Governments Involvement in Land Planning Policy in Australia - Essay Example

Government’s Involvement in Land Planning Policy in Australia (Student’s Name) (Student’s Number) (Institution) (Course) (Module Name and Number) (Tutor’s Name) 1st September 2009 Land planning and administration is a sensitive issue in Australia. The process has developed from the Torrens system to more competent models. Environmental conservation and changing population trends have necessitated more comprehensive processes in the formulation of land development and settlement polices. Due to the different levels of governments in Australia, the process requires a lot of consultation between the different levels and consultation with stakeholders such as Department of Environmental Conservation, special interest groups among others. However, the bulk of the planning is carried out by the government. This paper will investigate what the government seeks to achieve through land planning and at the same time evaluate the considerations made in formulating such polices drawing support from existing literature on the topic and from empirical cases. Land as a natural resource requires effective management in order to reap the benefits. An effective land planning policy is based on appropriate land information infrastructures that include cadastral and topographic datasets and present access to complete and latest data concerning the built and natural surroundings (Enemark, Williamson & Wallace, 2005). Whitehouse (1993) quotes former Local Government Minister J.J. Cahill who described planning as an “attempt to regulate, in advance the orderly arrangement and use of land in town and country,.. to enable people enjoy the benefits of social security, good health, recreation, shelter, public utilities and amenities.” (p. 2). Therefore, it can be deduced that these are some of the things that that the government seeks to achieve through planning from a political point of view. Basic needs in land policy and planning in Australia are aimed at ensuring environmental, economic and social sustainability faced with the challenges of global economic restructuring and environmental degradation on a large scale (Williams, 2001. p. 73). Again population growth and economic growth has seen the increased in the development of urban and suburban areas thereby exerting more pressure on the environment and even the government in the provision of housing and public social facilities. Williams (2001, p. 74) says that “there is an integral relationship between sustainability issues and population patterns in Australia that frames the specific nature of challenges faced by Australia planners.” He says that these sustainability issues are best managed by urban governance and management structures though the context of urban in this case is not limited to cities but also includes governance and management of human development activities both in urban and rural areas. The management of these areas is closely linked with the different levels of government aligned to the level of control and power as spelt out in the constitution. As such, it is clear that there is no blanket urban planning policy that fits all areas. However, be it the federal, territorial or local government, there are common similarities in the objectives for such planning policies. Urban planning has a number of aspects that governments have to put in consideration in developing a viable planning policy. Such aspects include proper management of waste and sewage, environmental conservation, availability of affordable housing among others. Williams (2001, p. 76) says that the federal government through the Urban and Regional Department initiated a range of policies pertaining to urban development such as funding the management of waste disposal. Another thing that government seeks to achieve is the provision of affordable housing more so targeted at the low income earners who are naturally strained by the prevailing house prices in the housing market. Such a policy is evident by the federal government purchase of land in the Glebe area in Sydney which was aimed to ensure the supply of low priced houses in the inner parts of the city (Willimas, p. 76). Naturally, market forces tend to discriminate the poor who are relegated to outskirts of the city where housing is cheap. Williams (2001, p. 76) writes that the federal government was also involved in the provision of cheap housing to the low income earners through the Building Better Cities program between 1991 and 1996. This program not only concentrated on housing but also on environmental conservation projects and city revitalization that also sought to provide employment. Troy (2004) says that need to separate residential, commercial and industrial activities was the core factor that gave rise to urban and town planning soon after WWII. The provision of housing needs by governments has been heavily intertwined with property management in Australia and all over the world. Community housing organizations have sprouted in the country where in collaboration with the government at different levels provide affordable housing that works hand in hand with PM Rudd government’s national rental affordability scheme. The Scheme has been involved with allocating land for development of cheap housing by a number of not-for-profit community housing organizations such as the Community Housing Limited (CHL). The project aims to cover the deficit of 500 000 plus property deficit in the rent category. In order to make the houses affordable, the scheme offers the houses at 20% below the market rent price (Phillips, 2008). Government’s involvement in planning and the formulation of planning policy is more than just meets the eye. In the early 1990’s, the amalgamation of local councils such as in Victoria where they were reduced from 210 to 78 by 1997, gave the federal government more control in the planning and development of urban areas. Williams (2001) say this was in an effort to create organized cities that would attract investors. He says that the government’s involvement was to achieve a globalization objective whereby not only did the urban and regional planning fit the purposes of the residents but also of foreigners in the wake of globalization. The amalgamation of local councils consolidated power to one central point that would have more control in ensuring the global acceptance of the development and planning agenda in Australia to the whole world. These reforms would also remove bureaucracy and planning red tape that would prove a strong case for investors. This is proof of what Gleeson and Low (p.29) say that spatial planning is the foundation of social democratic improvement. They (Gleeson and Low, 2000) also subscribe to the Rawlsian philosophy as quoted from Stretton (1970, cap 2) which advocates that “city planning cannot be separated from general economic policy.” Gleson and Low (2000, p. 29) argue that the Australian federal involvement in planning policy is not a recent event. They document the government’s involvement in planning policy as early as during the World War II. They say that for the purposes of reconstruction “the Commonwealth government accepted responsibility for housing policy, and especially for low-income housing.” (Gleson & Low 2001, p. 30). They add that, this initiative was basically aimed at long term encouragement to home ownership as a way of ensuring a general level of economic and environmental welfare for working class and middle class Australians. Thompsom (2007, p. 3) say that this government encouragement of home ownership evolved into the Long Boom of the 1950’s and 1960’s where around 70% of households in Australia’s major cities owned homes or were in the process of buying one. However, at this time, the cities had very little high density except for Sydney which had a relatively higher density. The federal government has been involved in the creation of development corporations and redevelopment authorities. Gleson and Low (p. 38) say that this is aimed at creating high density urban and suburban residential areas and still maintaining industrial areas in their respective and even ensuring there is enough space for future expansion. The Bassendean town planning strategy is one of the numerous land planning polices adopted by local governments. The town is located 10km North East of Perth Central Area commonly regarded as a metropolitan are of Perth. Bassendean is predominantly an urban to suburban development area with a number of recreational areas along Swan River and a number of Industries on the Western side along the Eastern railway line. The planning policy in this town focuses on three main areas; population and housing, industry and commerce. Each area of focus has a sub plan with a number of guidelines, objectives and strategies put in place (Bessendean plan). One of the industrial objectives as outlined in the planning policy is “to retain the Bassendean Industrial area as true industrial area incorporating a mix of industrial land uses including core industrial activity warehousing, transport industries, service industry, showroom and office,” (Bassendean Plan). Thompson (2007) and Collits (2007) say that a government planning policy has to ensure that there is logical distribution of land between industries, urban developments and residential areas. In most town mapping, Collits (2007) says that industries have to be located a distance from the central business area into industrial regions and even residential areas situated further aware. He says that this allows efficient provision of public facilities suited for each area. He gives a very relevant example in the provision of garbage collection services. He says that anyone residing in the industrial area will is likely not to be served effectively wit this services where else serving the households in a secluded part of the city would be expensive and inconvenient to the local authority. The Bassendean town as a case in point has also incorporated a commercial strategy in recognition of the town as a major centre in the municipality. The Commercial planning strategy aims at maintaining the town as the commercial, retail and civic center for the municipality and hence its growth is more paramount than other towns in the municipality. In particular, the development policy seeks to promote and facilitate the revitalization of the traditional main street pedestrian based commercial retail precinct. The growth of the town as a commercial center will also stimulate housing development in the area. In the long run, the policy might also achieve what the federal government seeks to achieve in encouraging high density settlement (Bessendean plan). The whole plan has also to incorporate the population and housing objectives of the town’s policy. As a metropolitan area of Perth, the town is expected to observe the metropolitan planning policy. For instance, the Bush Forever policy has already identified specific areas for conservation such as parks and recreational areas and hence the Bassendean Town planning Policy cannot overlook such rulings. The Bassendean policy in particular encourages denser housing to enhance efficiency and add economic weight in the provision of some services. As such, the plan encourages residents to embrace different housing types and increase accessibility within the residential areas. Interestingly, the Bassendean area seems to attract older members of the society given that the area has an average age of 37 years as compared to Perth’s metropolitan average of 33 years. Consequently, the area has been experiencing lower than anticipated population growth since 2001. Therefore, both the Perth metropolitan and Bassendean land planning policy should encompass all these considerations in drafting a land use policy (Bassendean plan, 2008). For instance, Enemark et al (2005) argue that the demographics determine the development of recreational and social facilities. In general, Troy (2004) summarizes considerations into a question “How economically viable is the planning policy, it social implication and acceptability and how sustainable is the policy?” Collits (2007) on the other hand notes that metropolitan planning and urban planning face opposition from regional planning. He thus argues that the current land planning policy might be viewed to be unsuccessful. Far away form this, the Australia planning policy seems to have achieved considerable success. There is more environmental awareness as depicted by various planning polices that lay a lot of emphasis on recreational and conservation areas. Again, high density settlements reduce human encroachment on natural lands. References Enemark, S. Williamson, I. & Wallace, J. (2005) Building Modern Land Administration Systems in Developed Economies, Spatial Science Journal, Vol 50. No. 2 Gleeson, B. & Low, N. 2000 Australian urban planning: new challenges, new agendas, Sydney: Allen & Unwin Phillips, M. (2008) “Cheap Housing under way” The Australian Financial Review Thu March 28th Thompson, S. (2007). Planning Australia: an overview of urban and regional planning, Sydney: Cambridge University Press Town of Bassendean: Local Planning Strategy (2008). (Accessed on 30th august from) http://www.planning.wa.gov.au/The+planning+system/Region+schemes/local+planning+strategies/default.aspx Troy, P. (2004). The Structure and Form of the Australian City: Prospects for Improved Urban Planning, Urban Policy Program Issues Paper 1 May 2004, Griffith University (Accessed on 30th august from) http://www.griffith.edu.au/_data/assets/pdf_file/0006/48561/urp-ip01-troy-2004.pdf Whitehouse, J. (1993) The relationship between mining and planning law in NSW Presented as a Mining law short course, conducted by Key center for mines, 12-16 July 1993. Williams, P. (2001) Government , people and politics, in Thomsons (Ed) Planning Australia: An overview of urban regional planning Cambridge University Press, Port Melbourne, p 29- 48 Read More