Michael Richardson M.P. Member for the Hills
2020
Part Five
housing or for their various activities in urban areas." 19
No reason, that is, except that successive governments have decreed it should be so.
Surely freedom of choice also includes the right to own a free-standing home on a leafy
quarter-acre block and surrounded by similar homes - the Hills lifestyle - without the
threat of developers carving up the neighbourhood for dual occupancies or townhouses? Or
is every part of Sydney to become the same?
RECOMMENDATION NINE: The NSW Government should recognise that the desire to live
in a detached house on a quarter-acre block of land among similar houses is a legitimate
aspiration of many Australians.
Nevertheless, many of the precepts of the new urbanism are appropriate for the newly
developing suburbs at Rouse Hill. Connectivity is the buzz word. Simple grid patterns,
like those in Sydney's Inner West, are not the ideal solution. They lead to the creation
of 'rat-runs', as frustrated motorists attempt to avoid choke-points by running down back
streets. Philip Langdon20 suggests a range of alternative strategies, including
a grid pattern with T intersections that discourage through traffic from using minor
roads, and more random arrangements to conform with irregular topography. He describes
these as 'networks'. Connectivity is also about ease of access to shops, to schools, to
public transport, to employment. A straight residential road might be closed off to
vehicles at its centre to improve residential amenity, but there should be a footpath to
encourage pedestrian traffic. Walkways must be sociable places; those bounded by walls and
paling fences tend to become threatening places defaced with graffiti. Short blocks and
frequent intersections encourage walking because boredom is reduced and the pedestrian
feels he or she is constantly making progress.
Figure 12: Some alternatives to the basic 'noughts and
crosses' grid pattern (after Philip Langdon)
19 Ibid, p.30.
20 philip Langdon, A Better Place to Live, University of Massachusetts Press
1994, p.124
Hornsby Shire Council has a strong commitment to building and maintaining footpaths in
most areas. Baulkham Hills Shire Council, on the other hand, encourages front lawns which
flow across the nature strip out to the kerb. This inevitably forces pedestrians onto the
roadway, creating safety problems and discouraging walking. Footpaths which provide safe
routes for children to walk to school and for adults to access shops and the post office
should be mandatory in all new subdivisions (and progressively retrofitted to old).
Coupled with streets which connect, creating direct routes from Point A to Point B, and
the bikeways recommended in REP 19 and provided for in BHSC's DCPs for the RHDA, they will
go a long way towards decreasing dependency on the motor car and increasing the sense of
community. With safety routes identified, children will be able to walk to school rather
than be chauffeured, improving their health and independence and enhancing the local
environment.
RECOMMENDATION TEN: Planning for the RHDA should incorporate many of the
principles of the "new urbanism", including the re-introduction of grid pattern
subdivisions, and connectivity between areas to encourage pedestrian traffic and public
transport usage.
RECOMMENDATION ELEVEN: Safety routes, including the construction of footpaths where
necessary, should be created around schools throughout the Hills.
There is no question that appropriate planning can help build communities. The street in
which I live is a dead end to cars but boasts footpaths and a pedestrian walkway: couples
frequently take advantage of daylight saving to go for an evening stroll, and exchange
greetings. The triangular shaped
blocks in circular cul-de-sacs, on the other hand, make the houses and their driveways
closer together than is desirable, enforcing familiarity, regardless of the relationship
between neighbours.
2020/A Liberal Vision Page - 33.
The ideal street, Langdon postulates, is one in which residents can have as much - or as
little -social contact as they wish. A straight street lined with trees is the best way to
achieve this. You don't have to retreat to your backyard to enjoy a measure of privacy,
but if you want to interact with your neighbours you can do so. As American architects
Andres Duany and Elizabeth Plater-Zyberk remark, streets should resemble public rooms -
places that are pleasurable to occupy and that invite human interchange. Some of the
elements which go together to achieve this are uniform setbacks (frequently destroyed by
urban consolidation), and the use of walls, fences and trees to subdivide the outdoor
areas. The streets should be wide enough to provide separation, but narrow enough not to
lose the outdoor room feeling.
Increased housing density is not necessary to achieve a greater sense of community. As
Troy writes, it is easier to achieve both independence and engagement with one's
neighbours in conventional housing. The new urbanism draws much of its inspiration from
European towns, with their narrow streets, interspersed shops and other businesses,
interesting architecture, and outdoor cafes and coffee shops. Transplanting this onto the
Sydney landscape would not only be inappropriate; it would be largely impossible, given
our hot climate. The Australian dream, as noted previously, is still to own a
free-standing bungalow on a quarter-acre block of land. Smaller blocks make it impossible
to orientate houses north-south on the block, to help keep them cool in summer and warm in
winter. Subdivisions, as solar architect Gareth Cole notes22, are seldom
planned with north and south-facing blocks. However, it is possible to orientate a house
irrespective of the direction of the block of land if the block is large enough. It is a
complete impossibility on the minuscule 230m27 blocks on offer at Rouse Hill
which the developers are, perhaps not surprisingly, finding it hard to sell.
22 Gareth Cole, Australian Solar Houses, Second Row Back Press, Leura, 1987,
p.8
2020/A Liberal Vision Page - 34.
Medium-density housing should only be built in designated areas, with like facing like to
lessen complaints from those who want to live in a traditional street. Many of the new
developments in the RHDA, such as Australand's Duncraig Estate, already follow this
precept, with their courtyard-style homes being clustered together. Housing choice need
not mean creating a hodgepodge of different sized and valued properties.
RECOMMENDATION TWELVE: Medium density housing in the Hills should be restricted to
designated areas close to public transport nodes and/or employment.
5.0 Enhancing Our Suburbs
One of the most contentious aspects of the urban consolidation policy has been the way in
which totally inappropriate developments which are totally out of sympathy with the rest
of the street have been foisted on existing communities.
For most people, their home represents their largest single investment, so it is no
surprise to find they are concerned about the impact of backyard subdivision on their
property values and amenity. Although the Carr Government's new rules regarding dual
occupancies have reduced the incidence of contentious developments, HSC still permits dual
occupancies with separate titles on blocks bigger than 1000m2, while BHSC allows townhouse
development on 1350m2 plus blocks (generally consolidated) in residential 2(a)
zones.
In the greenfields sites of Rouse Hill, market forces and the developers should be able to
determine within a general good design code what housing styles are appropriate. However,
for infill development in existing suburbs, some additional guidance needs to be provided
to maintain property values and to enhance the harmony and cohesiveness of the district.
The current mechanism, which includes mediation conferences, often exacerbates rather than
reduces community anger. As Philip Langdon writes: "If a community is to achieve a
pleasant environment, it must pursue either architectural control or urban design control
or both".23
2020/A Liberal Vision Page - 35.
One solution would be to establish through both Hornsby and Baulkham Hills Councils
architectural review committees. Such committees already exist in the United States, run
by many of the 130,000 homeowners associations that have proliferated since the early
1960s. One in eight Americans now live in homes controlled by homeowners' associations,
the bodies corporate of detached suburbia. These associations have the power to tax their
members and to set legally binding covenants on local residents. Often they go too far,
dictating what colour people can paint their houses, the type of front garden ornaments
people may buy, even how long garage doors may be left open. This kind of petty
restriction is unacceptable and makes for neighbourhoods which lack character and
diversity. However, if they succeed in preventing inappropriate or energy-inefficient
development - bland blond brick boxes, or cheap houses without eaves, for example - they
achieve a great deal.
Figure Thirteen: Architectural review committees might be able
to prevent streets being dominated by protruding garage doors.
In The Hills, such a committee would be charged with setting minimum standards for infill
development, and with improving overall environmental standards.
Garages could be placed at the rear or side of homes (rear access laneways, as recommended
by some proponents of the new urbanism, can be a crime hazard). Or the committee might
recommend ways of reducing runoff, such as installing rainwater tanks and porous paving.
23 Op. Cit., p.161
All of this is consistent with DUAP's Urban Consolidation Strategy, one of the objectives
of which is to "encourage good urban and landscape design in existing urban centres,
and new centres planned for urban release areas." Builders would actually benefit
from the committee's expertise, as new homes are easier to sell if they complement the
existing streetscape.
The committee would also be able to provide expert advice to neighbouring property owners
on the likely effect of new developments on their privacy and amenity. So the Councils
would end up being driven by the ratepayers' interests, rather than by the developers',
but both groups would benefit. The committee should not be seen as yet another layer of
bureaucracy, but as an independent consultative body whose charter is to preserve and
enhance the residential amenity of the Hills. Its advice would not have the status of law,
but the Councils should make it clear they are prepared to back the committee's judgement
(based on a clearly enunciated good design code, as is the case in Victoria) in the Land
and Environment Court, if necessary.
RECOMMENDATION THIRTEEN: HSC and BHSC should each set up architectural review
committees to set minimum standards for infill development and to improve environmental
outcomes. While the committees' advice would not have the status of law, councils should
be willing to back their judgement, based on a clearly enunciated good design code, in the
Land and Environment Court.
6.0 The Castle Hill Town Centre
In any plan for The Hills, the continuing development of Castle Hill as a regional centre
will be of major importance. Castle Hill has grown from being a sleepy outer suburb with a
country ambience 30 years ago to a thriving commercial and industrial centre. The Old
Northern Road chokepoint in the town centre has been an ongoing cause for concern for
authorities and motorists alike.
BHSC's current proposal is to close Old Northern Road (provided it can obtain the
concurrence of the RTA) and convert it into a pedestrian mall thereby linking Castle Mall
with the new StageTwo of Castle Towers shopping centre. Traffic would be diverted down
Terminus Street and along a new ring road linking Pennant Street with McMullen Avenue,
creating several new dog-legs in the process. Both roads would be two-way.
2020/A Liberal Vision Page - 37
This plan flies in the face of current trends and experience. Around the world malls are being reopened to traffic as large indoor shopping complexes, like Castle Towers, become the dominant retailing environment. While malls in some special locations (Pitt Street, Windsor, Armidale, Chatswood) have proved successful, the majority of Sydney suburban malls, including Bankstown,Blacktown, Fairfield and Penrith have proved to be costly failures and are reverting wholly or partially to traffic corridors. More than half of the 200 shopping malls in the United States have now been ripped up and another 50 are facing demolition. An article in US trade magazine Shopping Centres Today described malls as "experiments that did not work".
Figure Fourteen: High Street, Penrith, has now been reopened.
Crime, vandalism and poor trading followed the creation of the
High Street mall.
Blacktown Mall, which closed Main Street to traffic, was opened in 1986. The stated aims
were to improve the environmental amenity of the City Centre by the exclusion of motor
vehicles and the provision of landscaping and recreation facilities to provide freer
opportunities for pedestrian movements and to stimulate commercial activity in the City
Centre.
What went wrong? A study by Julie Bindon and Associates 24 for Blacktown City Council
24 Julie Bindon and Associates, Main Street Mall Study, 1997
2020/A Liberal Vision Page - 38
indicates that there are significant security and safety problems associated with the Main Street Mall, while the retailers are finding they can no longer compete with major shopping centres such as Westpoint. Lack of overall management is cited as one major reason; councils do not have the required level of entrepreneurial flair and expertise. The mix of shops in the Main Street Mall has narrowed to encompass largely banks, professional services and commercial services such as real estate offices. Far from improving amenity and stimulating commercial activity, the mall actually detracts from Blacktown Council's ability to fulfil its own Vision for the City Centre, which is by the Year 2001 for the City Centre to be "a vibrant and dynamic place which is attractive to visitors and the community.. a memorable and safe place to visit and a rewarding place to do business."
Figure Fifteen: Blacktown Mall has proved a costly failure.
The parallels between Blacktown and Castle Hill are substantial. Like Castle Hill,
Blacktown has an alternative route to the road that was closed - the Bungaribee bypass.
There is a redevelopment planned of the local Queensland Investment Company-operated
Shopping Centre (Westpoint) to almost double its current floor area. The consultants
identified the traffic-free environment which hinders surveillance from passing cars
(including police cars)" as a major concern. Pedestrian malls they suggested, must be
renovated even more frequently than shopping centres, which operate on 5-10 year cycles.
2020/A Liberal Vision Page - 39
Four of the five options recommended for the mall are for it to be opened up to one-way
(westbound) traffic flow.
The problems cited are not unique to Blacktown, or to Sydney. The first modern pedestrian
mall was built in Kalamazoo in the US in 1959. Shopping malls grew exponentially between
1970 and 1985, mainly in the US. Canada and Australia and driven largely by local
authorities desperate to preserve their town centres from the depredations of shopping
centres. Most of this "pedestrianisation" occurred, according to Julie Bindon,
~with little research as to public usage and attitude."
The High Street Mall in central Penrith suffered even greater problems of crime and lack
of customers than Blacktown. Gangs of youths threatened customers and shopkeepers alike.
In one incident a gang of youths reportedly attempted to mug the customers of a coffee
shop. Retailers called for the installation of security cameras and the employment of
security guards. In an article in The Penrith Press, Will Purchase, the manager
of the High Street Mall, described Penrith's central business district as "a
mini-ghetto for thugs and vandals". The poor presentation of the mall, its crime
problem and the attendant lack of customers led to the closure of many shops. Two-dollar
bargain stores prevailed, as they do in Bankstown Plaza (another mall slated for
reopening). High Street became a disaster area.
In September 1995 a $60,000 study also by Julie Bindon and Associates, recommended that
the High Street Mall be re-opened to one-way traffic 'to ensure its survival'. Traffic
would be eastbound and limited to 35 km/h. The mall would have wide footpaths, new
landscaping, street furniture, lighting and amenities. 25
25 The Penrith Press, "Open Mall Says Study", 19 September 1995
2020/A Liberal Vision Page - 40
High Street was re-opened in October 1996 and the move was well-received by customers, the
community and the media. It succeeded in bringing more business back to High Street. The
environment that is created is generally more relaxed than is the case with two-way
traffic; more parking spaces can be provided. allowing shops (such as milk bars) which
rely on passing trade to co-exist with commercial businesses such as banks and solicitors
and 'browsing' stores like clothing retailers and art galleries. The parking lanes act as
a buffer between pedestrians and traffic, the more so if they are divided into parking
bays separated by planter boxes or trees.
Figure Sixteen: Proposed traffic plan for Castle Hill Town Centre.
A similar scheme could be implemented in Castle Hill when the western ring road is
completed, revitalising the Old Northern Road shopping strip without alienating it from
many of its potential customers or worsening traffic congestion in Castle Hill Town
centre. Terminus Street could become one-way going south; Old Northern Road one-way
northbound; while Pennant Street would remain two-way. Twenty-four hour parking in bays
separated by trees and planter boxes could be allowed on both sides of Old Northern Road,
increasing trade for local shopkeepers.
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