'Big error' discovered in Aussie city’s new housing plan
A bold plan to make it easier to buy homes in Melbourne could come with a massive trade-off, an expert is warning.
A bold plan to make it easier to build homes in an Australian capital contains a “big error”, a leading planning expert has warned. Red tape will be removed to make subdivisions “easier”, the city’s urban fringe will be expanded, and high-rise buildings will be permitted around train stations.
It’s part of an admirable plan by Victoria’s state government to help millennials buy homes. “I consider that to be the fight of my life,” Premier Jacinta Allan told the Melbourne Press Club last week.
But on Monday, urban planning expert Professor Sarah Bekessy said the government’s new property announcements have problems that will impact people, the climate and wildlife.
“None of them are actually good for nature... I think it's been a missing topic in all the discussions,” she told Yahoo News.
“We know that people's health and wellbeing are critically dependent on having access to nature, and most of so many of our threatened species occur in and around cities, so we do need to have it as part of the discussion.”
Need to know more about our changing planet? 🦖🦤🐨 Subscribe to our newsletter.
There's no doubt Melbourne is doing better than other states at keeping house prices down.
In Sydney, millennials who haven't already bought a home, or don't have access to family wealth are essentially locked out of the market, or forced to buy in the outer suburbs. Houses in Melbourne are over 40 per cent cheaper than in Sydney, and the city leads the way in affordability over Canberra and Brisbane too.
But as Melbourne continues to announce new policies that make the dream of home ownership more accessible, will the city that once called itself "the garden state" lose its quality of living?
How we can provide more housing and keep green spaces
Bekessy is a professor of sustainability and urban planning at RMIT and a lead councillor of the Biodiversity Council, and she welcomes the discussion around providing affordable housing. But she thinks there are better solutions.
She believes answers can be found in Berlin which has a similar population density to Melbourne.
“You’ve got buildings that are four to six stories, and you've got a semi-private courtyard. You can all go down there and let your kids play while you have a gin and tonic. And it's really lovely,” she said.
Unlike Sydney, the city of Melbourne has already lost its kookaburras because the hollow-bearing trees they require to nest in have been destroyed. If shrubs and trees are removed from backyards common species like wattlebirds, magpies and lorikeets may also vanish.
If houses were replaced with low-rise apartment buildings, rather than townhouses, the green spaces that provide sanctuary to wildlife could be preserved. Unlike townhouses, which generally lack gardens, these larger communal spaces could also bring neighbours together outdoors.
“I realise the need to have more houses, but I think we're just making big errors in not considering biodiversity in nature as part of our decision-making process, Bekessy said.
Why destruction of backyards could drive up energy costs
Less green space also creates a hotter city. Concrete, asphalt and roofing all absorb solar radiation which increases the temperature, and keeps houses hotter at night, and results in higher power bills as we try to regulate the temperature inside.
“For a long time now, we've known that cities are going to be sweltering hell holes under climate change unless we get real about having a proper urban forest. It's such a backward step to say that we can now get rid of everyone's backyards for housing,” Bekessy said.
When it comes to building high, Bekessy worries the plan will further divorce residents from nature, and cost more to operate because they are “energy inefficient”.
“Imagine being at the top of a 20-story building — they can't even see birds flying past,” she said.
“For both people and nature, you’re better off having an urban form that allows community, connection to streetscape, and connection to nature.”
Love Australia's weird and wonderful environment? 🐊🦘😳 Get our new newsletter showcasing the week’s best stories.