists.

Roundabouts are not common in most of the SEQ places in this study, except in the busiest centres and CBDs. In fact, un-signalised four-way intersections (often controlled by give way or stop signs) are found frequently in most place types (except in the much busier CBD locations).

Unsignalised four-ways fell out of favour because roundabouts are usually deemed to be safer for traffic, but four-ways have benefits too. They use less land, enable a grid street layout to be easily built, and are usually easier for pedestrians and cyclists to navigate. Four-way intersections are becoming accepted again.

Complete Streets: Guidelines for urban street design published in 2010 by the Institute for Public Works Engineering Australia (IPWEA, 2010) suggests uncontrolled or priority controlled four-way intersections are a valid option, when validated by appropriate traffic analysis.

Where four-way traffic movement is not desired, four-way active transport movement must still be achieved.

Un-signalised four-way intersection at Tedder Ave, Main Beach

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Prioritise pedestrians especially in centres and CBDsPedestrian crossings

To increase the number of people getting out of their cars and around their suburbs and centres on foot, appropriate pedestrian infrastructure and street crossings must be planned and built.

A one-size-fits-all approach to pedestrian crossings is not appropriate. The standard of crossings is a function of the amount of street traffic and the importance of the pedestrian route. But few pedestrians do not always mean that few crossings are required.The opposite may be the case. Pedestrians might stay away until a safe, comfortable and interesting walking route exists.

In this study of SEQ places, few formal crossings were found in suburban streets. Pedestrians were certainly present at different times of the day, but there was often little traffic and pedestrians could cross at their leisure.

Urban Neighbourhoods are denser and have more people and traffic, but again formal crossings were not common. However, pedestrian refuges on busier streets and some signalised crossings at major intersections were needed, for both suburban and urban contexts.

In service and employment centres (whether Rural Townships, centres or CBDs) crossings become very important to the successful functioning of the place. Refuges, signalised crossings and zebra crossings were commonly present in these flourishing places. In CBDs, shared zones were common. The lesson from these busy and vibrant places is that high pedestrian priority crossings, such as zebra crossings and shared zones, are a critical ingredient in making the place attractive to people and successful centres need people more than anything else.

Pedestrian crossings prioritise pedestrian movement in Southport

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Use stand-up kerbs and tight kerb radii on street cornersKerbs

The devil is often in the detail, and in street design the detail includes things like kerb types. Today, concrete kerb and channel can be shaped into almost any profile and shape but, as with many things, the old fashioned design is often the best.

Stand-up kerb was the most common kerb type across all place types in this study. In suburban streets, stand-up kerb was used more than 50 per cent of the time, while in urban places and in centres the stand-up kerb was almost universal. Flush kerb was also used in some neighbourhood streets and in CBD shared zones, where pedestrian priority is achieved by blending the vehicle and pedestrian space. Flush kerb is also appropriate to achieve water sensitive urban design, often in non-urban, suburban or park side settings.

Stand-up kerbs define the edge of a roadway better and keep vehicles away from the footpath. Roll-over kerb, popular in late 20th century suburban expansion, allows cars to park easily on the verge, but the message to pedestrians is that the whole road reserve has space for cars. Parking on footpaths is illegal and causes significant inconvenience for residents.

Many of the surveyed places in the study have corner radii much tighter than usual under recent standards, with clear benefits to walkability and safety. Relatively sharp corners (such as 3 m radii on local streets) are a highly effective speed control measure, removing the need for bumps and traffic islands and the like. A sharper corner radii makes the pedestrian crossing narrower, shortening the time for pedestrians to cross and making it safer and easier to cross.

Stand up kerb in a neightbourhood street

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Street trees provide shelter and create a sense of space and placeShelter and shade

In the SEQ subtropical climate, shade and shelter boost the walkability of a street. Shade protects pedestrians from the elements as well as reducing heat island effects.

In this study, trees were the most common means of providing shade, although in centres and CBDs building awnings and other structures are important for shade and weather protection. Some of the most attractive and inviting streets were lined with consistent and mature street trees spaced to allow their crowns to touch to form a canopy. Streets lined with consistent tree species, with different streets planted with different species, create visual interest. Selecting the right species for local conditions ensures their health and longevity in the urban environment.

Care must be taken to minimise clashes between buried infrastructure and tree roots to ensure enough space exists for both.

Street trees can also be used to narrow the carriageway width, in a physical sense and a perceived sense, helping to slow traffic. Tree lined pathways can provide useful visual links between focal points within a place type including areas of open spaces, and residential and commercial areas that might otherwise feel disconnected. A tree lined street helps to create a sense of comfort and enclosure for pedestrians.

Street trees in commercial areas can mimic human scale and lessen the dominance of taller structures.

Streettrees provide shade over the footpath in Bulimba

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On-street car parking is important to parking supply and vitalityOn-street parking

In this study, on-street parking was well provided for and provided the flexibility to accommodate residents and visitors. On-street car parking in neighbourhoods and centres delivers a range of benefits, including reduced on-site parking demands, slowing passing traffic and activating the street as people move from their vehicle to a destination.

In Next Generation Suburban (P4) and Urban Neighbourhoods (P5), rear lanes and shared driveways can increase on-street parking provision where a higher demand is expected. Rear loaded housing increases the amenity of the primary street and promotes walkability.

In mixed use areas, developments with compact housing forms and transit oriented development precincts, reduced car parking rates and opportunities for shared car parking work well.

A mix of uses within a neighbourhood or centre tend to have varying peak times and demand and allow parking spaces to serve a range of surrounding businesses and customers. In Grey Street at South Bank, a diversity of uses that function day and night including restaurants and cafes, cinemas and offices share the parking.

Sensible use of on-street parking, which is a feature of the streets this handbook promotes, can also help reduce the need for on-site parking, which can reduce housing costs. This is further discussed in 4.10, off-street parking.

On-street parking on major roads requires separate consideration against road planning objectives.

The car parking for this apartment complex is located at the rear via a shared access point which improves on-street parking opportunity and the visual appeal of the building

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Sustainable development protects and conserves the urban water cycleWater Sensitive Urban Design

Water Sensitive Urban Design (WSUD) focuses on the efficient and effective management of the urban water cycle and ensures that natural water systems within the urban environment are protected to allow them to function more effectively. WSUD is a desirable solution to stormwater management and in this study it found that several greenfield developments had integrated the design objectives for managing urban stormwater into the landscape.

Some WSUD applications include rainwater storage tanks suitable for rural, suburban and urban areas, grass or landscaped swales, infiltration trenches and bio-retention trenches, porous pavements, greywater harvesting and treatment ponds.

In urban environments, WSUD is useful for managing stormwater quality, improving waterway stability and managing the frequency of flows. Site conditions, climate, catchment and pollutant characteristics will influence the selection of WSUD applications.

This handbook supports the use of WSUD principles and reflects the State Planning Policy for Healthy Waters 2010 (Queensland Government, 2010d), and Technical Guidelines - Implementation Guideline no. 7. (Queensland Government, 2009b).

Springfield Lakes is a residential development that demonstrates several WSUD features

Lot and building scale

4.0

The approach to development on individual lots and buildings can do much to promote the Next Generation Planning concepts of Smart Growth and Affordable Living. It also offers the best opportunities to achieve consistency in basic standards across the region to reduce housing costs and promote affordable living.

Note: The names given to dwelling types in these pages describe types of buildings. In Queensland Planning Provisions (QPP) compliant planning schemes, dwelling types are usually given definitions in the context of material change of use (MCU) development. More than one MCU definition may be relevant to particular buildings (i.e. a row house may be developed as either a dwelling house on a separate freehold lot or as a multiple dwelling on common property. In both cases the built form is the same).

This part of the guidelines covers:

4.1 Detached houses on wide lots4.2 Detached houses on narrow lots4.3 The “plexes” – duplexes/triplexes/ quadplexes/quinplexes4.4 Row houses4.5 Secondary dwellings4.6 Live/work buildings4.7 Low rise apartments4.8 Medium and high rise apartments4.9 Consistent lot types4.10 Off-street parking4.11 Addressing the street4.12 Build to the slope4.13 Height4.14 Space around the house4.15 Carports and garages

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An appropriate housing option for some householdsDetached houses on wide lots

Detached houses on traditionally sized lots are a large part of the housing stock in SEQ. They serve the needs of a wide range of household types.

In SEQ, these lots are typically around 20 m wide, and from 450 m2 to 2000 m2. When they occur in large tracts without other forms of housing, this housing type is highly land consumptive and contributes to unsustainable urban sprawl. Smart Growth means using land more efficiently for this form of housing and mixing it with other forms, particularly in Next Generation Suburban Neighbourhoods (P4), but also in existing urban neighbourhoods (P5). It is also easy to design this housing to incorporate secondary dwellings and still look the same.

Some of the great examples in SEQ of detached houses on larger lots challenge the traditional front setback of 6 m, demonstrating that smaller setbacks at the front and side of a property achieve a more efficient use of private land and provide great amenity or character. Houses with smaller building footprints allow space for deep planted gardens and vegetation cover, natural drainage and stormwater flow, treed back yards, cultivating crops and keeping pets.

Detached houses of modest scale with small site coverage are a robust and flexible development form, allowing for the renovation and expansion of houses over time to accommodate more modern living choices, changing household sizes and financial circumstances.

Detached houses are easily owned individually without the need for a body corporate.

A traditional Queenslander detached house on a larger lot at Rosewood

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Small lot housing is found in some of SEQ’s most loved neighbourhoodsDetached houses on narrow lots

In recent times in SEQ, as elsewhere, single and double storey detached houses are being developed on much narrower and smaller lots. This housing is also found in many older, widely admired neighbourhoods. This housing type can take a number of forms, including those referred to as cottage and villa style homes. They require some elements of the building design to be carefully managed, such as dwelling size, setbacks, private open space and car parking.

Cottages are small single storey dwellings on small lots that are relatively compact and usually have a single car parking space (or two tandem car spaces), so car parking does not dominate its streetscape. These houses can be relatively small in size in some places, similar to the size of traditional dwellings built during the first half of the 20th century. Lot frontages for cottage dwellings can be narrow (10-12.5 m).

Allowing some setbacks to the front and side for habitable rooms provides for natural light, cross ventilation and better design outcomes. Setbacks on one side of the lot can be very small, while garages, service areas and verandahs can be built to a lot boundary.

Double storey detached housing on small lots will enable a smaller site coverage, while retaining areas for private open space, deep planting areas, trees, natural drainage, vegetation and reusable gardens. Some double storey houses can have car access from rear lanes, allowing parking for two cars. Double storey buildings create improved street enclosure and definition, which works well in Urban Neighbourhoods.

Granville St, West End demonstrates a number of detached houses on 250 m2 lots

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A compact housing form compatible with high quality streetscapes The ‘plexes’ – duplexes/triplexes/quadplexes/quinplexes

Duplexes are paired dwellings sharing a single internal wall, while triplexes, quadplexes and quinplexes are similar but with three, four and five dwellings in turn. They can be single or two storeys and some, particularly duplexes, can present to the street similar to a detached house.

Plexes are often best sited on a corner, to punctuate the street end and accommodate more than one driveway. They are an effective way to increase density, in both urban and Next Generation Suburban Neighbourhoods. Sometimes two detached houses can be on the one lot. These housing forms are generally located in P4 and P5 neighbourhoods, interspersed with other housing forms.

There are many good examples of duplexes, triplexes, quadplexes and quinplexes in SEQ, particularly in newer, integrated developments such as Varsity Lakes.

A modern duplex on a corner lot in Granville Street, West End

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Row houses form great streetscapes and efficient housingRow houses

Row houses, also called terraces, are a number of attached houses of two to four storeys on individual lots. Usually more than three to four row houses are located together. Long rows of more than eight houses are uncommon in SEQ.

Row houses should have car access and servicing from a rear lane, creating high quality streetscapes not compromised with pedestrian safety and amenity by multiple driveways over footpaths.

Private open space requires fencing for privacy and is often located between the dwelling and the rear garage or car port. To maximise the area of open space and contribute to a more urban streetscape, front setbacks are small.To add privacy, main living areas or front habitable rooms are elevated. Lot and building widths can be as narrow as the width of one bedroom or as wide as two bedrooms.

Two storey row houses with semi-basement parking Bulimba

Rear lane access to row houses, Varsity Lakes

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Granny and Fonzie flats can provide low cost, flexible housing options for suburbsSecondary dwellings

The granny flat or secondary dwelling in a backyard or under the house has been a relatively common form of dwelling in SEQ for many decades. Usually these dwellings have remained in the same ownership as the principal dwelling, and are used by family members or students, sometimes for temporary periods.

Some modern developments have taken this concept further by developing loft apartments or ‘fonzie flats’, usually above garages in rear lane accessed houses. As well as providing small, studio style accommodation, these dwellings have the advantage of providing casual surveillance of the lane from occupied rooms. Sometimes these flats are used for work instead of living, and can be kept in the same ownership as the principal dwelling, or be separately titled to create a low cost purchase option for first home buyers.

Secondary dwelling and loft apartments are unlikely to create additional infrastructure demands or amenity impacts, and should be made easily developable especially in Next Generation Suburban Neighbourhoods and Urban Neighbourhoods.

Pitt St, Toowoomba provides many examples of secondary dwellings utilising a rear lane

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A flexible lifestyle option and transition between housing and commercial usesLive/work buildings

Live/work buildings include a home and a workplace. This is not a new idea - in older residential areas small shops were common, built in front of a house to the front boundary with an awning over the street. These stores often faced busier through streets and were located on corner sites, hence the name ‘corner store’.

While the traditional corner store is generally not part of new SEQ neighbourhoods, working from home is recognised as an increasing trend in recent decades. The result is that offices and workshops are being incorporated into residences, particularly in more urban places. Home workshops and offices attached to a residential use can back onto parking areas used for retail or mixed use purposes, allowing for shared parking arrangements. Higher site cover is appropriate for buildings of this type. Live/work buildings can provide an appropriate transition from a residential building to a commercial or retail space.

Houses are sometimes converted to offices and shops, and vice versa. This can only happen if the design is ‘robust’ enough to be converted to a different use. Buildings on street corners or near Centres of Activity are more likely to be suitable for this approach. Street patterns must also be robust enough to adapt to changing uses. While knocking down houses and rebuilding is not always desirable, knocking down a cul-de-sac near to a centre to allow for more intense land uses is next to impossible.

Row houses can easily incorporate live/work arrangements. In SEQ, there are good examples of three storey row houses with offices and parking at ground level and living spaces above. More commonly, the ‘shop-top housing’ model accommodates commercial or retail space on the ground floor of a detached dwelling with a second level residential use.

A fonzi flat/home office situated above a garage in Varsity Lakes

Ground floor vet with residence above at Moffat Beach

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A compact housing form appropriate for more urban placesLow rise apartments

Low rise apartments are generally two to three storeys, often above semi-basement car parking. Buildings of this scale can have open stairs and balcony access, enabling design for cross ventilation which is important for subtropical and energy efficient design. Alternatively, low rise apartments can be accessed via a lift, although this usually results in higher cost constructions and maintenance with the additional costs being passed onto the purchaser/resident.

An apartment building can be part of an integrated development by a single developer on an amalgamated site, or a separate development. Apartment buildings usually require community titling, with common property managed through a body corporate.

Low rise apartment buildings in SEQ demonstrate that small setbacks to street frontages are possible and the quality of the human experience relates to the height of the building, width of the street and front boundary treatment (e.g. fencing and landscaping). Access to spaces for leisure and recreation is an important consideration in the design of low rise apartments, which includes private, communal and public open space.

Two storey apartments with basement parking provided as part of an integrated development, Bulimba

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Accommodate higher density living in urban places Medium and high rise apartments

Medium (4-10 storeys) and high rise apartment buildings have an upper limit determined by the context of the place. They are most appropriate in Urban Neighbourhoods (P5), Centres of Activity (P6) and CBD (P7) locations.

In Centres of Activity and CBDs, the ground floor of an apartment building should accommodate retail or commercial spaces. This vertical mix of uses within medium and high rise apartments is desirable in places where there are busy streets and high levels of accessibility and pedestrian activity.

Particularly for high rise apartments, design is to be carefully managed to avoid overshadowing of the street, which can be achieved by towers above broad podiums. This design feature is particularly evident in CBDs across SEQ. Towers may have a narrow floor plan to maximise north facing apartments and cross ventilation.

Mixed use retail/commerical to create a more ‘human scaled’ streetscape, Labrador

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Consistent lot types and dimensions

Minimum lot sizes are used in most SEQ planning regulations as the primary tool to regulate dwelling type, but they can be a blunt instrument impacting on the capacity to accommodate diverse housing types. The width and depth of a lot are much more important to its suitability for different housing forms and have a much greater effect on streetscape outcomes.

The width and depth of a lot are important determinants of the type of housing that can be provided on it. As a general rule, a standard sized lot is desirable as it achieves a more efficient layout and is more cost effective in terms of infrastructure provision and house building (ULDA, 2010).

To achieve efficient use of land and services, the width of a lot should be as narrow as possible, while enabling appropriate design and function for the desired dwelling type.

The quality of a street is more about the width of the lots than their depth (which often cannot be perceived).

Relatively consistent lot widths create a rhythm of the street that works well in creating neighbourhood character. But lots need to vary to accommodate a range of housing types.

The depth and area of a lot needs to be sufficient to allow for areas of private open space, landscaping and, where applicable, rear access.

Consistent lot widths of Granville Street, West End create a rhythm of the street

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Consistent lot dimensions across the region are desirable for efficiency of design and construction. Every time a house plan has to be altered to suit moderate differences in planning schemes, costs and delays are incurred. This does not mean that local governments and communities lose control over which type of lots and houses are appropriate, and where they should be located. But when a ‘Villa’ or ‘Cottage’ allotment is needed we use a consistent definition of what a ‘Villa’ and ‘Cottage’ lot dimension is.

The Urban Land Development Authority (ULDA) has developed a consistent typology of residential lots for its projects. The lot dimensions are appropriate for use across SEQ, and this handbook adopts these dimensions.

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Less car parking promotes Smart Growth and Affordable LivingOff-street parking

Providing car parking can be highly land consumptive and costly, and affects dwelling yield. This has significant impacts on the cost of housing. The use of limited space for vehicle parking in more urban locations is an inefficient use of land, particularly where other transport options are available, and affects affordable living.

In locations well served by public transport, reference to the Transit Oriented Development (TOD) Guide and parking rates is recommended (Queensland Government, 2010).

Many successful housing products are breaking the mould and challenging the traditional need to provide a double garage for every housing type. Innovative solutions not commonly used in Australia are recommended, such as ‘unbundling’ car parking, which allows for buying car parks as an option for the housing purchaser.

In a well designed mixed use neighbourhood, people can live without a car and this should be an available choice where there is an efficient public transport system in place. A mixed use neighbourhood will provide a variety of destinations within comfortable walking or cycling distance of one another, reducing car dependency. Families are able to walk their children to school or cycle a short distance to work. This is in distinct contrast to conventional single-use zones, which require people to travel long distances to fulfil basic daily needs.

In Centres of Activity and CBDs, parking structures are best connected directly to the street rather than other buildings as this increases pedestrian presence on the street. Some parking can be located in multi-level shared parking that is hidden from main street frontages. Short Street at Southport is an excellent example of shared car parking sleeved behind a bustling main street making this a successful and enjoyable place to be.

Residential development at Surbiton St, Carindale provides discreet access for vehicle parking

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Buildings address the street, with setbacks appropriate to the place typeAddressing the street

This study indicates that buildings addressing the street bring many benefits. It ensures the street maintains its ‘people function’, rather than being a road for the sole purpose of moving through traffic; and promotes safety through casual overlooking.

Often, the more urban a setting, the closer a building is to the street. However, in many places in this study, there is still a small front yard. These spaces still play an important function, with the examples in this study indicating that these areas can complement street trees to create a more integrated streetscape. Low or see through fencing of front boundaries also promotes the quality of the streetscape.

Building frontages can contribute to the creation of lively, active streetscapes (such as shop fronts, indoor/outdoor cafes and restaurants). They stimulate activities that are likely to foster casual, social and business interaction for extended periods and encourage night time activity which increases safety by having more people around. The level of activation should correspond with street and retail hierarchies, as not all streets can nor should be fully activated. Active frontages are desirable in at least some parts of most place types, particularly in central, focal parts of neighbourhoods and, of course, in Centres of Activities and CBDs.

Service and vehicle entries are best located off rear service lanes or secondary side streets. In some instances, service access can be achieved through a screened, narrow entry at the front that is integrated with the surrounding streetscape.

This house in Granville St, West End is built close to the road, presenting benefits such as improved CPTED, streetscape quality and space at the rear for private open space or car parking

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Design buildings to the landform, not landform to the buildingsBuild to the slope

The buildings, streets and neighbourhoods explored during this study are built on varied topographies. Many sites are flat, others sloping, and a few locations can only be described as steep. This reflects the SEQ situation, but today more and more development is taking place on sloping land.

A common response to slope is to cut and fill sites and create flat pads for houses and other buildings, and even to alter the landform to enable streets to be constructed to preferred standards. Some earthworks are to be expected, but overuse of these techniques can result in expanses of ugly retaining walls, the loss of trees and vegetation and interference with natural drainage systems. In more compact settings, individual retaining walls between buildings are harder and harder to construct efficiently and aesthetically.

Few of the buildings in this study relied on site retaining to overcome slope. Instead, elevated and split-levels building construction is used to achieve level changes in a more sensitive manner. The classic ‘Queenslander’ house is famous for being highset and built on the flattest and steepest of sites with minimal impact on natural landforms and stormwater flows. That technique is integral to SEQ’s built character.

Using row housing to step down the slope at Springfield

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Locate and design building height to maintain human scaleHeight

In most place types, maintaining a human scale is important. This means having a scale of building that is comfortable for people on the street. This has implications for the height and shape of buildings.

Human scaled components can reduce building bulk and create people friendly environments. Podiums are an effective way to achieve this, with taller building elements set back from the street. Semi-public attachments, such as front entry spaces, verandahs, balconies, bay windows and porches can facilitate this in residential neighbourhoods.

Taller buildings are best located in centres, and areas of high amenity such as near open space. Locating taller buildings on corner sites and around large public parks and plazas enables longer views down streets and better enclosure of the streetscape. Medium density development works well when constructed at similar heights to mature shade trees on the street.

On buildings over two storeys, the level of architectural detail required at the ground floor is increased to add interest and depth to the pedestrian environment.

Building height may also be influenced by the need to design for flood events.

Apartments in Duporth Avenue, Maroochydore are kept to three storeys on the street, with the tower pushed further back into the site ensuring a more ‘human scale’ on the street

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Bring back the backyardSpace around the house

Recent studies have documented the disappearance of the backyard from Australian suburban development in the 1990s and 2000s (Hall, 2010). This phenomenon appears to have accompanied the rapid increase in the size of new suburban homes, rather than decreasing lot sizes. In fact, several examples of houses on small lots but with sizable back yards were identified in this study. Modest house sizes are the key to achieving this goal.

While local public open space may compensate in some ways for smaller private gardens on an individual lot, the backyard has other roles too. It reduces impervious areas such as roofs, allows greater stormwater infiltration and preservation of natural landform, enhances privacy and amenity, and allows space for plants and animals, whether they be veggie patch, pets, or native plants and birdlife.

Smaller front setbacks may enable larger setbacks at the rear to accommodate private open space in back gardens with mature trees.

Some front of building elements, such as verandahs and front porches, can encroach on building setbacks as they promote socialisation, passive surveillance, subtropical living and improve street amenity.

Wide verandahs at the front, side and rear of houses are an iconic feature of SEQ neighbourhoods and are central to an indoor/outdoor lifestyle. Their continued use is encouraged.

This small lot house in Murphy St, Ipswich demonstrates how larger rear setbacks accommodate back gardens and mature trees

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Providing for car accommodation in a pedestrian oriented streetscapeCarports and garages

While vehicle access to each dwelling is a part of residential design, managing the locations of car parking has a positive impact on streetscape character, pedestrian access and amenity.

The best examples from this study are buildings with garages located in a way that does not dominate the streetscape and often hardly visible at all.

Carports and garages are best located towards the rear of the house, or well integrated into the surrounding streetscape and architecture. Reduced side setbacks enable informal side driveway access to the rear of the house. Narrow lots are best accessed via a rear lane or otherwise have single or tandem car spaces only.

Garages and carports can be located at the rear of the site with driveway access along the other side boundary. A side setback can be wide to allow vehicle access to the rear of the site and views past buildings to rear gardens can provide outlook from the sides of the buildings to green areas. These spaces are normally oriented to the north or east of the dwelling.

This side setback allows for driveways along one side to a garage at the rear and reduces car dominance on the street

PART B

This part of the handbook provides modular planning scheme provisions which can be used to implement and regulate the concepts in Part A: the guidelines. These provisions are designed to be readily imported into planning schemes, and for use in formulating and assessing new development proposals.

Like the guidelines, the planning scheme modules are ordered by scale as follows:

5.0 Sub-regional and district scale6.0 Neighbourhood (local) scale7.0 Street scale8.0 Lot and building scale

Planning scheme modules

Sub-regional and district scale

5.0

Planning at the sub-regional and district scales can be articulated through the strategic framework in local government QPP planning schemes. Within the QPP structure, one of the important themes of the strategic framework is the Settlement Pattern.

The SEQ Place Model provides a good basis for the settlement pattern theme. The following sections are designed to assist in the drafting of QPP planning schemes through the adaption of the SEQ Place Model into the settlement pattern.

The content provided here is exemplar and will require further development and adaptation to suit local circumstances.

This part of the planning scheme modules includes:5.1 SEQ Place Model in a strategic framework 5.2 SEQ Place Model in a strategic plan

The QPP indicates the strategic framework in local government planning schemes is to comprise the following sections:

- Theme heading

- Strategic outcomes

- Elements

- Specific outcomes

- Land use strategies

Further explanation of the QPP requirements for each of these sections is provided in the QPP. The following sections of this document describe how the SEQ Place Model can be used within this framework.

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SEQ Place Model in a strategic framework

Theme: Compact settlementFor local governments that have a regional plan in place, theme headings for the strategic framework are to be derived from the Desired Regional Outcomes (DRO) in the regional plan. The SEQ Regional Plan settlement pattern DRO heading is ‘Compact settlement’.

QPP Strategic Outcomes Strategic outcomes represent the ‘big picture’ policy direction for the local government area as a whole, relevant to the particular theme. The SEQ Place Model provides a framework to articulate strategic outcomes for the Compact settlement theme, and linked to the intent of the DROs in the SEQ Regional Plan.

Examples of Strategic outcomes that support the SEQ Place Model within the compact settlement theme are:

1. Urban development in the (…) LGA occurs in existing urban areas and planned urban extensions that are contiguous with existing urban areas.

2. Higher density development is focussed around centres of activity and public transport nodes and corridors.

3. Greenfield areas are developed in a way that makes efficient use of land.

4. All new development is adequately serviced by and integrated with the public transport network.

5. Connectivity is achieved between residential uses, employment opportunities and services through the provision of walkable communities integrated with efficient public transport services.

6. Centres of Activity are the focus of employment, infill housing and community services that meets the needs of residential communities connected by a high frequency public transport network.

7. Development is designed and located to achieve high quality urban design, subtropical design and smart growth principles.

8. Housing choice is available to meet the needs of a diverse community and located to achieve affordable living outcomes.

9. An integrated and high quality greenspace network caters to the needs of residents, particularly in and around Centres of Activity and higher density areas.

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Place Types Overview

P1 Natural Places

Areas dominated by the natural environment and other lands containing mostly undisturbed, natural conditions.

P2 Rural Places

Rural production and landscapes, rural living. Rural living is an element of rural landscape but in smarter communities is secondary to rural production.

P3 Rural Townships

The range of smaller rural townships in SEQ.

P4 Next Generation Suburban Neighbourhoods

Walkable local areas, which are people (rather than car) focussed and contain a choice of housing types and some other local uses in a mixed use setting.

P5 Urban Neighbourhoods

Walkable, high density local areas, which are people (rather than car) focussed and contain a wider choice of other housing types and more mixed use than suburban neighbourhoods.

P6 Centres of Activity

Vibrant and intense mixed use centres including housing, retail, employment, education and entertainment facilities. Some taller buildings are part of the built form character.

P7 CBDs

Central business districts e.g. of Brisbane, Ipswich, Toowoomba - centres of production as well as consumption.

P8 Specific Use Places

Large single use/focus places that don’t fit into other place types e.g. industry, ports, prisons, major sport & recreation.

Element 1: SEQ Place Model The SEQ Place Model can be used for the broadscale planning of a local government area. It divides the LGA into broad place types that share common characteristics, development forms and quality planning outcomes.

The model is intended to describe ‘best practice’ places of the future, rather than existing places. Hence, it outlines a future desired outcome for an area.

The model is particularly useful as a strategic planning tool used for the high level planning of a LGA as a whole. In addition, it is an effective communication tool that can be easily understood and interpreted by the community.

Consistent with QPP requirements for the strategic framework in local government planning schemes, the accompanying table provides examples of specific outcomes and land use strategies under the SEQ Place Model element of the compact settlement theme.

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Element 1: SEQ Place Model (cont.)

Natural Places (P1)

Element Specific outcomes Land use strategies (Hypothetical examples only)

SEQ Place Model 1. Natural Places are dominated by the natural environment. They perform essential functions as green space, ecological and landscape areas, which are vital to protecting our ecological assets and biodiversity, provide access to natural experiences and a landscape frame for other places.

2. Natural Places include national parks and similar publicly owned, natural areas, together with some privately owned land with similar attributes.

3. Natural Places do not experience development other than low key activites that allow appropriate access for recreation and maintenance, including walking and maintenance access tracks.

4. Development in these areas is undertaken in a way that ensures protection of the ecological and visual values of the Natural Places.

5. On privately owned land, rural or other activities do not intrude on the ecological values of these places.

1. Development is consistent with the strategic plan map for the (…) LGA in Schedule 2.

Note: land use strategies are very specific (e.g. they identify locations where particular development will occur).

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Rural Places (P2)

Element Specific outcomes Land use strategies (Hypothetical examples only)

SEQ Place Model 1. Rural Places are mostly used for rural production, from less intense activities like cattle grazing, to more intensive cropping and animal husbandry, forestry and carbon sequestration.

2. Rural Places are important for the protection of valuable agricultural land and its rural production.

3. Rural Places provide traditional farm lifestyles, although many residents have other employment off the farm.

4. Rural Places contribute to the landscape setting of the region and its urban communities located in other place types described below.

5. Housing is mostly dwellings on farm properties for those who live/work on the land.

6. Some of these places are used for rural living, where people live on large lots but don’t use the land for any substantial rural production.

1. Areas used for rural living are restricted to those identified in the SEQ Regional Plan.

2. Development is consistent with the strategic plan map for the (…) LGA in Schedule 2.

Note: land use strategies are very specific (e.g. they identify locations where particular development will occur).

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Rural Townships (P3)

Element Specific outcomes Land use strategies (Hypothetical examples only)

SEQ Place Model 1. Rural Townships are small settlements surrounded by rural places. They centre on a mixed use, low scale main street, usually with traditional awnings over the footpath. The mix of uses is often eclectic, with shops, halls, churches, schools, industry, a park and housing in a harmonious mix, bound together by the character of the street and the buildings.

2. Rural Townships provide a range of housing, mostly detached, on lots larger than found in suburban and urban neighbourhoods. Other types of housing are present in the townships, including apartments, duplexes and aged care, and cater for people in the town and surrounding rural areas as their housing needs change.

3. Rural Townships have a range of local community facilities and services but rely on larger centres for higher order uses such as employment, hospitals, education and cultural facilities, universities, theatres etc as well as major shopping.

4. Rural Townships are based on a traditional grid street pattern, which give them a robust structure which is easy to navigate. Urban expansion of these places would extend that grid pattern to reflect the traditional character of the place.

5. Urban development occurs in Rural Townships which have public transport access and the new development results in an extension of the existing grid street network.

1. Development is consistent with the strategic plan map for the (…) LGA in Schedule 2.

Note: land use strategies are very specific (e.g. they identify locations where particular development will occur).

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Next Generation Suburban Neighbourhood (P4)

Element Specific outcomes Land use strategies (Hypothetical examples only)

SEQ Place Model 1. Next Generation Suburban Neighbourhoods are characterised by walkability between a range of housing and a central focus.

2. Next Generation Suburban Neighbourhoods offer a choice of housing types, including detached houses, duplexes, row houses, shop-top housing and live/work buildings. While detached houses are the most common use of the lot, many detached houses are on a range of smaller lots.

3. Housing other than detached houses in Next Generation Suburban Neighbourhoods are often on lots with particular attributes, like corner lots, lots with rear lane access, and lots located near open space, centres or public transport.

4. Housing in Next Generation Suburban Neighbourhoods is within easy walking and cycling distance to a range of local facilities, like shops, schools and parks, and public transport.

5. Next Generation Suburban Neighbourhoods are generally low in scale. They have a feel of openness at the street level, and a sense of buildings within a treed setting.

6. Next Generation Suburban Neighbourhoods streets are characterised by street trees, which provide shade and character, and shared use by cars, bikes and walkers. Their streets are usually grid-based and connected in a way that make it easy to find your way around.

7. Next Generation Suburban Neighbourhoods are generally located close to Urban Neighbourhoods and Centres of Activity where their residents can readily access higher order services and facilities.

1. Development in local government growth areas A and B incorporates Next Generation Suburban Neighbourhoods.

2. Development in existing suburban areas supports Next Generation Suburban Neighbourhood outcomes, where identified for this purpose in local plans and precincts.

3. Next Generation Suburban Neighbourhoods are located within the Urban Footprint established under the SEQ Regional Plan.

4. Development in Next Generation Suburban Neighbourhoods provides for a density of between 15–30 dwellings per hectare.

5. Development is consistent with the strategic plan map for the … LGA in Schedule 2.

Note: land use strategies are very specific (e.g. they identify locations where particular development will occur).

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Urban Neighbourhoods (P5)

Element Specific outcomes Land use strategies (Hypothetical examples only)

SEQ Place Model 1. Urban Neighbourhoods are higher density, walkable, mixed use neighbourhoods. They may be older suburbs closer to centres or parts of new communities that are planned to achieve this outcome.

2. Urban Neighbourhoods have good public transport access and have been developed or redeveloped over time at higher densities and with a greater mix of housing and uses than Next Generation Suburban Neighbourhoods. Detached houses are found in these areas, but usually in small pockets and within a more urban setting.

3. Urban Neighbourhoods take different forms, from areas where medium density or medium scale buildings are dominant to higher density places with major high rise buildings. They are often transit oriented. Higher density Urban Neighbourhoods usually have a number of suburban neighbourhoods nearby.

4. Urban Neighbourhoods are characterised by mixed use, providing ready access to a range of shopping, community and other local services. Housing not in a mixed use setting in these places is within easy walking and cycling distance to non-residential uses and public transport.

5. Urban Neighbourhoods have a sense of enclosure at the street level provided by small building setbacks, with the man made part of its character usually dominant. Urban Neighbourhoods streets are characterised by street trees which provide shade and character, hard footpaths for walking trips, and through pavements shared by cars and bikes. Their streets are usually grid-based and connected in a way that make it easy to find your way around.

1. Development in local government growth areas A and B incorporates Urban Neighbourhoods.

2. Urban Neighbourhoods are located within the Urban Footprint established under the SEQ Regional Plan.

3. Development in Urban Neighbourhoods provides for a density of at least 30 dwellings per hectare.

4. Development is consistent with the strategic plan map for the … LGA in Schedule 2.

Note: land use strategies are very specific (e.g. they identify locations where particular development will occur).

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Centres of Activity (P6)

Element Specific outcomes Land use strategies (Hypothetical examples only)

SEQ Place Model 1. Centres of Activity focus on concentrations of non-residential activities, like shopping, offices, government, higher education and entertainment. They come in various scales, from local to district and regional, and are more varied in character than Next Generation Suburban Neighbourhoods and Urban Neighbourhoods. They are a focus of transport networks, and a hub for public transport and local pedestrian and cycling.

2. Centres of Activity also contain higher density housing. They provide for residents in and around the centres with ready access to the range of uses and employment they offer.

3. Centres of Activity have a strong sense of enclosure at the street level, with little or no building setback to the street. The man made part of its character is dominant, but punctuated by squares and quality urban parks. Vibrancy flows from their mix of uses, level of activity and urban qualities. They are important meeting places and focal points for their communities. Their streets are lined with street trees, which provide shade and character, have hard footpaths for walking trips, and through pavements shared use by cars and bikes. They are usually grid-based and connected in a way that make it easy to find your way.

4. Centres of Activity are surrounded by, and connected to, Next Generation Suburban Neighbourhoods and Urban Neighbourhoods

1. Development is consistent with the strategic plan map for the … LGA in Schedule 2.

Note: land use strategies are very specific (e.g. they identify locations where particular development will occur).

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CBDs (P7)

Element Specific outcomes Land use strategies (Hypothetical examples only)

SEQ Place Model 1. The CBD is the centre the LGA, its biggest centre, and has the widest range and greatest intensity of activity in the LGA. It is the heart of the LGA, and the place that most people who know this LGA think of when it is mentioned.

2. The CBD is important to the economy of the city, both as a centre of production and consumption.

3. The CBD is laid out in a grid, and at the centre of transport networks, for public transport, cycling and pedestrians.

4. The CBD is urban. Buildings dominate the streets, although the streets are important elements of their character. Its streets are lined with street trees, hard footpaths for walking trips, and pavements shared by cars and bikes.

5. The large scale and intensity of the CBD provides a vibrancy unlike any other part of the LGA. It is the key focal point for our communities, as places to work, do business, for entertainment or just to enjoy. It is a meeting place, with squares and urban parks.

1. The CBD is located at (…) as indicated on the strategic plan map for the (…) LGA in Schedule 2.

Note: land use strategies are very specific (e.g. they identify locations where particular development will occur).

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Specific Use Places (P8)

Element Specific outcomes Land use strategies (Hypothetical examples only)

SEQ Place Model 1. Specific Use Places are large single use/focus places that do not fit into other place types. They are restricted to a small number of locations with a large single use/focus and take a quite different form to the other place types. Housing usually has a very minor role in Specific Use Places.

2. Specific Use Places are recognised as a different place because their scale and nature mean they have a quite different form that does not integrate with the other place types.

3. Specific Use Places are not used for single purpose zonings for places such as large shopping centres, universities or hospitals.

1. Development is consistent with the strategic plan map for the (…) LGA in Schedule 2.

Note: land use strategies are very specific (e.g. they identify locations where particular development will occur).

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Element 2: Urban structuring for Smart Growth The urban structure of a LGA is an assembly of the place types in the SEQ Place Model described under QPP element 1 above. The key principles for the organisation of these urban areas are based around walkable neighbourhoods that provide access to a range of employment opportunities, services and public transport options.

Organising the urban areas of a LGA in a logical and efficient manner will achieve a compact settlement structure and an efficient use of available land and infrastructure.

An urban structure that achieves these outcomes is demonstrated by the accompanying drawing and table.

Consistent with the QPP requirements for the strategic framework in local government planning schemes, the accompanying table provides examples of specific outcomes and land use strategies under the ‘urban structuring for smart growth’ element of the compact settlement theme.

The principles of organising the place types

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Element Specific outcomes Land use strategies (hypothetical examples only)

Urban structuring for Smart Growth

1. Urban structuring for smart growth is consistent with the accompanying diagram.

2. The principles of organisation of the urban structure for smart growth are as follows:

a. CBDs act as the focal place of the region.

b. CBDs are dominated by a number of Urban Neighbourhoods surrounding, mostly of high density. In some instances, a Next Generation Suburban Neighbourhoods could be close to a CBD.

c. Centres of Activity are focal places outside of the CBD. A range of housing types will be found in their 400 m catchments around their mixed use core.

d. Surrounding the Centre of Activity are a series of lower density Urban Neighbourhoods and Next Generation Suburban Neighbourhoods.

e. Similarly, a cluster of Next Generation Suburban Neighbourhoods will generate a need and opportunity for more Urban Neighbourhoods and Centres of Activity.

f. The urban structure is framed and defined by Natural Places and Rural Places which do not have a walkable catchment. Some stand-alone Rural Townships are located amongsth Rural Places.

3. Urban place types are linked to each other by public transport, cycleways, pedestrian routes and the primary through street network. Higher order public transport corridors and other movement types directly link the CBD and Centres of Activity and more urban scale neighbourhoods along these routes. Lower order public transport link the Next Generation Suburban Neighbourhoods to Urban Neighbourhoods and Centres of Activity.

1. The CBD for this LGA is located at …

2. All Centres of Activity are located on the … rail (or .. busway) network.

3. Local and precinct plans for large scale/growth areas are consistent with this element.

4. Development is consistent with the strategic plan map for the … LGA in Schedule 2.

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The QPP require the strategic framework for each local government area to be supported by strategic plan mapping in Schedule 2 of the planning scheme. As stated in the example land use strategies provided earlier, development in the local government area is to be consistent with the strategic plan map for the LGA.

An example of what a strategic plan that incorporates the SEQ Place Model might look like is provided.

SEQ Place Model in a strategic plan mapping

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The SEQ Place Model as a strategic plan

Neighbourhood (local) scale

6.0

Neighbourhoods are the building blocks of Next Generation Neighbourhoods. This module articulates how neighbourhood design - scale, street networks, block size, zoning etc. can be articulated in a QPP planning scheme, in codes, levels of assessment and zoning.

Exemplar performance outcomes are provided along with ‘provisions for acceptable outcomes’ in the form of tables and drawings.

The content provided herein is exemplar and will require further development and adaptation to suit individual planning scheme requirements.

This part of the planning scheme modules includes:

6.1 Neighbourhood scale module

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Neighbourhood scale module

Overall outcomes or purpose statementDevelopment results in a connected network of walkable neighbourhoods supporting affordable living and smart growth.

Performance outcomes

1. Neighbourhood design results in a connected network of walkable neighbourhoods. Neighbourhood street networks provide an easy choice of routes within and surrounding neighbourhoods, and connect to public transport, employment, open space and services.

2. Neighbourhood design supports diverse housing choices through block size, lot design and mix (and zoning and levels of assessment).

3. Neighbourhood design provides for non-residential uses appropriate to place type. Neighbourhoods are focussed around local activity centres, open space, community uses and/or public transport.

4. Neighbourhood design responds to natural systems including topography, drainage and local and regional biodiversity. Orientation of streets and lots support subtropical design.

Walkable neighbourhood structure

Scale 400m (5 min) walkable catchment to focal point 800m+ (10 min+) walkable catchment to major centre/quality PT/TOD precinct

Focal point P4: neighbourhood or local centre, local park or PT (bus) on Neighbourhood connector/Main street

P5: neighbourhood or local or district centre, parks and quality PT on Neighbourhood connector/Main street

Street network

Grid based Orientation N-S or E-W where slope allows Streets follow ridges/gullies/perpendicular to slope to minimise cut and fill

Street types Neighbourhood streets Neighbourhood connector streets spaced 800m grid Neighbourhood main streets in centres Rear lanes

Block sizes P4: length 130–200m Depth 50–80m

P5: length 130–180m Depth 70–100m

(Provisions for) Acceptable outcomes

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Walkable neighbourhood structure

Street network

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Housing Choice and other uses

Density P4: 15-30du/ha

P5: 30-100+ du/ha

Applicable zones

P4 (see Page 81)Residential choiceResidential livingNeighbourhood centreOpen spaceCommunity purposes

OtherLocal centre

P5 (see Page 82)Residential choiceApartment livingLocal centreOpen spaceCommunity purposes

OtherNeighbourhood centreDistrict centre

Levels of assessment (mcu) for housing choice

See table (Page 80)

Dwelling location

See lot mix diagram (Page 80)

Neighbourhood scale module (cont.)

(Provisions for) Acceptable outcomes

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Neighbourhood centre E / S E / S E / S S C C S C C / I

Local centre E / S E / S E / S S C C S C C / I

E Exempt development C Code assessment

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Lot mix diagram

Level of assessment table

The suggested levels of assessment in this table will be subject to consideration by local government of the perceived level of risk and potential impacts of development, particularly where there are risks arising from the land’s physical characteristics and location (for example if land is steep or flood affected)

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QPP zoning applied to a Next Generation Suburban Neighbourhood (P4)

This Next Generation Suburban Neighbourhood example provides for a wide housing area mostly within a five minute walkable catchment around a centre focus and more intense housing and mixed use.

While it includes a substantial area of the Residential Living Zone, this doesn’t mean a predominance of detached dwellings, as this zone intends to carry a range of housing. While there would be many detached dwellings in those areas, there would also be other forms of houses, such as dual occupancies, plexes and row houses as detailed in Section 5.1.

Neighbourhood centre Neighbourhood centre zones are at the junctions of the primary through streets and public transport routes in an accessible and visible locations. Where streets are busy, they are generally to the side of the intersection creating pedestrian focussed ‘main street’ environments.

Residential choiceResidential choice zones are located along through streets, along busier local streets that lead to the centre and around local parks.

Residential livingResidential living zones are located towards the edge of the walkable catchment, beyond the 250 m radius (three minute walk, inner circle shown).

Schools/community purposesCommunity facilities are placed in accessible locations on the busier local streets on the edges of the walkable catchment.

Neighbourhood scale module (cont.)Zoning

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District centre Centres are located at the junction of through streets and public transport routes in accessible and visible locations generally to the side of the intersection creating pedestrian focussed ‘main street’ environments.

Apartment residentialApartment residential zones are located close to centres within 250 m and along busier local streets that lead directly to the centre, local parks and green corridors (where available).

Residential choice Residential choice zones are located between 250–400 m from the centre towards the edge of the walkable catchments.

QPP zoning applied to an Urban Neighbourhood (P5)

This Urban Neighbourhood example provides for higher density housing mostly within a five minute walkable catchment of a centre with more apartment housing and diverse mixed use development surrounding it.

While it still includes some areas of Residential Living Zone, there would be many other forms of houses, such as dual occupancies, plexes, row houses and possibly low rise apartments, as detailed in Section 5.1.

Street scale

7.0

The design of streets is critical in supporting walkable neighbourhoods. Streets should be designed as places for people and movement. The range of street types detailed in this module includes neighbourhood connectors or main streets, neighbourhood streets and rear lanes. Specific guidance is provided on function and use, reserve widths, parking, intersections and design detail.

Exemplar performance outcomes are provided, along with ‘provisions for Acceptable outcomes’ in the form of tables and drawings.

The content provided herein is exemplar and will require further development and adaptation to suit individual planning scheme requirements.

This part of the Planning scheme modules includes:

7.1 Street scale module

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Street scale module

Overall outcomes or purpose statementDevelopment results in well designed streets supporting walkable communities; streets are attractive and vital, forming liveable and identifiable places; design of streets provides safe and environmentally healthy environments; streets are cost effective and support affordable living.

Performance outcomes

1. Street design supports sustainable urban form founded on walkable neighbourhoods. Street design:

- Is appropriate to the function(s) of the street. Common street functions include:

- access to properties,

- parking,

- utilities and services,

- biodiversity,

- placemaking and

- movement.

- Relative importance of these functions is not equal and should be weighted accordingly

- Meets the needs of all users, and

- Gives priority to the needs of vulnerable users. Typical street users in order of vulnerability and importance are:

- pedestrians,

- cyclists,

- public transport,

- service vehicles,

- private cars.

2. Street design contributes to placemaking through:

- Detailed design including footpaths, trees and planting, kerbs, lighting, seating and other elements collectively contributes to a quality public realm and streetscape, and

- Appropriate scale and form to the existing or expected neighbouring buildings

- Street design is appropriate to place type

Neighbourhood main street and neighbourhood connector street

Use if Connecting neighbourhood destinations including shops and parks, and accessing the road network. Bus and trunk cycling route.

Reserve 23-24m (avenue) 24-29m (boulevard)

Movement 6-7m carriageway (avenue) 2 x 3-3.5m carriageway (boulevard) 2 x 1.5m cycle lanes 2 footpaths

Parking 2.5m parking / planting

Design detail Street trees. Planting, seating and features as appropriate. Stand-up kerb.

*Note: All sections scale 1:250

3. Safety and convenience of street users is maximised through street design

4. Streets are cost effective to build and maintain, including carriageways of a minimum comfortable width to allow for sufficient on street car parking and efficient vehicle passing.

(Provisions for) Acceptable outcomes

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Neighbourhood connector or main street (boulevard)

Neighbourhood connector or main street (avenue)

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Neighbourhood street 5.5

Use if Density: 15-30dph driveways: frequent connectivity: high

Use if Density: 30dph+ Driveways: infrequent Connectivity: low

Reserve 14-15m

Movement 5.5-6m carriageway 1 or 2 footpaths

Parking One side

Intersections 4-Way or T 3-6m kerb radii

Design detail Street trees closely spaced to prevent vehicles driving on footpaths Roll-over kerb

Neighbourhood street 7.5

Use if Density: 15-30dph or 30dph+ driveways: frequent connectivity: high

Reserve 14-15m

Movement 7.5m carriageway 2 footpaths

Parking Both sides

Intersections 4-Way or T 3m kerb radii

Design detail Street trees Stand-up kerb

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Neighbourhood street 3.5

Use if Density: 15-30dph Driveways: infrequent Connectivity: low

Reserve 9.5-13m

Movement 3.5m carriageway with passing 0 footpaths

Parking 2.5m parking/planting

Intersections 4-Way or T 3-6m kerb radii

Design detail Street trees

Rear lane

Function and use

Access to properties, refuge collection and servicing only

Reserve 6m (0.5-1m setback to buildings)

Movement 5m carriageway

Parking N/a

Design detail Minimal embellishment Flush kerb

Lot and building scale

8.0

At the lot and building scale, modules for a range of housing types contribute to affordable living through guidance on housing types that considers dwelling size and construction maintenence in an economical way. Housing designs allow for future extension and modifications for cater for changing needs. Guidance is expressed in form based codes with an emphasis on the physical form and the use of graphics to clearly articulate housing scale and bulk. Lot types are arranged by frontage widths taking account of the critical relationship of the building form to the street environment.

Exemplar performance outcomes are provided, along with ‘provisions for Acceptable outcomes’ in the form of tables and drawings.

The content provided herein is exemplar and will require further development and adaptation to suit individual planning scheme requirements. Other exemplar modules may be added over time. This part of the planning scheme modules includes:

8.1 Detached houses on wide lots 8.2 Detached housing on narrow lots 8.3 Duplex8.4 The ‘plexes’ – triplex, quadplex, quinplex8.5 Row house or terrace house8.6 Live/work (dual street frontage)8.7 Low rise apartments 8.8 Medium and high rise apartment 8.9 Secondary dwelling (granny flat and Fonzie flat)8.10 Consistent lot types

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Performance outcomes for lot and building scale

Overall outcomes or purpose statementDevelopment supports affordable living for residents, provides a liveable residential environment, and contributes to community liveability and sustainability.

Performance outcomes

1. Development is designed to support affordable living by means of: - economical dwelling size and

construction,

- efficient use of land,

- low maintenance costs,

- access to natural light, ventilation and heating,

- adaptability for future extension and modification,

- cost-effective transport options.

2. Development provides a liveable residential environment. Site and building design provides: - comfortable indoor and outdoor

environments including access to views, light, breezes and shade for residents and neighbours,

- areas for outdoor clothes drying,

- private outdoor space suitable for passive adult recreation, swimming pools and/or active children’s play,

- areas for landscaping allowing for shade, decoration and (supplementary) food production,

- off-street parking for vehicles and bicycles.

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3. Development contributes to community liveability. Site and building design contributes to an attractive, comfortable and safe public realm by: - maximising safety and amenity including

the impact of car parking and driveways on the street,

- maintaining visual privacy for residents,

- contributing to a quality streetscape including human scale enclosure through placement of buildings, retaining walls, landscaping and fencing.

- taking into consideration the potential impacts on personal safety of natural hazards including bushfire, floods and landslides.

4. Development contributes to community sustainability. Site and building design contributes to: - local biodiversity by providing

landscaped areas,

- healthy waters through water sensitive urban design,

- minimised need for energy intensive cooling, heating, drying and lighting.

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QPP description: dwelling house on 20 m wide lots

Detached houses on wide lots

Dwelling houses on 20 m wide lots are detached houses common in Next Generation Suburban Neighbourhoods (P4). The table and figure to the right indicate site and building design characteristics to achieve the performance outcomes in Section 8.1.

Generally, site planning and building massing relate to performance outcomes for affordable living and liveable residential environments. Streetscape provisions mostly relate to community liveability and community sustainability.

Use this information to draft codes for self-assessable or assessable development. A further illustration of the desired form of this development is below.

Site planning and building massing

Site cover 50% maximum

Private open space (minimum)

Area of 50m2 with 6m dimension. May be inclusive of verandahs and terraces. Located north or east of primary habitable rooms and outdoor terraces

Setbacks (all minimum to wall unless stated)

Front setback

- To verandah 2m

- To house wall 4m

- To garage 6m; and 2m behind house wall

Rear setback 6m

Rear setback (to lane)

1m ground storey 0.5m upper storeys

Side setback

- To south or west boundary

3m

- To street 2m

- Otherwise 2m

Building height

1, 2 or 3 storeys 8.5m maximum or 10m maximum on slopes >15%

Parking 2 covered spaces

Streetscape

Front entry Dedicated pedestrian entry and door is visible and accessible from the street

Street surveillance

Minimum 1 habitable room overlooks the street

Fencing (streetfront)

1.2m height

Fencing (other) 1.2-1.8m height. 50% transparency over 1.2m

Verandahs 50% building frontage

Planting Minimum 2x2m planted area between front boundary and dwelling

Slope Elevated or split-level construction External retaining maximum 1m height

(Provisions for) acceptable outcomes

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Developable Area

Verandah

Deep Planting/Landscaping

Vehicle/ParkingScale 1:500

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QPP description: dwelling house on 10 m, 12.5 m and 15 m wide lots

Detached houses on narrow lots

Dwelling houses on 10 m, 12.5 m and 15 m wide lots are detached houses designed for narrow allotments. This dwelling type is common in Next Generation Suburban Neighbourhoods (P4) and Urban Neighbourhoods (P5). The table and figure to the right indicate site and building design characteristics to achieve the performance outcomes in Section 8.1.

Generally, site planning and building massing relate to performance outcomes for affordable living and liveable residential environments. Streetscape provisions mostly relate to community liveability and community sustainability.

Use this information to draft codes for self-assessable or assessable development. A further illustration of the desired form of this development is below.

Site planning and building massing

Site cover 50% maximum

Private open space (minimum)

Area of 50m2 with 6m dimension. May be inclusive of verandahs and terrace. Located north or east of primary habitable rooms and outdoor terraces

Setbacks All minimum to wall unless stated

Front setback

- To verandah 1m

- To house wall 3m

- To garage 4.5m

Rear setback 6m

Rear setback (to lane)

1m ground storey 0.5m upper storeys

Side setback

- To south or west boundary

0m lot for garage and non-habitable rooms with a 12m maximum wall length

- To street 0m for elevated floors, otherwise 1.5m

- Otherwise 1m

Building height

1, 2 or 3 storeys 8.5m maximum or 10m maximum on slopes >15%

Parking 1 covered space Double garage only if 2 or 3 storey or to Rear lane

Streetscape

Front entry Dedicated pedestrian entry and door is visible and accessible from the street

Street surveillance

Minimum 1 habitable room overlooks the street

Fencing (streetfront)

1.2m height

Fencing (other) 1.2-1.8m height 50% transparency over 1.2m

Verandahs 50% building frontage

Planting Minimum 1x2m planted area between front boundary and dwelling

Slope Elevated or split-level construction External retaining maximum 1m height

(Provisions for) acceptable outcomes

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Scale 1:500

Developable Area

Verandah

Deep Planting/Landscaping

Vehicle/Parking

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QPP description: dual occupancy or dwelling houses

Duplex

In SEQ ‘duplex’ typically refers to two dwellings, sharing a common wall and sited on the same lot. Other configurations are possible. The dwellings could sit above and below each other. Alternatively, it could be the semi-detached house for each dwelling, two dwellings on separate lots but with abutting walls.

Duplexes are common in Next Generation Suburban Neighbourhoods (P4) and particularly on corner sites. The table and figure to the right indicate site and building design characteristics to achieve the performance outcomes in Section 8.1.

Generally, site planning and building massing relate to performance outcomes for affordable living and liveable residential environments. Streetscape provisions mostly relate to community liveability and community sustainability.

Use this information to draft codes for self-assessable or assessable development. A further illustration of the desired form of this development is below.

Site planning and building massing

Site cover 60% maximum

Private open space (minimum)

Area of 30m2 with 4m dimension. May be inclusive of verandahs and terraces. Located north or east of primary habitable rooms and outdoor terraces

Setbacks (all minimum to wall unless stated)

Front setback

- To verandah 1m

- To house wall 3m

- To garage 4.5m

Rear setback 4.5m

Rear setback (to lane)

1m ground storey 0.5m upper storeys

Side setback 1m

Building height

1, 2 or 3 storeys. 8.5m maximum or 10m maximum on slopes >15%

Parking 1 covered space per dwelling Double garage only if 2 or 3 storey or to Rear lane

Streetscape

Front entry Dedicated pedestrian entry and door for each dwelling, visible and accessible from the street

Street surveillance

Minimum 1 habitable room per dwelling overlooks the street

Fencing (streetfront)

1.2m height

Fencing (other) 1.2 - 1.8m height. 50% transparency over 1.2m

Verandahs 50% building frontage

Planting Minimum 1x2m planted area per dwelling, between front boundary and dwelling

Slope Elevated or split-level construction. External retaining maximum 1m height.

(Provisions for) acceptable outcomes

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Scale 1:500

Developable Area

Verandah

Deep Planting/Landscaping

Vehicle/Parking

99

QPP description: multiple dwellings – 3 to 5 dwelling units

The ‘plexes’ (triplex, quadplex, quinplex)

Small multiple dwelling buildings are part of a diverse mix of housing choice and are located on corner sites, where possible. Their design is highly variable, and related to the site size and shape, and development economics.

The table and figure to the right indicate site and building design characteristics to achieve the performance outcomes in Section 8.1.

Generally, site planning and building massing relate to performance outcomes for affordable living and liveable residential environments. Streetscape provisions mostly relate to community liveability and community sustainability.

Use this information to draft codes for self-assessable or assessable development. A further illustration of the desired form of this development is below.

Site planning and building massing

Site cover 60% maximum

Private open space (minimum per dwelling)

Area of 30m2 with 4m dimension. May be inclusive of verandahs and terraces. Located north or east of primary habitable rooms and outdoor terraces

Setbacks (all minimum to wall unless stated)

Front setback

- To verandah 1m

- To house wall 3m

- To garage 4.5m

Rear setback 4.5m

Rear setback (to lane)

1m ground storey 0.5m upper storeys

Side setback 2m

Building height

1, 2 or 3 storeys 8.5m maximum or 10m maximum on slopes >15%

Parking 1 covered space per dwelling Double garage only if 2 or 3 storey or to Rear Lane Shared driveways where possible

Streetscape

Front entry Dedicated pedestrian entry and door for each dwelling, visible and accessible from the street

Street surveillance

Minimum 1 habitable room per dwelling overlooks the street

Fencing (streetfront)

1.2m height

Fencing (other) 1.2-1.8m height 50% transparency over 1.2m

Verandahs 50% building frontage

Planting Minimum 1x2m planted area per dwelling, between front boundary and dwelling

Slope Elevated or split-level construction. External retaining maximum 1m height.

(Provisions for) acceptable outcomes

100

Scale 1:500

Developable Area

Verandah

Deep Planting/Landscaping

Vehicle/Parking

101

QPP description: dwelling house or dwelling unit or multiple dwelling

Row house or terrace house

Row Houses are part of a diverse mix of housing choices. Often Row houses are built as an integrated development and are sited on one lot, but they can be sited on individual lots. The best streetscape outcome is achieved when Row Houses are located on lots with a Rear Lane, and no more than five houses in a row should be joined.

The table and figure to the right indicate site and building design characteristics to achieve the performance outcomes in Section 8.1.

Generally, site planning and building massing relate to performance outcomes for affordable living and liveable residential environments. Streetscape provisions mostly relate to community liveability and community sustainability.

Use this information to draft codes for self-assessable or assessable development. A further illustration of the desired form of this development is below.

Site planning and building massing

Site cover 70% maximum

Private open space (minimum)

Area of 30m2 with 4m dimension (per dwelling) at rear of dwelling

Setbacks (all minimum to wall unless stated)

Front setback

- To verandah 1m

- To house wall 3m

Rear setback (to lane)

1m ground storey 0.5m upper storeys

Side setback 1m

Building height

1, 2 or 3 storeys 8.5m maximum or 10m maximum on slopes >15%

Parking 1 or 2 covered spaces per dwelling from Rear lane

Streetscape

Front entry Dedicated pedestrian entry and door for each dwelling, visible and accessible from the street

Street surveillance

Minimum 1 habitable room per dwelling overlooks the street

Fencing (streetfront)

1.2m height

Fencing (other) 1.2-1.8m height 50% transparency over 1.2m

Verandahs 100% building frontage

Planting Minimum 1x2m planted area per dwelling, between front boundary and dwelling

Slope Elevated or split-level construction. External retaining maximum 1m height

(Provisions for) acceptable outcomes

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Scale 1:500

Developable Area

Verandah

Deep Planting/Landscaping

Vehicle/Parking

103

QPP description: home based business

Live/work (dual street frontage)

Live/work buildings are a specific built form that incorporates an office or shop or workshop into a building that also contains a home. They are useful in locations on the fringe of centres or emerging centres where they can provide a transition between residential and commercial or retail areas. Typically this building types takes advantage of a rear lane or dual street frontage. Live/work Buildings are designed for a greater level of visitor interaction than ‘working from home’, which can be undertaken in most dwelling types.

The table and figure to the right indicate site and building design characteristics to achieve the performance outcomes in Section 8.1.

Generally, site planning and building massing relate to performance outcomes for affordable living and liveable residential environments. Streetscape provisions mostly relate to community liveability and community sustainability.

Use this information to draft codes for self-assessable or assessable development.

Site planning and building massing

Site cover 70% maximum

Private open space (minimum)

Area of 30m2 with 4m dimension between the house and work unit. May be inclusive of verandahs and terraces. Located north or east of primary habitable rooms and outdoor terraces

Setbacks (all minimum to wall unless stated)

Front setback

- To verandah 1m

- To house wall 3m

- To garage 4.5m

Rear setback (to lane or carpark)

1m ground storey 0.5m upper storeys

Side setback 1m

Building height

1, 2 or 3 storeys 8.5m maximum or 10m maximum on slopes >15%

Parking 1 or 2 covered spaces per dwelling

Streetscape

Front entry Dedicated pedestrian entry and door for dwelling and work unit, visible and accessible from the street

Street surveillance

Minimum 1 habitable room overlooks the street

Fencing (streetfront)

1.2m height

Fencing (other) 1.2-1.8m height 50% transparency over 1.2m

Verandahs 50% building frontage

Planting Minimum 1x2m planted area, between front boundary and dwelling

Slope Elevated or split-level construction. External retaining maximum 1m height

(Provisions for) acceptable outcomes

104

Scale 1:500

Developable Area

Live/work

Verandah

Deep Planting/Landscaping

Vehicle/Parking

105

QPP description: multiple dwellings

Low rise apartments

Low rise apartments are up to three storeys in height and contribute to achieving a greater mix of housing types and a more compact urban form.

The table and figure to the right indicate site and building design characteristics to achieve the performance outcomes in Section 8.1.

Generally, site planning and massing relate to performance outcomes for affordable living and liveable residential environments. Streetscape provisions mostly relate to community liveability and community sustainability.

Use this information to draft codes for self-assessable or assessable development. A further illustration of the desired form of this development is below.

Site planning and building massing

Site cover 60% maximum

Private open space (minimum per dwelling)

Area of 16m2 verandah/balcony. Per dwelling plus area of 50m2 ground level shared open space. Located north or east of primary habitable rooms and outdoor terraces

Setbacks (all minimum to wall unless stated)

Front setback

- To verandah 2m

- To house wall 4m

- To garage n/a

Rear setback 6m

Rear setback (to lane)

6m

Side setback 3m

Building height

3 storeys max

Parking 0.5–1.25 per dwelling dependent on location. See TOD Guidelines

Streetscape

Front entry Dedicated pedestrian entry and door, visible and accessible from the street

Street surveillance

Ground floor apartments have direct entry to the street. Multiple habitable rooms overlooks the street

Fencing (streetfront)

1.2m height

Fencing (other) 1.2-1.8m height 50% transparency over 1.2m

Verandahs 50% building frontage

Planting Minimum 1m wide planted area for length of frontage, between front boundary and dwelling

Slope Elevated or split-level construction. External retaining maximum 1m height

(Provisions for) acceptable outcomes

106

Scale 1:500

Developable Area

Verandah

Deep Planting/Landscaping

Vehicle/Parking

107

QPP description: multiple dwellings

Medium and high rise apartments

Medium and high rise apartments contribute to achieving a greater mix of housing types and a more compact urban form.

As this type of building takes a wide range of forms, only general guidance is provided here for consideration in drafting relevant codes.

Site planning and building massing

Parking Semi-basement or basement

Orientation Allow for cross ventilation, natural lighting and solar access

Setbacks Relative to height of building, width of street and front boundary treatment

Open space Access require to private, communal and public open space

Ground level uses

Accommodate retail or commercial spaces on ground floor where located on neighourhood connector or main streets with high accessibility and pedestrian activity

Overshadowing Reduce overshadowing of street by using towers above broad podiums

Developable Area

Verandah

Deep Planting/Landscaping

Vehicle/Parking

108

Scale 1:500

109

QPP description: dual occupancy - secondary dwellings

Secondary dwellings (granny and Fonzie flats)

Secondary dwellings contained on the same lots as another dwelling provide flexible low cost housing options. Granny flats are typically incorporated inside the building of the primary dwelling, whether under or over or on the side. They may be housed in a separate structure. Fonzie flats are a small dwelling sited above a garage, typically on a rear lane or side street.

Secondary dwellings are common in Next Generation Neighbourhoods (P4) and Urban Neighbourhoods (P5), found with detached houses of various sizes, and row houses. The table and figure to the right indicate site and building design characteristics to achieve the performance outcomes Section 8.1.

Generally, site planning and massing relate to performance outcomes for affordable living and liveable residential environments. Streetscape provisions mostly relate to community liveability and community sustainability.

Use this information to draft codes for self-assessable or assessable development.

Site planning and building massing

Site cover Within site cover for primary dwelling

Private open space

Exclusive area of 16m2. Located north or east of primary habitable rooms and outdoor terraces

Setbacks As for primary dwelling

Building height

As for primary dwelling

Parking 1 covered space for secondary dwelling Shared driveway with primary dwelling

Streetscape

Front entry Dedicated pedestrian entry and door for each dwelling, accessible from the street or rear lane

Fencing As for primary dwelling

Verandahs, windows and façade articulation

50% building frontage

Planting As for primary dwelling

Slope Elevated or split-level construction External retaining maximum 1m height

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QPP description: reconfiguring a lot

Consistent lot types

Consistent lot types are preferred to accommodate the housing types and choice advocated by this handbook. Lot types are of a consistent width to achieve a more efficient use of land, infrastructure provision, and regular house design. The figure below indicate the lot dimenstion suitable for the housig types in this handbook. Use this information to draft codes for reconfiguring a lot.

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The study behind this handbook

PART C

This part of the handbook explains the background to the project, a discussion of the methods used to develop the handbook, and the key research results.

113 114

Choosing a methodologyThe Next Generation Planning Project and Model Code for Smart Growth The Next Generation Planning Handbook is the result of a collaboration between Council of Mayors, SEQ and Growth Management Queensland (GMQ). Two related projects were aligned to maximise efficiency and avoid duplication of effort.

Next Generation Planning projectCouncil of Mayors (SEQ) A Commonwealth funded Housing Affordability Fund project that focuses on the development and implementation of a consistent approach to housing affordability policies and codes within SEQ. The project objectives for the NGP project, as outlined in the funding agreement with the Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs (FaHCSIA), are:

1. Development of a consistent approach towards the delivery of housing affordability policies within the South East Queensland region.

2. Creating standard housing related development codes to ensure consistency within the region.

3. Creating standard affordable housing code provisions, to provide incentives to deliver affordable housing developments.

4. Community awareness and engagement strategy including an innovative communication proposal to address potential negative community perception associated with delivering housing affordability solutions in SEQ.

Model Code for Smart Growth (GMQ) A program envisaged by the South East Queensland Regional Plan 2009 – 2031. The objectives are outlined in Desired Regional Outcome 8.3 (Urban character and design) and 8.5 (Housing choice and affordability) as follows:

Prepare a model code for smart growth to guide state and local government on sustainable approaches to planning and development standards for residential subdivision, and dwelling location and design.

Natural synergies between the goals of these two studies led to the formation of a partnership between Council of Mayors (SEQ) and GMQ to undertake the work. The result is the Next Generation Planning handbook.

PrinciplesA literature review established that there is no shortage of policy guidance on residential development, Smart Growth and related matters. The age, state and country of origin of this body of work varies, but much of it remains relevant and influential. Some recent work including Residential 30 (ULDA, 2010) was recognised as being of particular application to the project.

To maximise the value of this work, the project team sought to choose a methodology that avoided simply repeating existing guidance; a method that adds to the resources currently available to local governments and industry in South East Queensland. The following principles were observed when designing the methodology.

- Be regionally relevant (little SEQ-specific guidance was found in the literature).

- Be evidence based (the document should be able to ‘speak for itself’ and be robust in its recommendations).

- Avoid duplicating other guidelines (e.g Residential 30).

- An interstate and overseas case study approach would not be readily accepted by the audience (and has commonly been used in other guidance anyway).

- Primary evidence is desirable to justify conclusions (literature based approach was not sufficient.

Synoptic surveysThe team was introduced to a method known as ‘synoptic surveys’, where the physical planning and design characteristics of well regarded local places are studied, and the results used to inform planning provisions for future development.

A mixture of quantitative (measurements) and qualitative (photographs and sketches) data is gathered, covering topics and scales such as neighbourhoods, streets, buildings and landscape. The data enables the ‘DNA’ of a place (typically a short section of urban or suburban street and the buildings around it, or a rural place) to be established, explained and compared. By undertaking a series of ‘synoptic surveys’ across a city or a region, common patterns of development can be established (or otherwise), creating an evidence base for the new planning provisions to follow.

Places studied are not chosen to be typical or indicative of their administrative context. Rather they are selected to represent the best of the best; examples of urban quality and affordable living that people aspire to live in, work at, or visit. Land suitability was not a key factor in the site selection process as it was considered that land constraints had previously been taken into account.

Importantly for this project, the team sought to enhance the synoptic survey method by adding the study of housing characteristics (e.g. dwelling mix, size, parking provision) to the data set.

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Choosing a methodology

PrinciplesA literature review established that there is no shortage of policy guidance on residential development, Smart Growth and related matters. The age, state and country of origin of this body of work varies, but much of it remains relevant and influential. Some recent work including Residential 30 (ULDA, 2010) was recognised as being of particular application to the project.

To maximise the value of this work, the project team sought to choose a methodology that avoided simply repeating existing guidance; a method that adds to the resources currently available to local governments and industry in South East Queensland. The following principles were observed when designing the methodology.

- Be regionally relevant (little SEQ-specific guidance was found in the literature).

- Be evidence based (the document should be able to ‘speak for itself’ and be robust in its recommendations).

- Avoid duplicating other guidelines (e.g Residential 30).

- An interstate and overseas case study approach would not be readily accepted by the audience (and has commonly been used in other guidance anyway).

- Primary evidence is desirable to justify conclusions (literature based approach was not sufficient.

Synoptic surveysThe team was introduced to a method known as ‘synoptic surveys’, where the physical planning and design characteristics of well regarded local places are studied, and the results used to inform planning provisions for future development.

A mixture of quantitative (measurements) and qualitative (photographs and sketches) data is gathered, covering topics and scales such as neighbourhoods, streets, buildings and landscape. The data enables the ‘DNA’ of a place (typically a short section of urban or suburban street and the buildings around it, or a rural place) to be established, explained and compared. By undertaking a series of ‘synoptic surveys’ across a city or a region, common patterns of development can be established (or otherwise), creating an evidence base for the new planning provisions to follow.

Places studied are not chosen to be typical or indicative of their administrative context. Rather they are selected to represent the best of the best; examples of urban quality and affordable living that people aspire to live in, work at, or visit. Land suitability was not a key factor in the site selection process as it was considered that land constraints had previously been taken into account.

Importantly for this project, the team sought to enhance the synoptic survey method by adding the study of housing characteristics (e.g. dwelling mix, size, parking provision) to the data set.

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Transect planningThe synoptic survey method is often combined with a ‘transect planning’ approach to explore links between the detailed information gathered at the site, street and neighbourhood scales, with a planning framework at the district, city and sub-regional scales.

A ‘transect’ is essentially a geographical cross-section through different natural and/or human habitats. An early envisioning of the approach was by Sir Patrick Geddes in the early 20th century when he constructed the “valley section”. Transects were later applied to the study of ecosystems, to show for example the different habitats found across a forest (DPZ, 2002). As explained in The Smart Growth Manual :

“The transect is a concept drawn from ecology. It is a progression through a sequence of habitats, such as from wetland to upland to foothill. Ecologists use the transect to describe how each habitat supports symbiotic sets of mineral conditions, microclimate, flora, and fauna. The rural-to-urban transect extends this classification system to include a sequence of human habitats of increasing density and complexity, from the rural hinterland to the urban core. Design at every scale should correspond to the logic of transition from the natural edge to the man-made center.” (Duany et al, 2010)

Choosing a methodology

The ‘transect’ in an urban and regional planning sense is a geographical cross section of a region (or a city, suburb etc) and illustrates a progression through a sequence of habitats, usually including natural and rural hinterlands, then a sequence of human habitats of increasing density and scale. Transect zones are used to define divisions within this rural-to-urban continuum.

It should be remembered that a transect is a diagram, a conceptual illustration used to describe different rural and urban habitats. It is a simplification, but a useful one in understanding urban form. Its limitations should also be acknowledged. For example, the quantum of each transect zone is not indicated, (a mapping exercise can explore this question). And, although drawn and described sequentially (for simplicity and ease of understanding), real cities and regions are a complex arrangement of centres, nodes, corridors, districts and features unlikely to appear in such order.

Use of the ‘transect’ has been pioneered in North America, and its common representation

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The transect in SEQEssentially a transect is a planning tool that describes and organises places. Combined with the synoptic survey method, it provides a useful technique to analyse places and understand how and why they work.

In this research the transect approach was used as an exploratory tool to identify patterns of development in SEQ, mostly at the local, district/town, city and sub-region level. It was hoped to adapt the transect to fit the SEQ region in terms of regional built forms and rural environments. This SEQ transect could then be used as a planning tool.

The transect and Affordable LivingLinks between a transect approach and smart growth policies are relatively easy to identify. Links to housing affordability require further consideration. One of the difficulties in addressing housing affordability is the term itself. Housing affordability is interpreted differently by many people, including this project’s stakeholders. Some consider land availability and infrastructure charges to be the core of the issue. For others, its housing choice and trends.

Still others may see borrowing costs, wages and economic measures as the most important factors. Not all of these aspects can be influenced by planning and planning schemes.

For this project, seeking as it does to guide planning schemes and other planning instruments, a broad understanding of affordability, its causes and effects, has been pursued. This understanding has been termed Affordable Living.

“The concept of Affordable Living covers much more than the financial cost of living and housing. Affordable Living incorporates the way we live, the size and type of housing we choose, the resources we use and how we move around. It reflects our relationship with the environment and the way in which neighbourhoods evolve and function.” (Sunshine Coast Council, 2010)

Affordable Living is more holistically concerned with the costs of contemporary and future lifestyles, and ultimately with quality of life. Affordable Living relates to easy access between homes and jobs; homes and shops and services; and homes and public and active transport choices. It relies on diverse housing choices beyond the current suburban mix, and on whole-of-life housing. These housing forms require appropriate locations, well designed neighbourhoods and centres of varying intensities and functions. Affordable living then hinges on well planned suburbs, towns and corridors, as well as cost-effective and appropriate buildings (and other planning and non-planning relationships). Transect planning provides one tool to help navigate these planning issues.

The SEQ Place Model is the ultimate result of this investigation

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The study and its results

Research workshops around SEQEquipped with synoptic survey and transect planning techniques, the project team initiated a research exercise to study some of the best rural, suburban and urban places in SEQ.

This phase was carried out collaboratively between the project team and teams from five local governments: Sunshine Coast, Toowoomba, Ipswich, Brisbane and the Gold Coast. During the months of July and August 2010, the teams visited and surveyed places that were nominated by local government planners as exemplar and considered to be best practice in each of the local government areas.

A measure of subjectivity was inherent in the nomination of survey locations. The instruction to local government planners was to choose locations that represent the best examples of suburban and urban development, and rural places.

Essentially this called upon the nominees to use the highest level of strategic planning direction in their choices – their vision of the homes, streets and neighbourhoods for the community of the future (as well as their experiences as members of their community). Local governments were aware of the housing affordability and Smart Growth context of the project. Initial nominations were refined by the teams before and during the research workshops, to ensure a spectrum of urban and non-urban locations were identified for each workshop. A mix of new and old places was sought.

It is acknowledged that many of the Next Generation Suburban Neighbourhood locations represent examples of older development, while more dense and urban examples tended to be contemporary developments.

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The reasons why such a balance was presented to the project team is worthy of further study, and may include negative perceptions by the nominees towards the locations, urban form and housing mix of recent suburban development, or to their experience in planning for or assessing such projects.

In total 59 detailed synoptic surveys of urban, suburban and rural places (typically development along 200 m of street) and 118 individual lots and buildings were carried out around the region. For each of the locations, data relating to the locality, the neighbourhood, the street and lots and buildings were measured and collected.

Data included: - numbers of dwellings by type

neighbourhood structure (include block size and street pattern)

- street design

- building size, height, setbacks etc

- landscapes, fencing and street trees

- proximity to services, parkland, public transport and employment.

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ResultsAs one driver of the project is the development of consistent guidelines and codes for residential development and new urban areas, the team were naturally interested in what consistencies the data would or would not reveal. Further, would a transect approach enable further refinement of these consistencies by categorising them into consistent place types?

The data does illustrate some commonalities within place types, despite their differing geographies. Examples include street design, and diverse lot and housing mix. These consistencies provide a justification for some planning guidelines and codes that can be consistently applied across the region.

The study and its results

Summary of key findingsBlock depth and lengthData collected shows that in P5, block size was generally larger than in P4 and P6. The P3 townships tend to have deeper blocks. Block lengths greater than 200 m were found to impact negatively on walkability. Mid-block connections in P6 locations were sometimes used to overcome this.

ProximitySurveyed locations were overwhelmingly well located near shops, parks, employment and public transport. The data supports the notion that a five minute walkable neighbourhood (notated by a 400 m radius catchment) is the appropriate urban structuring tool when planning for good quality neighbourhoods.

Street patternVirtually all survey locations were founded on a grid street pattern. Places with branching hierarchy patterns typified by collector roads and cul-de-sacs were not nominated as quality places worthy of study. Rear lanes were found in all contexts, increasing in frequency in P5.

Number of dwellingsMuch greater diversity of dwelling types was evidenced than might be expected. Duplex, row house, walk-up apartments and boarding houses were all commonly observed. Duplex and secondary dwellings were also found in P3 townships. The P6 and P7 typologies have little housing diversity and few residential developments. However, these developments were usually so large that P6 and P7 locations often have amongst the highest dwelling counts.

Estimated dwelling sizeModest average dwelling sizes of 148 m2 (P4) and 125 m2 (P5) were recorded.

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Range and common lot sizeLot size varies greatly across the study locations. Variety is found across place types. Rural Township (P3) lots are anything from 450 m2 to 1000 m2. Next Generation Suburban Neighbourhood (P4) lots are commonly less than 200 m2, ranging up to 800 m2. Similarly P5 have many examples in the 200-400 m2 range. Apartment developments in P5, P6 and P7 locations have larger lots of 2000-6000 m2.

Street reserve and carriagewayCommon street reserve widths are probably explained by historic reasons (e.g. 20.117m = one chain). In both P4 and P5 two common typologies emerged. A ‘local street’ typology comprises of a 7-8 m wide carriageway in a 15-20 m reserve. Wider verges were generously landscaped where found. The ‘connector street’ typology is a 12.5 m roadway in a 20 m reserve, allowing ample on-street parking and cycle lanes etc. Centres of Activity (P6) and P7 locations require wider reserves but never more than 30 m, reflecting the increased scale of buildings and traffic. Rear lanes were not common but were found across all place types.

Footpaths All locations are well provided by footpaths. More than 60 per cent of P4 locations have two footpaths. This figure rises to 80 per cent for P5. Some P7 locations include shared zones.

Kerb radiusTight kerb radii on street corners (e.g. R3-6 m) slows traffic and shortens crossing distances. Many corners across all place types were found to have such radii.

Site coverAverage site cover was relatively low in P3 (23 per cent), P4 (43 per cent), P5 (50 per cent) locations, resulting in a beneficial outcome with respect to private outdoor space, stormwater infiltration, vegetation cover, and natural light and ventilation in buildings.

Lot frontages Frontages for residential lots of 7-20 m were common, but actual widths were inconsistent, potentially creating difficulties for transfer of housing products across planning scheme boundaries.

Backyard sizeBackyards of average 278 m2 in P4 is higher than might be expected in contemporary development. However examples included 120 m2 backyards on a 250 m2 lot in West End, Brisbane, and 120-170 m2 backyards in 450-500 m2 lots in Toowoomba, demonstrating that backyard size is more closely related to site cover and building size than lot size.

SetbacksFront, rear and side building setbacks influence private outdoor space, parking, privacy and landscaping outcomes on a lot. While front setbacks are broadly assumed to increase as urban intensity decreases, observations include 2 m and 4 m front setback in P3, and frequent 3-4 m setbacks in P4 sites, with 0 m front setbacks also found. An average of 3.9 m was recorded for P4, and 5.1 m for P5. Rear setbacks averaged 15 m for P4 and 7.5 m for P5, suggesting again that larger back yards are associated with the high quality places selected for the study.

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Illustrated case studies

SEQ Transects On the second day of the research workshops, the teams sought to understand the data and what it said about urban form and housing choice for the location, suburb, town and local government area more generally. Day two also involved exploring the idea of a transect approach to planning and discussing how it could apply at each local government area.

A key output from the research workshops was the development of locally calibrated transects for each local government area, as well as local transects drawn through suburbs and neighbourhoods. Operating within the bounds of a ‘working’ SEQ transect model (later to become the SEQ Place Model) a series of local transects were prepared at each workshop. Some of these are reproduced below, with notes indicating how this analysis is useful in planning for future development.

Importantly, what the transect drawings also illustrate is that broadly similar place types (e.g. CBDs, Urban Neighbourhoods) can be found over and over again throughout the region’s towns and cities. Similar attributes are also evident in these place types (e.g. urban form, street types, housing mix, building heights, non-residential uses etc). But in each city, the place types appear in different orders, contexts and indeed in different amounts.

It is suggested that this drives the uniqueness of our sub-regions in SEQ, as much as, or more so than, differences in the detailed building blocks of development (the lot sizes, building heights and forms etc).

Nambour local transect

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Nambour local transectNambour is a 19th/20th centenary railway town and exhibits a somewhat conventional pattern of development where a mixed use activity centre, located adjacent to the railway, servicing the town and surrounding rural areas, is fringed by traditional neighbourhoods with natural landscapes beyond. This simple but clear urban structure based on a grid street pattern may allow expansion for both urban and suburban neighbourhoods, respecting the development pattern of earlier years.

Brisbane City transect

Brisbane City transect This transect of Brisbane is drawn at a city scale and therefore indicative in nature. It shows a series of urban places siting between the hills of the D’Aguilar Range and the Brisbane River. In reality the progression of place types is not linear with important activity centres existing at points along the transect. E.g. Toowong, Indooroopilly and Milton.

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Sunshine Coast sub-regional transectThis sub-regional scale transect of the Sunshine Coast illustrates the coast is made up of multiple settlements, each with their own pattern of development, and separated by rural and natural features. Three major settlement patterns are evident; hinterland villages (not shown), railway towns and coastal towns.

Toowoomba City transect Toowoomba’s CBD is drawn here surrounded by Natural Places, in this case the city’s famous parks. A nearby inner core of urban neighbourhood has a lot to recommend for the citys future development patterns. The range can be seen on the right which is also a natural place.

Sunshine Coast sub-regional transect (top) and Toowoomba City transect

Illustrated case studies

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Varsity Lakes local transectAt Varsity Lakes a modern Urban Neighbourhood is found by the lake, with a more active mixed use centre behind. More urban neighbourhood development sits around a sports oval, with suburban neighbourhood development beyond. This arrangement provides a logical focus of development intensity around shared amenity with less intensive development further away.

Ipswich CBD local transectThe scale, form and intensity of Ipswich CBD marks it out from nearby streets which are perhaps at the scale of an activity centre. Some of the older neighbourhoods around the CBD are urban in their uses and housing types. Suburban neighbourhoods include steep Denmark Hill, with open space (P1 – Natural Places) on top.

Varsity Lakes local transect (top) and Ipswich CBD local transect

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Broad scale mapping A broad scale mapping exercise was also undertaken at each workshop to explore the existing distribution and quantum of the various SEQ Place Types across each sub-region.

Preparing the handbookThe project was charged with preparing guidelines and consistent planning scheme material on a wide range of subjects and scales. Assembling this information into a readable handbook, of equal use to comprehensive study or quick reference, was a challenge. The content has been kept brief where possible. It is hoped that the examples speak for themselves. Focus group workshops and peer reviews were conducted on a draft of the handbook before finalisation. It is expected that adoption of these concepts by local governments and industry will be accompanied by adaptation and refinement of the guidelines and provisions.

Communications toolsA requirement of the NGP project was to develop a ‘community awareness and engagement strategy including an innovative communication proposal to address potential negative community perception associated with delivering housing affordability solutions in SEQ’.

To this end the Handbook is accompanied by a suite of web-based reference and training materials for professional and community audiences. These tools can be referenced at www.qld.gov.au/waytogrow www.councilofmayorsseq.qld.gov.au

Toowoomba Broadscale Mapping of existing Place Types

Illustrated case studies

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Exemplar street studies

Of the 59 locations studied in detail across the region, 14 are presented from p127 onwards in more detail. The examples illustrate some of the key findings across different place types. The sketches, measurements and photographs were, generally taken on the day by the research teams.

Broadbeach streetscaping, Gold Coast

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Description - Mix of detached character houses, retail,

commercial, community and light industry

- 100 m to heavy rail, connecting bus

- Rural town centre/main street

- Community park in street

- 150x120 m typical street block

- 1-2 storeys

- 975 m2 typical lot size (15x65 m)

The street - 20 m reserve, 4 m verge

- 12 m carriageway

- 2x1.2 m concrete footpaths

- On-street parking (marked)

- Off-street parking in garages at rear

- Zebra crossing in middle of retail strip

- Crossing build-outs elsewhere

Mid block example - 1940 m2 lot, 15% site cover

- Pre-war detached house

- One storey with garage and shed at rear

- Informal driveway along side

- 6 m front, 60 m rear and 0/8 m side setbacks

- Small garden at front, mature trees at rear

Corner block example - 6600 m2 lot, 50% site cover

- IGA shopping centre with retail sleeving on John St

- Two existing heritage retailers

- New building designed to integrate with existing heritage retail - consistent facade, colours and roof treatment

- Carparking at rear, accessed off side lane and Albert St

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John St, Rosewood P3

Corner block: perspective

Street section

Mid block: perspectiveMid block: plan

Corner block: plan

129

Description - Second storey mixed attached and

detached houses, terraces with rear lane access

- 2000 m to district shopping centre

- 100 m to parkland

- 2000 m to public transport (bus)

- 55x30 typical block size

- No on-street parking

The street - 20 m reserve, 3.5 m verge

- 5 m rear lane

- 12.5 m carriageway

- 2 m high street trees, 3 m apart

- Sunken crossing points

- 2 m median with pedestrian refuge

Mid block example - 170 m2 lot, 95% site cover

- Two storey terrace with rear lane

- 1:10 m slope, has been terraced

- Retaining wall to Grande Ave

- Landscaping limited (under construction)

- 3 m front, 0 m rear and 0 m side setbacks

Corner block example - 288 m2 lot, 80% site cover

- One storey detached house with rear lane

- 20 m2 backyard

- 2 m front, 2 m rear and 1 m side setbacks

- Landscaping limited (under construction)

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Grande Ave, Springfield P4

Corner block: perspective

Street section

Mid block: perspectiveMid block: plan

Corner block: plan

131

Description - One storey detached character housing

1880’s - post war

- 100 m to local convenience centre

- 1 kilometre to key employment area

- 30 m to public transport (Bus)

- 400 m to parkland

- 190x80 m block

- 450 m2 (e) 600 m2 (w) typical lot size

The street - 20 m reserve

- 4 m verge (no footpath)

- 12 m carriageway

- Off-street parking

- Mature street trees 12 m high

- Blue stone kerb

- T-intersection at both ends

Mid block example - 450 m2 lot with 40% site cover

- 8 m rear, 3 m front, 2-4 m side setbacks

- Late 1880’s, one storey detached house

- One metre picket fence and small gardens

- Large street tree at front

- Carport and shed at the rear

- Backyard approx. 120 m2

Corner block example - 1200 m2 lot with 20% site cover

- 10 m rear, 3 m front, 12 m and 3 m side setbacks

- Large, one storey detached character house

- Picket fence with wrapping verandah

- Large landscaped gardens

- Garage at the rear

- Side driveway off Boulton Tce, disused access also off Campbell St.

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Boulton Tce, Toowoomba P4

Corner block: perspective

Street section

Mid block: perspectiveMid block: plan

Corner block: plan

133

Description - One to two storey detached houses

- Most high set houses have been built underneath

- Diversity of lot sizes

- Boarding house on corner site

- 800 m to district shopping centre

- 200 m to parkland

The street - 20 m reserve

- 3-7.5 m verge with 1.2 m footpath

- 7.9-12.8 m carriageway

- Predominantly off-street parking

- 4 m street trees, 3 m apart

- Un-signalised four-way intersection

Mid block example - Two storey zero lot house

- 480 m2 lot, 30% site cover

- 150 m2 backyard with carpark

- Verandah facing street

- 1:10 crossfall across site

- 0 m front, 20 m rear and 0/4 m side

setbacks

Corner block example - 2.5 storey detached house

- 504 m2 lot, 50% site cover

- 60 m2 front yard with verandah

- 1:10 slope

- Driveway access off primary st

- 1 m front, 2 m rear and 1.5 m side setbacks

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Murphy St, Denmark Hill P4

Corner block: perspective

Mid block: perspectiveMid block: plan

Corner block: plan

135

Description - One to two storey detached houses

- High set heritage character houses and low set workers cottages all on stumps

- 200 m to public transport (bus)

- One kilometre to district shopping centre

- 30 m to parkland

- 50x200 m block

- 400 m2 typical lot size

- Houses front/access lane

The street - 0.5 m verge, 5 m carriageway

- Off-street parking only

- Streetscape elements on individual lots

- T-intersection at either end

- Lane worked well when fencing was low (800 mm)

Mid block example - Detached character house with enclosed

boundary

- 400 m2 lot with 50% site cover

- 2 m front, 8 m rear and 1/6 m side setbacks

- Driveway access along eastern boundary to garage at rear

- Gardens/landscape added into verge

Corner block example - Corner of Pelican and Flint Streets

- 528 m2 lot with 40% site cover

- 4 m front, 6 m rear and 5 m side setbacks

- Driveway access away from corner on secondary street

- Two storey detached character house with narrow verandah

- South-west facing with picket fence

- Two bay garage at side of house

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Chubb Lane, North Ipswich P4

Corner block: perspective

Mid block: perspectiveMid block: aerial

Corner block: plan

137

Description - Low density, one to two storey character

residential

- Walk-up apartment, duplex, detached houses and boarding house

- Conservation and heritage precinct

- 700 m to key employment area

- 500 m to Queens Park

The street - 20 m reserve, 3 m verge

- 14 m carriageway

- On-street/indented parking

- 15 m high trees, 20 m apart

- Stand up bluestone, roll over kerbs

- Rear lane provides for housing diversity

Mid block example - 1976 m2 lot, 30% site cover

- 300 m2 backyard on 1:40 slope

- One storey boarding house

- Domestic planting and garden

- Detached parking, no driveway

- Faces north and east

Corner block example - One storey unit complex

- 1125 m2 lot, 45% site cover

- 260 m2 backyard

- Rear lane access to carport

- Ornamental garden with communal ownership

- 5 m front, 1.5 m rear and 2.4/3.2 m side setbacks

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Campbell St, Toowoomba P4

Corner block: perspective

Mid block: perspectiveMid block: plan

Corner block: plan

Street section

139

Description - Two to three storey medium density

residential with live/work units and some retail

- Terrace/row houses (double 0 lots)

- 40 m to public transport (bus)

- 40 m to key employment area

- 200 m to parkland

- 60x80 m irregular blocks with lanes

The street - Access street

- 14.8 m reserve

- 3.8/3.5 m verge

- 1.5 m footpath on both sides

- 7.5 m carriageway

- Informal on-street parking, off-street garage parking

- Street trees 8-10 m high, 4 m canopy and 10 m apart

- 40 km/h with T-intersections

Mid block example - Two storey row house

- Home office/business in ‘Fonzi’

- 190 m2 block, 90% site cover

- 0m rear, 5 m front to wall, 3.5 m to balcony and 0 m side setbacks

- Planting in courtyard

- Carport at the rear

- Office faces rear laneway

Corner block example - Two storey row house

- Home office/business in ‘Fonzi’

- 240 m2 block, 70% site cover

- 0.5 m rear, 1 m front and 2 m side setbacks

- Planting in courtyard

- Carport at the rear

- Screened verandah

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Watts Dr, Varsity Lakes P5

Mid and corner blocks: aerial

Street plan

Mid and corner blocks: plan Mid block: rear access

Mid block: shop access

141

Description - Two storey medium density residential

- Commercial towards Oxford St

- 300 m to Citycat, 100 m to Bus

- 200 m to district shopping centre

- Five kilometres to CBD

- 100 m to Parkland

- 80x120 m typical block size

- Small lot and community title

The street - 14 m reserve, 5.5 verge

- 5.5 m carriageway

- 2 m footpaths either side

- On-street parking one side only, off-street basement parking

- Roll over kerb with T-intersection

Mid block example - 6880 m2 apartment complex

- 60% site, 5% tree coverage

- Three storey walk-up units facing Hetherington St, two storey attached units facing Love St

- Shared driveway

- Fence and elevated front court

- Balconies facing street

- Communal pool

Corner block example - 2x440 m2 lots, 80% site cover

- Two storey commercial office sloping away from street

- Undercroft parking

- Courtyard to street

- 5 m front, 7 m rear and 1 m side setbacks

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Love St, Bulimba P5

Corner block: elevation

Street section

Mid block: perspectiveMid block: plan

Corner block: plan

143

Description - Semi-rural residential street

- 250 m to public transport (rail)

- 100 m to local convenience centre

- Detached houses and low rise walk-up apartments / townhouses and duplexes

- One to two storeys @ 36du/ha

The street - Mostly off-street parking due to slope

- Slope also influences the setback of the built form

- Concrete footpaths, though inconsistent

- Some on-street planting

- Mature off-street trees contribute to streetscape

- 19.6 m reserve, 8 m carriageway

- 5.6-6 m verge

Mid block example - North facing, two storey townhouses

- 600 m2 block

- Side driveway to garage under each

- Minimal tree coverage, but well landscaped at the street.

- 6 m front, 1 m rear and 2 m, 6 m side setbacks

Mid block example two - Large block example

- Two south facing duplex apartments

- One storey each, set below the street level

- Heavily landscaped along all sides

- Dual access driveway to enclosed garages

- 6 m front, 6 m rear and 4 m, 7 m side setbacks

- 3 m fall across the site to the north

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Campbell St, Woombye P5

Mid block: plan Mid block: street view

Large block: aerial Large block: street view

Street plan

145

Description - Three storey detached houses, walk-up

apartments

- 100 m to public transport (Bus)

- 300 m to local convenience centre

- 500 m to parkland

- 1.5 km to key employment areas

The street - Mature street trees in carriageway

- Concrete footpaths on both sides

- 20 m reserve, 14 m carriageway

- On-street parking facilities

Mid block example - Two storey apartments (6 dwellings)

- Six single carparks at the rear

- Main entrance is off Moreton Street

- 15% mature tree coverage

- 6 m front, 0.7 m rear and 0 m side setbacks

Corner block example - 400 m2 two storey art deco building

- Hairdresser fronting Merthyr Road

- Four uncovered off-street carparks at the rear

- 10% tree coverage

- 0 m front, 3 m rear and 2 m side setbacks

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Abbott Street, New Farm P5

Corner block: perspective

Street section

Mid block: perspectiveMid block: plan

Corner block: plan

147

Description - High rise residential units with ground

floor retail and restaurants

- District shopping centre

- 50 m to bus and monorail

- 50 m to parkland

- 80x200 m blocks

- 10-34 storeys high

- Majority tourist residential

The street - 18-20 m reserve

- 6-9 m concrete verge

- 12 m carriageway

- Metered on-street parking

- Regular street trees, 7 m high

- Roundabout at both ends

- 50 km/h posted speed, moves slower

- Two zebra crossing points

- One diagonal pedestrian bridge above roundabout

Corner block example - “The Wave Resort” 2006

- 34 storey apartment and tourist accommodation

- 100 - 340 m2 apartments

- 3300 m2 lot with 100% site cover

- Three storey podium with retail, commercial and office built to boundary

- Underground parking via Victoria Ave

- Hard landscape/public realm

- Streetscape and groundcovers behind kerb

- Tower setbacks: 15 m rear, 5-10 m front and 8 m side

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Surf Ave, Broadbeach P5

Street section

Corner block: ground floor Corner block: perspective

Corner block: streetscape

Corner block: plan

149

Description - Mixed use residential street, primarily low-

rise character housing, except eight storey apartment building

- Motel, cafe, theatre, retail and offices also present

- 500 m to CBD

- Opposite Queens Park

- Bus route

The street - 27 m reserve

- 5.5/7.5 m verge

- 2-2.5 m footpaths

- 16 m carriageway

- Marked, on-street parking

- Mature trees along both sides, approx 20 m high, 10-20 m apart

- Bluestone stand up kerb

- 1.5 m cycle lanes both sides

- Planted roundabout intersection

Mid block example - 4125 m2 lot, 50% site cover

- Two storey townhouses

- 4.5 m front, 6 m rear and 6/4.5 m side setbacks

- Carports and communal BBQ areas

- Minimal landscaping, some private gardens

- 1:20 slope

- Central, shared driveway

Corner block example - Eight storey apartments (24)

- 3828 m2 lot, 22% site cover

- Communal open space

- North facing

- 20 m front, 19 m rear and 6/24m side setbacks

- Tennis courts, mature trees, pool

- 50% tree coverage

- 1:15 slope

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Margaret St, Toowoomba P5

Corner block: perspective

Street section

Mid block: perspectiveMid block: plan

Corner block: aerial

151

Description - A medium to high rise, mixed use street

- Commercial, office, private residential and motel

- Specialist district / shopping centre with adjacent parkland

- 50 m to Busway, 400 m to Citycat and 50 m to Rail

- Education and cultural facilities

- Less than 1 km to the Brisbane CBD

The street - Metered on-street parking

- Heavily treed centre median

- Pedestrian footpaths are hardstand 5.2 m

- Consistent establish street trees and shaded pergolas

- 28 m reserve, 2-4.2 m carriage ways

- One m cycle lane, 2.3 m median

Mid block example - Five to six storey apartments above retail/

commercial uses

- Private secure car parking underground accessed through public carpark entrances

- Building covers 100% of the site

- Regular walk-though corridors to Little Stanley Street

- Corridors are planted or outdoor cafe seating and public art

Corner block example - Four storey residential apartments above

ground floor retail/cafe

- Outdoor cafe seating fronts round-about and Little Stanley St

- Street trees and deep awnings provide shade and protection

- Residential verandah’s face north-east towards Southbank Parklands, Brisbane River and CBD

152

Grey St, Southbank P6

Mid block: plan

Corner block: plan

Mid block: perspective

Street section

Corner block: perspective

153

Description - Main street environment: two to

three storey retail, commercial, office, entertainment and mixed use

- Bus route along street

- Key employment area

- 400 m to Parkland

- 200 m x 400 m block with lanes

- No residential dwellings

- Character facades, deep awnings, street furniture/dining, laneways

The street - 28.6 m reserve

- 6.6/7.1 m verges

- 1.4 m cycle lane 1 side only

- 4/5.3 m carriageways

- Centre median parking 5.2 m

- Some street planting/shrubs

- Signalised intersections at either end

Mid block example - 1893 ‘Widarie House’

- Ground floor retail, 2nd floor commercial with character facade

- 420 m2 lot with 90% site cover

- 3.3 m rear, 0 m front / side setbacks

- Driveway access via side lane

- Two informal carparks at rear

Corner block example - Two storey character building

- Cinema, retail and commercial uses

- 2800 m2 lot with 90% site cover

- Built to front/side boundaries with space for 11 shared carparks at rear

- Driveway access off Church and Neil St

154

Margaret St, Toowoomba City P7

Corner site: perspective

Street cross section

Mid block: front view Mid block: rear access

Selected results

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P3 John St, Rosewood Ipswich 120

P3 Post Office Street, Mapleton Sunshine Coast 130 (50 to lane)

P3 Hume St, Pittsworth Toowoomba 100

P3 Main St, Mt Tyson Toowoomba

P4 Gregory Blvd, Murarrie Brisbane 77 (28 to lane)

P4 Albert St, Rosewood Ipswich 125

P4 Chubb Lane, North Ipswich Ipswich (50 to lane)

P4 Elizabeth St, Woodend Ipswich 70

P4 Grande Ave, Springfield Ipswich 48

P4 Murphy St, Denmark Hill Ipswich

P4 York St, East Ipswich Ipswich 75

P4 Blackall Terrace, Nambour Sunshine Coast

P4 Campbell St (Grigor-Bryce St), Moffat Beach

Sunshine Coast 80

P4 Boulton Terrace, Toowoomba Toowoomba 73

P4 Campbell St, Toowoomba Toowoomba 94 (42 to lane)

P4 Pitt St, Toowoomba Toowoomba 70

P4 Russell St, Newtown Toowoomba 80

P4/5 Granville Street, West End Brisbane 50

P4/5 Watson Street, Currimundi Sunshine Coast 44

P4/5 Cook Street, Eumundi Sunshine Coast

Block depth and lengthBlock depth and length shape the efficiency of land use, and also the walkability of a neighbourhood. Data collected shows that in P5 Urban Neighbourhood locations block dimensions were generally larger than in P4 Next Generation Suburban Neighbourhoods and P6 Centres of Activity contexts. Average block depth for P4 is 72 m and P5 85 m. Rural Townships (P3) tend to have deeper blocks. Block lengths greater than 200 m were found to impact negatively on walkability. Mid-block connections in P6 locations were sometimes used to overcome this.

ProximityProximity to services such as shops, parks, employment and public transport is a critical factor for quality of life and household transport costs. Surveyed locations were overwhelmingly well located with respect to these amenities. Average distances to parks, employment and public transport is 200 m, 472 m and 155 m for P4 Next Generation Suburban Neighbourhoods, and 185 m, 283 m and 87 m for P5 Urban Neighbourhood locations. The data supports the notion that a five-minute walkable neighbourhood (notated by a 400 m radius catchment) is the appropriate urban structuring tool when planning for good quality neighbourhoods.

Street patternVirtually all survey locations – from townships to CBD scale – were founded on a grid street pattern. Places with branching hierarchy patterns typified by collector roads and cul-de-sacs were not nominated as quality places worthy of study. Rear lanes were found in all contexts, increasing in frequency in P5 Urban Neighbourhoods.

Neighbourhood scale

156

Blo

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th (

m)

Pro

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(ce

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m)

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m)

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(m)

Pro

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m)

Co

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ents

150 0 0 0 150 Township main street, residential to north. Grid street pattern. Rail service.

180 500 110 500 Rural township and rural residential. Irregular grid street pattern.

200 200 0 500 Grid street pattern.

0 20 18km Rural village.

120 - 200 250 0 250 500 Residential (detached and duplex dwellings)

155 <100 100 100 200 Township. Grid street pattern. Rail service.

200 1000 0 1000 200 Residential (detached high-set and low-set). Grid street pattern.

280 400 50 400 100 Residential (detached and character housing). Grid street pattern. Rail service.

142 100 Mix of attached and detached houses including row houses with rear lane access. Grid street pattern.

141 (76 to lane)

800 200 Detached housing. Grid street pattern.

200 300 100 1500 100 Detached housing. Grid street pattern. Rail service.

250 Residential and special purpose (hospital)

170 200 0 0 0 Residential (detached and some duplex)

176 100 400 1000 30 Character residential. Grid street pattern. Good street length.

284 700 500 700 Residential, conservation precinct and heritage precinct. Grid street pattern.

200 200 200 Residential and medical uses. Grid street pattern.

350 100 100 120 Detached residential, some shops and apartments. Grid street pattern.

250 500 1000 300 250 m2 lots, detached houses. Grid street pattern.

190 0 0 0 0 Detached housing with some Duplex/townhouses. Irregular street pattern including mid-block pedestrian link.

120 200 150 150 Residential and commercial in former dwellings. Grid street pattern.

157

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P5 Abbott St, New Farm Brisbane 46

P5 Gregory Terrace, Spring Hill Brisbane 55

P5 Lamington St, New Farm Brisbane 70

P5 Love Street, Bulimba Brisbane 80

P5 Main Street, Kangaroo Point Brisbane 80

P5 Cronin Ave, Main Beach Gold Coast 70

P5 Marine Parade, Labrador Gold Coast 90

P5 Mawarra Street, Chevron Island

Gold Coast 66

P5 Robert St, Mudgeeraba Gold Coast

P5 Surf Parade, Broadbeach Gold Coast 80

P5 Tedder Ave, Main Beach (A) Gold Coast 70

P5 Varsity Lakes Gold Coast

P5 Campbell Street, Woombye Sunshine Coast 100

P5 Gympie Terrace, Noosaville Sunshine Coast 120

P5 Hinkler Street, Cotton Tree Sunshine Coast 100

P5 Kawana, Double Bay Sunshine Coast 100

P5 Kingsford Smith Street, Cotton Tree

Sunshine Coast

P5 Rooke Street, Dicky Beach Sunshine Coast 60

P5 Sunshine Beach Sunshine Coast 150, 70

P5 Sydney/Maud Street, Nambour

Sunshine Coast 100

P5 Margaret St, Toowoomba Toowoomba 116 (46 to lane)

Selected resultsNeighbourhood scale

158

Blo

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ents

112 500 800 100 Detached houses and low rise apartments. Grid street pattern.

70 0 0 Row houses. Grid street pattern.

80 150 0 Detached houses and townhouses. Grid street pattern.

120 0 100 100 100 Row houses and low rise apartments. Light industry and office near Oxford Street. CityCat service.

180 0 500 0 0 High rise apartments and commercial (office, hotel). Grid street pattern. Ferry service.

180 0 80 0 Low and high rise apartments, duplex and detached dwellings.

150 0 200 200 High rise apartments, some mixed use. Modified grid.

200 20 100 20 Detached, duplex and low-rise apartments. Grid street pattern.

0 200 0 0 Residential, retail, home business, light industry. Irregular grid, some cul-de-sacs.

190 0 0 0 0 High rise apartments and tourism uses.

190 20 100 10 High rise apartments, duplex and detached dwellings. Grid street pattern.

40 200 40 40 Medium density residential, work/live units, some retail/centre uses along Varsity Parade

290 Detached houses, mixed housing (in transition). Grid street pattern. Rail service.

140 0 20 Residential, tourist, commercial/retail - ground level

170 500 20 500 Residential medium density. Grid street pattern.

240 50 29 2,000 50 Medium density, residential neighbourhood, centre

500 10 500 500 Residential, recreation uses.

170 30 100 0 30 Residential, retail, short term accommodation. Commercial. Rectangular grid.

230, 215 200 0 Street pattern reflects topography. Low rise apartments and detached dwellings.

120 100 250 250 Detached dwellings, two storey apartments, offices, public housing. Rail service.

280 500 30 500 0 Apartments, motel, café, theatre, shop, office, radio station. Character housing, eight storey apartments. Partial grid pattern.

159

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P5/6 Hastings Street, Noosa Sunshine Coast 60

P5/6 King Street, Cotton Tree Sunshine Coast 110

P6 Grey Street, South Bank Brisbane 30

P6 Tedder Ave, Main Beach (B) Gold Coast

P6 Bullcock St (Knox Ave-Minchinton St), Caloundra

Sunshine Coast 80

P7 George St, City Brisbane 90

P7 Short St, Southport Gold Coast 196 (70 to lane)

P7 Brisbane St, Ipswich Ipswich 80

P7 Duporth Avenue, Maroochydore

Sunshine Coast

P7 Ocean Street, Maroochydore Sunshine Coast 120

P7 Margaret St, Toowoomba (city centre)

Toowoomba 190 (lanes at 54m and 123m)

Selected resultsNeighbourhood scale

160

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0 400 0 200 Commercial/tourist accommodation

150 0 10 200 Neighbourhood/Local Centre. Grid street pattern.

200 0 100 0 0 Office, retail/restaurants, hotel, medium rise apartments. Mid block connections every 50-100 m. Rail and Citycat service.

0 100 0 Commercial/retail. Grid street pattern.

200 0 240 0 0 Commercial and retail uses. No residential. Single storey buildings. Traditional town centre grid.

200 0 0 0 30 Dining/retail, hotel, open space, indoor entertainment. High rise apartments. Grid street pattern with rear lanes. Multiple public transport options.

280 (196 to lane)

20 300 0 200 Commercial. Grid street pattern.

180 0 200 0 200 Commercial and retail, community hub (art gallery etc.). Grid street pattern. Rail service.

0 100 0 0 Residential, retail, commercial, restaurants. Grid street pattern.

150 150 0 150 Commercial, retail centre. Grid street pattern.

112 (52 to lane)

0 400 0 0 Retail, commercial centre. Two to three storeys. Grid street pattern, major road.

161

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Co

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P3 John St, Rosewood Ipswich 450, 6600

975

P3 Post Office St, Mapleton Sunshine Coast

500, 1170

630, 500

P3 Hume St, Pittsworth Toowoomba 1000, 2000

1200

P3 Main St, Mt Tyson Toowoomba 750, 8000

3000

P4 Gregory Blvd, Murarrie Brisbane 300, 460

300

P4 Albert St, Rosewood Ipswich 800, 1800

1,250

P4 Chubb Lane, North Ipswich

Ipswich 225, 600

400

P4 Elizabeth St, Woodend Ipswich 182, 800

600

P4 Grande Ave, Springfield Ipswich 168, 255

200

P4 Murphy St, Denmark Hill Ipswich 320, 600

400

P4 York St, East Ipswich Ipswich 650, 1800

700

P4 Blackall Terrace, Nambour

Sunshine Coast

480, 1400

480, 1900

P4 Campbell St (Grigor-Bryce St), Moffat Beach

Sunshine Coast

360, 600

400

P4 Boulton Terrace, Toowoomba

Toowoomba 400, 1200

450, 600

Number of dwellingsThe study quantifies the number and type of dwellings present in each of the 51 survey locations. It was evident that there was much greater diversity of dwelling types than might be expected. For example, 75 per cent of P4 Next Generation Suburban Neighbourhood locations include dwelling types other than detached houses (88 per cent for P5 Urban Neighbourhoods). Duplex, row house, walk-up apartments and boarding houses were all commonly observed. Duplex and secondary dwellings were also found in P3 Rural Township locations. The importance of housing diversity in these place types is underlined by the data. Medium and high rise apartments and hotels tend to be large projects, many with several hundred dwellings. P6 Centres of Activity and P7 CBDs have little housing diversity and few residential developments. However these developments were usually so large that P6 and P7 locations often have amongst the highset dwelling counts.

Estimated dwelling sizeDwelling size was estimated from aerial photography and on-site observations. Modest average dwelling sizes of 148 m2 (P4 Next Generation Suburban Neighbourhood) and 125 m2 (P5 Urban Neighbourhood) were recorded.

Range and common lot sizeLot size varies greatly across the study locations. Variety is also found across place types. Rural Townships (P3) lots are anything from 450 m2 to 1000 m2. Next Generation Suburban Neighbourhood (P4) lots are commonly less than 200 m2, ranging up to 800 m2. Similarly P5 Urban Neighbourhoods have many examples in the 200-400 m2 range. Apartment developments in P5, P6 and P7 locations have larger lots of 2000-6000 m2.

Selected resultsLot and building scale

162

Number of dwellings

Nu

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Co

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: Par

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.

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Row

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/ter

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Low

ris

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(wal

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Med

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apar

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Sec

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Loft

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6 6 1, 2 150-200

On, off-street parking. mostly long and narrow, some bigger lots for specific uses.

14 2 1 16 1, 2 110-250

On-street parking. Regular shapes and dimensions, rectangular.

20 20 1, 2 150-200

On-street angled parking on grassed lanes

10 2 12 1 Garage, on-street parking.

6 6 12 1, 2 160-250

Off-street driveway, on street indented bays one side. Small lot, conventional lot.

19 19 1, 2 180-200

Off-street stand-alone, carports at rear of property

37 37 1, 2 30-120

Off-street parking.

18 6 24 1, 2 150-200

Off-street, underneath or carport, on street parking.

9 6 15 1, 2 150-200

Garage. Rear loaded.

21 1 1, 2 100-110

Great diversity, not uniform

20 9 29 1, 2 120 On-street parking (unmarked), garage. 1 battle-axe block.

15 54 1 yes 30-35

1, 2 Off-street parking on large blocks

12 6 1 2 19 1, 3 Off-street garage/carports, detached garages some under buildings

19 30 49 1 150 On site carports, on street parking.

163

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Co

mm

on

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size

(m

2 )

P4 Campbell St, Toowoomba

Toowoomba 300, 1800

900

P4 Pitt St, Toowoomba Toowoomba 230, 780

400

P4 Russell St, Newtown Toowoomba 336, 2000

P4/5 Granville Street, West End

Brisbane 250, 300

250

P4/5 Watson Street, Currimundi

Sunshine Coast

600 675

P4/5 Cook Street, Eumundi Sunshine Coast

400, 800

800

P5 Abbott St, New Farm Brisbane 480, 1000

600

P5 Gregory Terrace, Spring Hill

Brisbane 270, 1400

270

P5 Lamington St, New Farm

Brisbane 280, 3500

300

P5 Love Street, Bulimba Brisbane 400, 6400

400

P5 Main Street, Kangaroo Point

Brisbane 400, 2250

800

P5 Cronin Ave, Main Beach

Gold Coast 525, 2340

525

P5 Marine Parade, Labrador

Gold Coast 420, 5720

Selected resultsLot and building scale

164

Number of dwellings

Nu

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s

Est

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2 )

Bu

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(sto

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)

Co

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ents

: par

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.

Det

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ed

Du

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x

Row

ho

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Low

ris

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(wal

k u

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Med

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t

Sec

on

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Loft

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23 4 7 4 6 44 1, 2 On-street, off-street garage and carport. Rectangular lots.

18 4 22 1 On-street, off-street garage/carport, laneways - garage, carport

19 2 8 60 89 1, 2 Off street (carport and garage), on street designated bays. Diverse, some large lots.

41 41 120 1, 2 On street, one street off car max. Small lots.

22 2 11 3 35 2, 4 Off-street garages, Angle parking near café, Undercover at grade garage

8 150-200

1 Off-street parking, garage, on-street along one side.

7 48 6 6 67 60-180

2, 3 Garages, carport, on-street parking.

23 22 14 59 2, 3 Rear lane garages. Small lots.

22 85 107 220 2, 8 Garage, basement, on-street, visitor. Small lots.

27 40 22 67 180 2, 3 Off-street basement, on- street one side. Small lots and community title lots.

2 5 131 138 80-100

2, 6 On-street, underground

6 10 62 80 158 100-150

1, 27 On-street informal, off street garage and informal, underground

2 5 4 218 229 100-150

2, 18 On-street, underground, garage. Very large lots.

165

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(m

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P5 Mawarra Street, Chevron Island

Gold Coast 2000 450

P5 Robert St, Mudgeeraba Gold Coast 400, 4000

P5 Surf Parade, Broadbeach

Gold Coast 625, 6900

P5 Tedder Ave, Main Beach (A)

Gold Coast 450, 3840

P5 Vasity Lakes Gold Coast 100, 240

P5 Campbell Street, Woombye

Sunshine Coast 100, 5000

1240

P5 Gympie Terrace, Noosaville

Sunshine Coast 616, 4200

P5 Hinkler Street, Cotton Tree

Sunshine Coast 150, 1300

700

P5 Kawana, Double Bay Sunshine Coast 180, 7000

P5 Kingsford Smith Street, Cotton Tree

Sunshine Coast 1000, 2200

P5 Rooke Street, Dicky Beach

Sunshine Coast 600, 4500

600

P5 Sunshine Beach Sunshine Coast

P5 Sydney / Maud Street, Nambour

Sunshine Coast 500, 2000

800

P5 Margaret St, Toowoomba

Toowoomba 450, 4050

450

Selected resultsLot and building scale

166

Number of dwellings

Nu

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s

Est

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2 )

Bu

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(sto

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)

Co

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ents

: Par

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.

Det

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Du

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x

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/ter

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Low

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(wal

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Med

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Sec

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at

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14 10 90 114 150-200

1, 4 On-street, semi-garage, underground basement

6 22 19 29 80-160

1, 2 Off street garages, on street designated and informal. Regular shape residential lots, strata titled town houses and units.

260 300 560 60-80 34 On-street, underground garage.

1 6 120 127 150-250

2, 30 On-street, underground. Community title.

6 2 29 1 yes 38 60-100

2, 3 On-street informal, off-street garage. Regular, row lots.

14 3 13 Yes 40 150-200

1, 2 Mostly off-street, minimum frontages and slope, means off-street not viable

1 2 14 8 55 150-200

2, 3 Off-street, on-street on opposite side

8 31 31 60-100

1, 4 On Street, Off Street

129 129 80-90 4 On Street, Off Street, Basement

58 58 50-100

4 On-street, Off-street

14 8 24 5 46 1, 4 Off-street in garage and Informal On-street Parking, Basement Hotel/Motel

1 3 6 15 25 2, 3 Off-street, on-street

12 yes yes yes yes 45 1, 2 On-street mostly off-street

9 50 24 47 130 1, 8 Amalgamated lots generally rectangular

167

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(m

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P5/6 Hastings Street, Noosa

Sunshine Coast

P5/6 King Street, Cotton Tree

Sunshine Coast 560, 1600

1000

P6 Grey Street, South Bank

Brisbane 5,700

P6 Tedder Ave, Main Beach (B)

Gold Coast

P6 Bullcock St (Knox Ave-Minchinton St), Caloundra

Sunshine Coast 351, 1410

351

P7 George St, City Brisbane 180, 1400

P7 Short St, Southport Gold Coast 616, 1850

P7 Brisbane St, Ipswich Ipswich 510, 4000

P7 Duporth Avenue, Maroochydore

Sunshine Coast 470, 34000

P7 Ocean Street, Maroochydore

Sunshine Coast 600, 34000

P7 Margaret St, Toowoomba (city centre)

Toowoomba 60, 2800

320

Selected resultsLot and building scale

168

Number of dwellings

Nu

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Bu

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: par

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Med

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at

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8 4 On-street/off-street driveways to northern side properties

1 26 27 50-100

6 On-street, off-street

157 157 70-100

5, 14 On-street/off-street

yes 0 0 1, 2 On-street, on roof, rear lane informal

0 1, 4 On-street parking bays between tree planters. Some private planting to rear

258 300 550 50-80

5, 30 Basement, podium and service delivery and drop off zones. Varied lot sizes.

yes 1, 5 On-street 90` both sides, off-street basement, sleeved parking at rear.

n/a 2, 3 On-street

2 338 60 400 100-400

1, 16 On-street angled, off-Street, basement parking

0 2 On-street, off-street

n/a 0 2, 3 On-street designated bays in centre of street (parallel) and side of street. Some buildings straddle multiple lots, diversity of lot size.

169

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Street reserve (m)

Car

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(m

)

Ro

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Lan

e

P3 John St, Rosewood Ipswich 20 12

P3 Post Office Street, Mapleton

Sunshine Coast

16 20 10

P3 Hume St, Pittsworth Toowoomba 29 22

P3 Main St, Mt Tyson Toowoomba 29 13

P4 Gregory Blvd, Murarrie

Brisbane 21 8.5

P4 Albert St, Rosewood

Ipswich 20 9.5

P4 Chubb Lane, North Ipswich

Ipswich 30 6

P4 Elizabeth St, Woodend

Ipswich 20 12.5

P4 Grande Ave, Springfield

Ipswich 20 5 12.5

P4 Murphy St, Denmark Hill

Ipswich 20 12.5

P4 York St, East Ipswich

Ipswich 20 12.5

P4 Blackall Terrace, Nambour

Sunshine Coast

22.2 13

Street reserve and carriagewayCommon street reserve widths are probably explained by historic reasons (e.g. 20.117m = one chain). In both P4 Next Generation Suburban and P5 Urban Neighbourhoods two common typologies emerged. A ‘local street’ typology comprises of a 7-8 m wide carriageway in a 15-20 m reserve. Wider verges were generously landscaped where found. The ‘connector street’ typology is a 12.5 m roadway in a 20 m reserve, allowing ample on-street parking and cycle lanes etc. The P6 and P7 locations require wider reserves but never more than 30 m, reflecting the increased scale of buildings and traffic. Rear lanes were not common but were found across all place types.

FootpathsFootpaths were counted and measured due to their importance for walking and cycling. All locations are well provided by footpaths. More than 60 per cent of P4 Next Generation Suburban Neighbourhood locations have two footpaths. This figure rises to 80 per cent for P5 Urban Neighbourhoods. Some P7 CBD locations include shared zones.

Kerb radiusTight kerb radii on street corners (e.g. R3-6 m) slows traffic and shortens crossing distances. Many corners across all place types were found to have such radii.

Selected resultsStreet characteristics

170

Ver

ge (

m)

No.

of

foo

tpat

hs

Foo

tpat

h (

m)

Ker

b r

adiu

s (m

)

Form

al p

edes

tria

n

cro

ssin

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Tree

sp

acin

g (

m)

Tree

hei

gh

t (m

)

Post

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Str

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Inte

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Ker

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Str

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par

kin

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4 2 1.2 3 One zebra, one protected crossing

20 4 50 Main street Four-way with give way on cross streets

Stand-up

Marked bays in parking lane

2.6, 3.5

1 1 12 None irregular 6-8 50 Connector, local street - unmarked

T-intersection Barrier and rollover

On-street, unmarked

3.5 1 0.6 12.5 None 20 10 50 Local connectors /collector

Four-way Stand-up

On-street parking lanes (grassed), garages etc

8 18 Zebra crossing at school, shop in buildouts

24 7-10 60 / 40

Rural main street

T-intersection Stand-up/ rollover

On-street parking

5 2 1.5 18.7 Uncontrolled at intersection

18 6 50 Residential street

Roundabout Flush, rollover

Unmarked 1 side + indented bay other side

4, 6.5

2 1.2 6 6 15 50 Residential with thru traffic

Rollover On-street, unmarked

0.5 0 1.2 6.5 None Four-way unsignalised

No kerb Off-street parking

3.6, 4

1 1.5 3 None 17 4 50 Residential with through traffic

Give way Stand-up

On-street, unmarked

3.5 2 1.5 6.5 Sunken pedestrian refuge in median

2.5 2 50 Collector T-intersection Rollover None on street

3, 7.5

1.2 3.5 3 4

3.5, 4.2

11 None 12 6 50 Residential street

T-interaction Stand-up

On-street, unmarked

5.2 2 1.2 None 4 50-60

Collector road

Stand-up

171

Pla

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Loca

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Street reserve (m)

Car

riag

eway

(m

)

Ro

ad

Lan

e

P4 Campbell St (Grigor-Bryce St), Moffat Beach

Sunshine Coast

20 8

P4 Boulton Terrace, Toowoomba

Toowoomba 20 12

P4 Campbell St, Toowoomba

Toowoomba 20 14

P4 Pitt St, Toowoomba

Toowoomba 17 8

P4 Russell St, Newtown

Toowoomba 20 10

P4/5 Granville Street, West End

Brisbane 10.6 7

P4/5 Watson Street, Currimundi

Sunshine Coast

20 8

P4/5 Cook Street, Eumundi

Sunshine Coast

14 10.5, 9.5

P5 Abbott St, New Farm

Brisbane 20 14

P5 Gregory Tce, Spring Hill

Brisbane 25 16.3

P5 Lamington St, New Farm

Brisbane 20 12.5

P5 Love Street, Bulimba

Brisbane 14 5.5

P5 Main Street, Kangaroo Point

Brisbane 20.9 12.9

Selected resultsStreet characteristics

172

Ver

ge (

m)

No.

of

foo

tpat

hs

Foo

tpat

h (

m)

Ker

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adiu

s (m

)

Form

al p

edes

tria

n

cro

ssin

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Tree

sp

acin

g (

m)

Tree

hei

gh

t (m

)

Post

ed s

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Str

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typ

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Inte

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Ker

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ype

Str

eet

par

kin

g

6 0 0 8 Irregular Residential Street

4-way Stop /giveway Signal

Rollover

4 20 10-12

50 Residential T-intersection Bluestone Off-street

4 2 1.2 6 Four-way intersection

20 12 100 / 50

Residential street

Signalised four-way and T-intersection

Roll-over, Stand-up; Bluestone

Indented / on-street

4, 5 0 6 20 5 50 Pitt St - residential street + 2 laneways

T-intersection Rollover Informal/ car parking on rollover kerb

4.5, 5.5

2 1.2 6 25 5 50 Connector residential

Unsignalised four-way

Standup, Bluestone

Off-street, on street bays

1.8 2 1.8 3 none 0 50 Residential Stand-up On-street single parking

6 1, 2 2 5, 10

9 6-10 Res. Street T-intersection Stand-up

3.5 6 2 50 Residential /dead end

T and four-way at end

Standup, no kerb

3.5 2 1.5 3 None 14 10 50 residential street

T-intersection Stand-up Off-street un- marked

5.5 2 2 3.6 Signalised 9.3 3 60 Sub-arterial Signalised, t-intersection

Stand-up On-street, garages

4.3 2 1.5 5 Raised pedestrian crossing

14 5 50 Residential Round about, t-intersection

Stand-up Parking lanes

5.5 2 2 7 Uncontrolled 7 4 40 Residential access street

T-intersection Rollover On-street, one side only

3.7 2 1 3 6 6 50 Collector T-intersection Stand-up Metered parking bays

173

Pla

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Loca

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Street reserve (m)

Car

riag

eway

(m

)

Ro

ad

Lan

e

P5 Cronin Ave, Main Beach

Gold Coast 15.2 8.4

P5 Marine Parade, Labrador

Gold Coast 17.5 12.5

P5 Cronin Ave, Main Beach

Gold Coast 15.2 8.4

P5 Marine Parade, Labrador

Gold Coast 17.5 12.5

P5 Mawarra Street, Chevron Island

Gold Coast 20.5 12

P5 Robert St, Mudgeeraba

Gold Coast 20 8.5

P5 Surf Avenue, Broadbeach

Gold Coast 18-22 12

P5 Tedder Ave, Main Beach (A)

Gold Coast 20 12

P5 Vasity Lakes Gold Coast 14.8 7.5

P5 Campbell Street, Woombye

Sunshine Coast

19.6 8

P5 Gympie Terrace, Noosaville

Sunshine Coast

15.5 12

Selected resultsStreet characteristics

174

Ver

ge (

m)

No.

of

foo

tpat

hs

Foo

tpat

h (

m)

Ker

b r

adiu

s (m

)

Form

al p

edes

tria

n

cro

ssin

gs

Tree

Sp

acin

g (

m)

Tree

Hei

gh

t (m

)

Post

ed s

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Str

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typ

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Inte

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tio

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Ker

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Str

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3.4 2 1.2 3 None Irregular 4 50 Residential Four-way intersection

Stand-up

On-street informal, off- street garage and informal, underground

2.5 2 2.5 3 No formal - raised intersections help

0 0 50 Collector T-intersection Stand-up

On-street, some time limited

3.4 2 1.2 3 None Irregular 4 50 Residential Four-way intersection

Stand-up

On-street informal, off street garage and informal, underground

2.5 2 2.5 3 No formal - raised intersections

0 0 50 Collector T-intersection Stand-up

On-street, some time limited

3.5, 4.5

2 1.2 5 None 15 3 50 Local Unsignalised Four-way

Stand-up

On-street unmarked

4.2, 7.2

1 1.2 6 Marked pedestrian crossing near pool at T -intersection

6 Mixed use, residential street

T-intersection Stand-up

Designated on one side only

6, 9 2 6-9 5 Three pedestrian, one traffic island

7-10 7 50 Main street Roundabout Stand-up

Metered

4 2 1.2 3 None 3 5 50 Connector Four-way Stand-up

On-street, underground

3.5, 3.8

2 1.5 6 10 10 40 Residential T-intersection Stand-up

On-street informal, off-street garage,

5.6, 6

2 1.2 10.5 40-60 8 50 Connector street/ residential street

Unsignalised Four-ways

Roll over

3.5 2 1.2-1.5

Raised/ different paving

Sub/ arterial

T-intersection Stand-up

175

Pla

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Loca

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Street reserve (m)

Car

riag

eway

(m

)

Ro

ad

Lan

e

P5 Hinkler Street, Cotton Tree

Sunshine Coast 20 11

P5 Kawana, Double Bay

Sunshine Coast 29 18

P5 Kingsford Smith Street, Cotton Tree

Sunshine Coast 20.5 10.5

P5 Rooke Street, Dicky Beach

Sunshine Coast 20 8

P5 Sunshine Beach

Sunshine Coast 18 8

P5 Sydney/Maud Street, Nambour

Sunshine Coast 18 13

P5 Margaret St, Toowoomba

Toowoomba 27 16

P5/6 Hastings Street, Noosa

Sunshine Coast 19.5 12.5

P5/6 King Street, Cotton Tree

Sunshine Coast 30 22

P6 Grey Street, South Bank

Brisbane 28

Selected resultsStreet characteristics

176

Ver

ge (

m)

No.

of

foo

tpat

hs

Foo

tpat

h (

m)

Ker

b r

adiu

s (m

)

Form

al p

edes

tria

n

cro

ssin

gs

Tree

sp

acin

g (

m)

Tree

hei

gh

t (m

)

Post

ed s

pee

d

Str

eet

typ

e

Inte

rsec

tio

n t

ypes

Ker

b t

ype

Str

eet

par

kin

g

6 2 1.8 7 2.5 4-10 50 Local T-intersectionFour-way cross, uncontrolled

Stand-up

5 2 1.5 10 Three pedestrian refuges (medium)

18 12 50 Collector Roundabouts T- intersection (left turn only)

Stand-up

5 2 1.2 9.5 16, 11, 65

5 Local T-intersection Rollover

6 1 1.2 9 11 3-5 50 Residential Street

T-intersection Stand-up

4.5, 5

1 1.5 9 3-4 50 Residential /collector

Unsignalised Stand-up

2.5 2 1.2 6 Signals - Sydney and Howard. None at Maude

40 7-10 50 Sydney - connector street. Maude - residential street

Signals Stand-up

5.5, 7.5

2 2, 2.5

8 Lindsey St - robust median breaks In middle of street safety median opposite cafes

20 20 50 Lane - Margaret - collector

Roundabout, T Intersection

Margaret St - stand-up bluestone: Bustow St stand-up concrete; Lane - nil

Laneway - some off-street

3.5, 4.5

2 3.5 Raised/ paved

7-15 6-7 Collector (cul-de-sac)

Roundabout Stand-up

3.5 2 3.5, 5

4 One zebra crossing

5 2-6 Local street T intersection Stand-up

5.2 2 5.2 9 At lights 7.2 7 Collector Roundabout Stand-up Metered

177

Pla

ce t

ypes

Loca

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ern

men

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Street reserve (m)

Car

riag

eway

(m

)

Ro

ad

Lan

e

P6 Tedder Ave, Main Beach (B)

Gold Coast 20 12

P6 Bullcock St (Knox Ave-Minchinton St), Caloundra

Sunshine Coast

20 12

P7 George St, City Brisbane 22 15

P7 Short St, Southport Gold Coast 31 11

P7 Brisbane St, Ipswich

Ipswich 16 12.5

P7 Duporth Avenue, Maroochydore

Sunshine Coast

20 8

P7 Ocean Street, Maroochydore

Sunshine Coast

20 12.5

P7 Margaret St, Toowoomba (city centre)

Toowoomba 28.6 9.3

Selected resultsStreet characteristics

178

Ver

ge (

m)

No.

of

foo

tpat

hs

Foo

tpat

h (

m)

Ker

b r

adiu

s (m

)

Form

al p

edes

tria

n

cro

ssin

gs

Tree

sp

acin

g (

m)

Tree

hei

gh

t (m

)

Post

ed s

pee

d

Str

eet

typ

e

Inte

rsec

tio

n t

ypes

Ker

b t

ype

Str

eet

par

kin

g

4 2 4 12 Informal across slow points, one zebra

3 8 50 Main street Four-way Roll over and stand up

On-street time limited, on roof, rear lane informal

4 2 4 15 Zebra crossing with kerb buildouts

30 6-7 Main Street Collector

Four-way unsignsalised, roundabout

Stand-up

7 2 6.5 4 Four-way signalised

6 - 9 20 40 Arterial, sub-arterial

Signalised, four-way, one way direction

Stand-up

9.5, 11.5

2 3.5 10 Formal zebra (crossing unsignalised). Slow moving traffic. Busy with cars and pedestrians

15-30 12 50 Local Roundabout Stand-up Metered bays on street

3.5 3.5 5.5 40 5

5-7 2 5, 7 6 Shared zone, colour paving

1-20 5-18 30 Collector Roundabout, signals

Flat with path, shared zone, standup

3.5 2 3.5 6 Shared zone length of street

8-14 6-10 10 One-way centre street

Roundabout, Signals

No kerb, Level with Footpath

6.6, 7.1

2 3.7 Signals Varied 3.5 40 Main street Signals Stand-up Painted parking bays

179

Pla

ce t

ypes

Loca

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ea

P3 John St, Rosewood Ipswich

P3 Post Office Street, Mapleton Sunshine Coast

P3 Post Office Street, Mapleton Sunshine Coast

P3 Hume St, Pittsworth Toowoomba

P4 Gregory Blvd, Murarrie Brisbane

P4 Gregory Blvd, Murarrie Brisbane

P4 Albert St, Rosewood Ipswich

P4 Chubb Lane, North Ipswich Ipswich

P4 Elizabeth St, Woodend Ipswich

P4 Grande Ave, Springfield Ipswich

P4 Murphy St, Denmark Hill Ipswich

P4 York St, East Ipswich Ipswich

P4 Blackall Terrace, Nambour Sunshine Coast

P4 Campbell St (Grigor-Bryce St), Moffat Beach

Sunshine Coast

P4 Boulton Terrace, Toowoomba Toowoomba

P4 Campbell St, Toowoomba Toowoomba

P4 Pitt St, Toowoomba Toowoomba

P4 Russell St, Newtown Toowoomba

P4/5 Granville Street, West End Brisbane

P4/5 Watson Street, Currimundi Sunshine Coast

P4/5 Cook Street, Eumundi Sunshine Coast

P5 Abbott St, New Farm Brisbane

P5 Gregory Tce, Spring Hill Brisbane

P5 Love Street, Bulimba Brisbane

P5 Love Street, Bulimba Brisbane

P5 Main Street, Kangaroo Point Brisbane

P5 Cronin Ave, Main Beach Gold Coast

Site coverSite cover is the proportion of a site covered by building(s), and has a relationship to levels of private outdoor space, stormwater infiltration, vegetation cover, and natural light and ventilation in buildings. Average site cover was relatively low in P3 (23 per cent), P4 (43 per cent), P5 (50 per cent) locations, resulting in a beneficial outcome with respect to the issues above.

Lot frontages Lot frontages are critical to streetscape character and garage location, and to efficient design and construction of housing. Frontages for residential lots of 7-20 m were common, but actual widths were inconsistent, potentially creating difficulties for transfer of housing products across planning scheme boundaries.

Backyard sizeBackyards of average 278 m2 in P4 Neighbourhoods is higher than might be expected in contemporary development. However examples included 120 m2 backyards on a 250 m2 lot in West End, Brisbane, and 120-170 m2 backyards in 450-500 m2 lots in Toowoomba, demonstrating that backyard size is more closely related to site cover and building size than lot size.

SetbacksFront, rear and side building setbacks influence private outdoor space, parking, privacy and landscaping outcomes on a lot. While front setbacks are broadly assumed to increase as urban intensity decreases, observations include 2 m and 4 m front setback in P3 locations, and frequent 3-4 m setbacks in P4 Neighbourhood sites, with 0 m front setbacks also found. An average of 3.9 m was recorded for P4, and 5.1 m for P5 Neighbourhoods. Rear setbacks averaged 15 m for P4 and 7.5 m for P5, suggesting again that larger back yards are associated with the high quality places selected for the study.

Selected resultsSite characteristics

180

Lot

size

(m

)

Sit

e co

ver

(%)

Fro

nt

setb

ack

(m)

Sid

e se

tbac

k (m

)

Rea

r se

tbac

k (m

)

Bu

ildin

g h

eig

ht

(sto

reys

)

Bac

kyar

d s

ize

(m2 )

Tree

cov

erag

e (%

)

1940 15 6 0, 8 60 1 1500 30

1200 13 2 6, 8 25 1 600 10

1200 13 4 2, 15 25 1 600 10

2275 50 7 2, 6 10 1 1050 5

250 60 4 4 0 2 24 5

400 55 4 1, 3 3 2 50 0

1800 10 6 6 60 1 1500 25

400 50 2 1, 6 8 1 80 5

650 30 5 2.5, 5 10 1 200 25

175 3 0 0 2 <10 0

480 30 0 0, 4 2 15

1512 40 6 2 35 1 840 30

1300 13 4 3, 6 50 2 50

400 60-70 3-4 0 6 2 55 0

450 40 3 2, 3.8 8 1 120 10

1125 45 5 2.4, 3.2 1.5 1 260 8

575 60 4.5 & 6 2, 3.5 5 1 50 0

510 50 4-4.5 1.2 10 1 170 10

250 40 2 1 12 1 120 15

645 40 3, 3 2 400 20

800 20 8 1.5, 5 20 2 300 5

710 40 6 0 0.7 2 0 15

300 50 5 0 7 3 0 5

68,888 55 3 4 n/a 5

6 3 2

1792 60 6 4 2 5 0 40

1050 50 7 4, 8 2 3 200 25

181

Pla

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P5 Marine Parade, Labrador Gold Coast

P5 Mawarra Street, Chevron Island Gold Coast

P5 Robert St, Mudgeeraba Gold Coast

P5 Tedder Ave, Main Beach (A) Gold Coast

P5 Varsity Lakes Gold Coast

P5 Campbell Street, Woombye Sunshine Coast

P5 Campbell Street, Woombye Sunshine Coast

P5 Gympie Terrace, Noosaville Sunshine Coast

P5 Gympie Terrace, Noosaville Sunshine Coast

P5 Rooke Street, Dicky Beach Sunshine Coast

P5 Sunshine Beach Sunshine Coast

P5 Sydney / Maud Street, Nambour Sunshine Coast

P5 Sydney / Maud Street, Nambour Sunshine Coast

P5 Margaret St, Toowoomba Toowoomba

P5 Margaret St, Toowoomba Toowoomba

P5/6 Hastings Street, Noosa Sunshine Coast

P5/6 Hastings Street, Noosa Sunshine Coast

P5/6 King Street, Cotton Tree Sunshine Coast

P6 Grey Street, South Bank Brisbane

P6 Bullcock St (Knox Ave-Minchinton St), Caloundra

Sunshine Coast

P7 Brisbane St, Ipswich Ipswich

P7 Duporth Avenue, Maroochydore Sunshine Coast

P7 Ocean Street, Maroochydore Sunshine Coast

P7 Margaret St, Toowoomba (CBD) Toowoomba

Selected resultsSite characteristics

182

Lot

size

(m

)

Sit

e co

ver

(%)

Fro

nt

setb

ack

(m)

Sid

e se

tbac

k (m

)

Rea

r se

tbac

k (m

)

Bu

ildin

g h

eig

ht

(sto

reys

)

Bac

kyar

d s

ize

(m2 )

Tree

cov

erag

e (%

)

2520 80 8 8, 20 10 16 10

480 35 10 1, 2 5 2 37.5 10

1200 20 0 0.5, 3 22 1 440

3840 40 15 15, 20 10 30 500 30

240 90 3.5 0, 1 0 2 0

600 45 6 2, 6 2

510 40 6 2, 7 6 1 15

12000 40 0-6 3 6 3 resort pool 15

2200 30 6 3 3 3 communal 5

600 40 5 1, 5 8 2 160 30

300 80 4.5-6 1.5, 2 3 2 20 0

800 30 15 150 5 to 10

750 40 1.5, 2.5 1.8 12 2 240 15

4125 50 6 500 5

4125 50 4.5 4.5, 6 6 2 500 5

600 80 0 2 6 4 72 1

7800 80 2 3 6 4 1

1000 80 0 1 0-6 2 10

5,700 100 0 0 0 5 0 0

555 70 0 0 20 2 100 0

300 80 0 0, 1.2 0 5 0

2800 75 0 0 0 12 0 0

600 90 0 0 2 2 20 0

420 90 0 0 3.3 2 0 0

183

References and further reading

Australian Bureau of Statistics (2005), 1301.0 - Australian Home Size is Growing, ABS: Canberra, available at http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/Previousproducts/1301.0Feature%20Article262005?opendocument&tabname=Summary&prodno=1301.0&issue=2005&num=&view=#

City of Melbourne (2009), Transforming Australian Cities, City of Melbourne: Melbourne, available at http://www.melbourne.vic.gov.au/AboutMelbourne/Statistics/Documents/Transforming CitiesMay2010.pdf

Commonwealth Government (1997), Australian Model Code for Residential development (AMCORD), Commonwealth Government: Canberra, available at http://www.lgpmcouncil.gov.au/publications/files/amcord.pdf

Congress for New Urbanism, Natural Resources Defence Council (NRDC) and the US Green Building Council (US GBD) (2009), LEED 2009 for Neighbourhood Development, US GBD: Washington, available at http://www.usgbc.org/DisplayPage.aspx?CMSPageID=1970

Delfin Lend Lease and Ipswich City Council (2007), Springfield Lakes Design Manual (Implementation Guideline No.17, Ipswich Planning Scheme), Ipswich City Council, available athttp://pdonline.ipswich.qld.gov.au/pdonline/user/scheme/default.aspx?page=scheme

The Springfield Lakes Design Manual informed many of the street design principles included in this handbook.

Duany Plater-Zyberk & Company (DPZ) (2002), Introduction To The Special Issue Dedicated To The Transect, Journal of Urban Design, pp.1-11. Available at: http://www.dpz.com/pdf/03_Journal_of_Urban_Design.pdf DPZ (2003), Smart Code Version 9.2, The Town Paper: USA, available at http://www.smartcodecentral.com/smartfilesv9_2.html

Duany. A, Speck. J, and Lydon. M (2010), The Smart Growth Manual 2010, McGraw-Hill : New York

The Smart Growth Manual inspired the authors of this handbook in a number of ways. First, the manual is one of the clearest and most readable guidelines of its kind. Second, it informed the format and structure of this handbook considerably. The manual also examines many similar planning and design concepts to this handbook, which provided an invaluable cross reference when undertaking the SEQ research.

Grand Valley Metro Council (2003), Form Based Code Study, Grand Valley Metro Council: Michigan, available at http://www.gvmc.org/landuse/formbasedcode.shtml

The methodology of this American study proved to be insightful in the development of the SEQ research.

184

Hall. T, (2010), The Life and Death of the Australian Backyard, CSIRO Publishing: Brisbane

Hurley, J & Brown, N (2009), Affordable Housing Policy Guide – Smart Code Module, Hurley-Frank & Associates: Philadelphia

Institute of Public Works Engineering Australia (IPWEA) 2010, Complete Streets: Guidelines for urban street design, IPWEA and Bayfield printing: Brisbane, available at http://www.ipwea.org.au/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Queensland_Publications

Complete Streets informed many of the street design principles included in this handbook.

Institute of Public Works Engineering Australia (IPWEA) (2007), The Queensland Urban Drainage Manual, IPWEA: Brisbane, available at http://www.derm.qld.gov.au/water/regulation/flood_risk_management.html

Institute of Municipal Engineering Australia (IMEA) (1993), Queensland Streets: Design Guidelines for Subdivisional Streetworks, Go Print: Brisbane

Queensland Streets has recently been modernised to integrate with many of the planning principles espoused in this handbook. Its replacement is Complete Streets.

Ipswich City Council (2009), draft Traditional Neighbourhood Design Code, Ipswich City Council: Ipswich

Queensland Government (Department of Communities) (2005a), What is affordable housing, Queensland Government: Brisbane, available at, http://www.public-housing.qld.gov.au/partnerships/affordable/whatis.htm

Queensland Government (Department of Local Government, Planning, Sport and Recreation) (2005b), South East Queensland Regional Plan 2005-2026, Queensland Government: Brisbane, available at http://www.dip.qld.gov.au/regional-planning/seq-regional-plan-2005-26.html

Queensland Government (Department of Local Government and Planning) (1997a), Queensland Residential Design Guidelines, Queensland Government: Brisbane

Queensland Government (Department of Transport and Main Roads) (1997b), Shaping Up, Queensland Government: Brisbane, available at http://www.tmr.qld.gov.au/Projects/Name/S/Shaping-Up.aspx

Queensland Government (Department of Transport and Main Roads) (1997c), South East Queensland Integrated Regional Transport Plan 1997, Queensland Government: Brisbane, available at http://www.tmr.qld.gov.au/Projects/Name/S/South-East-Queensland-Integrated-Regional-Transport-Plan-1997.aspx

185

Queensland Government (Department of Infrastructure and Planning) (2009a), South East Queensland Regional Plan 2009-2031 (SEQ Regional Plan), Queensland Government: Brisbane, available at http://www.dip.qld.gov.au/regional-planning/regional-plan.html

This handbook fulfils one of the programs of the SEQ Regional Plan (referenced in section 8.3.6 Urban character and design and 8.5.7 Housing choice and affordability) to prepare a “Model Code for Smart Growth”.

Queensland Government (Department of Infrastructure and Planning) (2009b), South East Queensland Regional Plan 2009-2031, Implementation Guideline No. 7 Water Sensitive Urban Design - Design Objectives for Urban Stormwater Management, Queensland Government, Brisbane, available at http://www.dip.qld.gov.au/resources/guideline/final-wsud-guideline-pdf-11-11-09.pdf

Queensland Government (2009c), The Sustainable Planning Act 2009, Queensland Government, Brisbane, available at http://www.legislation.qld.gov.au/LEGISLTN/ACTS/2009/09AC036.pdf

Queensland Government (Office of Queensland Parliamentary Council) (2009d), Transport Operations (Road Use Management—Road Rules) Regulation 2009, Queensland Government: Brisbane, available at http://www.legislation.qld.gov.au/LEGISLTN/CURRENT/T/TrantOpRURR09.pdf

Queensland Government (Department of Infrastructure and Planning) (2010a), Queensland Development Code, Queensland Government: Brisbane, available at , http://www.dip.qld.gov.au/building-laws/queensland-development-code.html

The QDC, particularly parts MP1.1, MP1.2 and MP1.3, provide a standard set of parameters for the design and siting of detached houses and duplexes. However, many of these standards, for example setbacks, are subject to local variations through planning schemes. The QDC then provides a link between planning and building legislation. Scheme drafters using provisions in this handbook must ensure that codes are drafted in a way that satisfies relevant legislation when varying applicable standards of the QDC. Department of Local Government and Planning can provide advice on this matter as required.

Queensland Government (Department of Infrastructure and Planning) (2010b), Queensland Planning Provisions (version 2), Queensland Government: Brisbane, available at http://www.dip.qld.gov.au/qpp

The Queensland Planning Provisions (QPP) is a State Planning Instrument that provides a consistent form and structure for local government planning schemes. QPP language has been used where appropriate in the handbook to ensure easy application of the concepts into planning schemes.

References and further reading

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Queensland Government (Department of Infrastructure and Planning) (2010c), South East Queensland Infrastructure Plan and Program 2010-2031, Queensland Government: Brisbane, available at http://www.dip.qld.gov.au/resources/plan/SEQIPP/dip-seqipp-10.pdf

Queensland Government (Department of Infrastructure and Planning) (2010d), State Planning Policy 4/10, Healthy Waters, Queensland Government, Brisbane, available at http://www.derm.qld.gov.au/environmental_management/water/environmental_values_environmental_protection_water_policy/pdf/spp-healthy-waters.pdf

Queensland Government (Department of Infrastructure and Planning) (2010e), Transit Oriented Development Guide, Queensland Government: Brisbane available at http://www.dip.qld.gov.au/resources/guideline/tod/tod-guide.pdf

The recently published TOD guidelines provide detailed guidance for practitioners on the planning, community development and technical aspects of TODs. This handbook is closely related to the policies and desired outcomes of the TOD guidelines. Where the documents diverge is in this handbook’s focus on broad strategic planning techniques and on” lower scale” development forms (such as detached houses and row houses), whereas the TOD guidelines provide a greater focus on development forms of a higher intensity.

Queensland Government (Department of Transport and Main Roads) (2010f), Draft Connecting SEQ 2031: An Integrated Regional Transport Plan for South East Queensland, Queensland Government: Brisbane, available at http://www.tmr.qld.gov.au/Projects/Name/C/Connecting-SEQ-2031.aspx

Queensland Government (Office of Economic and Statistical Research) (2010g), Household and Dwelling Projections Queensland local government areas 2006-2031, Queensland Government, Brisbane, available at http://www.oesr.qld.gov.au/products/publications/household-dwel-proj-qld-lga/household-dwel-proj-qld-lga-2010.pdf

Queensland University of Technology (Centre for Subtropical Design) (2010a), Subtropical Design in South East Queensland - A Handbook for Planners, Developers and Decision Makers, QUT: Brisbane, available at http://www.subtropicaldesign.org.au

Queensland University of Technology (2010b), High Density Liveability Guide, Queensland University of Technology: Brisbane, available at, http://www.highdensityliveability.org.au/about.php

Richards, P (2008), A Transect of Urban Settlement types – The Transect, Smart Code and Urban Structure, Deicke Richards: Brisbane available at http://www.deickerichards.com.au/assets/Research/The-Transect-of-Urban-Settlement-Types.pdf

Sunshine Coast Regional Council (2010), Affordable Living Strategy, Sunshine Coast Regional Council: Caloundra, available at http://www.sunshinecoast.qld.gov.au/addfiles/documents/opof/affordable_living/affordable_living_strategy.pdf

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Tupicoff, G (2010), Self Assessable Multi Units - Easy, Queensland Planner, June 2010 vol. 50, no.2, pp. 1-20

Urban Design Alliance (UDAL) (2008), Queensland Streets (pamphlet), UDAL: Brisbane

Urban Land Development Authority (2010a), Residential 30: Guideline to Deliver Diversity in New Neighbourhood Development, ULDA: Brisbane, available at http://www.ulda.qld.gov.au/01_cms/details.asp?ID=157

This guideline is an important milestone in residential design and development in Queensland and this handbook further develops and references many of the concepts outlines in Residential 30.

Urban Land Development Authority (2010b), Practice note no. 1 – Housing Diversity, ULDA: Brisbane, available at http://www.ulda.qld.gov.au/01_cms/details.asp?ID=157

Welsh Assembly Government (Department for Transport) (2007), Manual for Streets, Thomas Telford Publishing, London, available at http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/sustainable/manforstreets/pdfmanforstreets.pdf

Western Australian Planning Commission (WAPC) (2007), Liveable neighbourhoods, WAPC: Perth available at http://www.planning.wa.gov.au/Plans+and+policies/Publications/1594.aspx

Images

Courtesy of Council of Mayors (SEQ) and Queensland Government

References and further reading

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Glossary

Term Definition

Affordable housing Accommodation that is appropriate for low income households in terms of size, standards, and access to services and facilities. Households in need of affordable housing are often defined to include those in the lowest 40% of the income distribution whose housing costs (rent or mortgage payments) exceed 30% of gross income (Queensland Government, 2005a).

Affordable living Holistic approach to direct and indirect costs associated with not only housing but lifestyles as well. It considers the way in which we live and move around, the resources we use and the wellbeing of our existing and future communities (Sunshine Coast Regional Council, 2010).

Carriageway The section of the street that is predominately used for the movement or parking of vehicles, and is measured from kerb to opposite kerb (IPWEA, 2010).

Cross ventilation Occurs when there is an opening at either end of a building, allowing natural airflow across the space (QUT, 2010b).

Form-based codes Place an emphasis on the physical form of buildings and infrastructure, and use graphics to clearly articulate the required form of new development.

Housing affordability Housing affordability is commonly interpreted to mean direct costs of buying or renting housing, for this reason we prefer Affordable Living.

Private open space Private open space relates to an outdoor space for the exclusive use of occupants of a building (QPP Definition - Queensland Government, 2010b).

Public open space Public open space relates to outdoor spaces that are generally accessible to the community and provide for a range of sport, recreation, cultural, entertainment or leisure pursuits (QPP Definition - Queensland Government, 2010b).

Queensland Planning Provisions (QPP)

The Queensland Planning Provisions are the standard planning scheme provisions made by the Minister under the Sustainable Planning Act 2009. The provisions provide a consistent format and structure for local government planning schemes across Queensland (Queensland Government, 2010b).

Rear lanes A narrow access way or lane situated at the rear of a residential lot, and used for vehicle access and servicing. In residential areas, garages are usually accessed from rear lanes.

Rear loaded houses Dwellings that have garage access located off a rear lane or rear street. Non-residential uses can also be rear loaded.

Regional plans At the regional scale, regional plans are a statutory planning instrument that identify the desired future spatial structure of the region including land use pattern and infrastructure as well as identifying key regional environmental, economic and culture resources to be preserved, maintained and developed.

Setback The shortest distance measured horizontally from the wall or balustrade of a building or structure to the vertical projection of the boundary of the lot (QPP Definition - Queensland Government, 2010b).

SEQ place model Describes a progression (or transect) of natural and human habitats identified in this study of quality SEQ places. These place types range from natural places, rural places, rural townships, next generation suburban neighbourhoods, urban neighbourhood, centres of activity, CBDs and specific use places. This model is useful for sub-regional, district and local planning areas.

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Shared zones An area where pedestrians, cyclists and vehicles share the same road space. Vehicles and cyclists must give way to pedestrians and must not drive faster than the km/h speed shown in the circle between this sign and the next end shared zone sign (Queensland Government, 2009d).

Site cover Is the proportion of the site covered by buildings (QPP Definition - Queensland Government, 2010b).

Smart growth A planning agenda that attempts to prevent urban sprawl. Smart growth requires a more efficient use of land by redeveloping older and under-used areas that are suitable and ready for renewal (Queensland Government, 2009a).

Storey Means the space within a building which is situated between one floor level and the floor level next above, or if there is no floor above, the ceiling above. For the purposes of this definition a basement and a mezzanine is a storey (QPP Definition - Queensland Government, 2010b).

Street reserve The full width from property boundary to opposite property boundary which includes the street carriageway, verge, footpath and landscape strip.

Streetscape The collective combination of urban form elements that constitute the view of a street and its public and private domains. These elements include buildings, roads, footpaths, vegetation, open spaces and street furniture (QPP Definition - Queensland Government, 2010b).

Strategic planning Involves the preparation of plans and strategies describing future aspirations for communities and their natural and built environment, and how to realise them. Strategic planning is undertaken at various scales, from statewide and regional, to district and local with a medium to long term planning horizon. Strategic plans coordinate and balance different interests and foster informed decision making.

Sustainability (ecological sustainability)

A balance that integrates the protection of ecological processes and natural systems at local, regional, State and wider levels; economic development; and maintenance of the cultural, economic, physical and social wellbeing of people and communities (Queensland Government, 2009c).

Synoptic surveys An in depth analysis of existing sites and localities which includes collecting quantitative and qualitative data covering topics such as neighbourhoods, streets, buildings and landscape design.

Transit oriented development

A planning concept that promotes the creation of well-designed and sustainable urban communities focussed around public transport stations. These communities incorporate a mix of residential, employment and retail all within a comfortable walk of established or planned rail and busway stations (Queensland Government, 2010e).

Water Sensitive Urban Design

A planning and design approach that integrates water cycle management into the built form of houses, allotments, streets, suburbs and master planned communities (Queensland Government, 2009b).

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Acknowledgements

Next Generation Planning was jointly prepared by:

- Council of Mayors (SEQ) and

- Queensland Government (Growth Management Queensland)

Funding from: - Australian Government

(Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities), Housing Affordability Fund (HAF).

The research stage of the project was undertaken with the generous assistance of:

- Sunshine Coast Regional Council

- Toowoomba Regional Council

- Ipswich City Council

- Gold Coast City Council

- Brisbane City Council

Consultant team: - Buckley Vann Town Planning Consultants

- Deicke Richards

The project team also acknowledges the oversight and guidance of the NGP Advisory Panel, and assistance of Council officers and industry representatives too numerous to mention who provided advice and feedback, at both the research and the drafting stages of the project.