1. INTEGRATED ACTIVE LIVING POLICY AND PLANNING WITHIN COUNCILS:
FACT OR FICTION?
Natalie Reiter
General Manager City Strategy, City of Ballarat
Caroline Amirtharajah
Health and Wellbeing Planner, City of Ballarat
MAKING A ’10 MINUTE CITY’ TO INTEGRATE HEALTHY, ACTIVE LIVING WITHIN A COMPACT CITY
Using land use policy so housing growth reinforces a compact city; and activities to stimulate development of a network of complete local neighbourhoods, recognising urban renewal opportunities and convenience living.
The term land use policy sounds so boring a great percentrage of you are likely already nodding off… but instead of thinking about how dry it is, consider it a tool to help you unlock the potential of your city.

2. What is ‘Land Use Policy’?
Much more interesting than it sounds
Local Policies
State Policy
Plan Melbourne 2014 establishes the strategic framework for land uses which the transport network will service. The refresh will reflect the current Victorian Government’s commitments. It will also clarify the status of elements of the network that are options for evaluation.
For Ballarat, this is the Ballarat Strategy and our MSS

3. Two pillars Five Policy Themes 10 Minute City City in the Landscape
Productive Ballarat
Accessible and highly liveable Ballarat
Housing Ballarat
Connected Ballarat
The Ballarat Landscape
Create a structure for the city to grow investment, jobs and productivity
Enable sustainable change of the ‘10 minute City’ by promoting neighbourhoods as active, safe and socially connected places that exhibit the Ballarat lifestyle valued by residents
Diversify the choice of housing options, with access to the jobs and facilities needed by a growing and changing community
Integrate transport and land use planning to link people to each other, jobs, services and goods to market
Manage Ballarat’s unique historical, cultural and natural values as an integrated landscape of high value to the community

4. Around 90% of Ballarat’s population resides within 8km of the CBD

5. Supporting Complete, Liveable Neighbourhoods within a Compact City
The ‘10 Minute City’ concept reflects community aspirations to maintain existing levels of access to destinations and services even when the city grows over time.
ƒ1: Compact city form – new housing pattern supports compact, efficient and productive city
2: Complete local neighbourhoods – residents can predominantly access their day to day needs in local centres, reducing the need to travel
3: Land uses and precincts supporting jobs, productivity and efficiency – businesses able to connect, share knowledge, access workers and markets through a city structure designed for the future economy
4: High quality local connections – safe, accessible and permeable neighbourhoods encourage walking, cycling and public transport as convenient transport options. High amenity public
More than a benchmark, it is a way of guiding decision-making which influences the shape, form and function of the Municipality.
It supports the ability for all residents of Ballarat to be able to do more of their day to day shopping, accessing of services and business in local neighbourhood centres. It also promotes the improvement of walking and cycling connections in local neighbourhoods so residents find it easier to move around and reduce the need to use the car for short-journeys.

6. Land Use Decisions for a Compact City
Housing Growth Patterns to Reinforce the 10 Minute City:
Encourage inner city housing
Encourage Infill development within 400m of public transport and promote development in Convenience Living Corridors within 200m of future frequent public transport corridors.
Discourage unplanned and dislocated greenfield developments with criteria to be adopted to ensure access to key services in new areas.
Encourage urban renewal where there is an opportunity for large-scale housing development, in well-located areas which uphold the ’10 Minute City’ principle.
Encourage employment nodes in areas with high levels of access.
Strong land use policy helps us to define the area within which the compact city can and will operate.
CBD has the highest levels of access to public transport, jobs and services, but contains less than 300 residents; opportunity for inner city housing. A step-change in inner city housing in the CBD offers enormous potential for significantly more people to live in this prime location.
ƒInfill development is being encouraged within 400m of public transport, with active encouragement of development in Convenience Living Corridors within 200m of future frequent public transport corridors.
Unplanned and dislocated greenfield developments have long-term costs to the community and can result in poorly connected services. Criteria are to be adopted to consider future applications for greenfield development to ensure access to key services.
Strategically located sites, with an unclear land use future, have been identified. Urban renewal areas may have the opportunity for large-scale housing development, in well-located areas which uphold the ’10 Minute City’ principle.
Employment nodes are to be encouraged in areas with high levels of access.

7. Developing a Network of Complete Local Neighbourhoods
Pub?
Not a new idea…
The concept is based around recognising human needs and behaviours. Land Use planning should enable residents, whether urban or rural, to access as much of their daily needs as possible in their local communities. In Ballarat. complete neighbourhoods will have:
A discernible centre
Most houses within a 10 minute walk of the centre
A variety of housing types
A variety of shops and officers to provide daily needs including incidental food shopping
A primary school close though so most children can walk to school
Small playgrounds or open space accessible within 10 minutes walk (or less) of all homes
Streets within the neighbourhood as a logical, safe, legible and connected network
People focussed places, with high amenity and trees and gardens
Space for neighbourhood meeting places, community centres or places for public events
Access to transport.

8. Land Uses and Precincts supporting Jobs, Productivity and Efficiency
Urban Renewal precincts are identified areas where change and investment could have significant social and economic benefits to the city. They offer opportunities to make areas more attractive and accessible to the community to live, work and be entertained. A long-term pipeline of urban renewal is critical to the social and economic future of the city. Focused land use policy decisions will enable landowners to improve and revitalise identified precincts for community benefit.
Convenience Living encourages people to live within 200m - 400m of frequent and convenient public transport services, so as to benefit their lives as well as the liveability of Ballarat. Council will actively encourage sympathetic development and growth in these areas.
A development pattern to encourage growth in these serviced areas can promote greater vitality and enable higher frequency public transport and other public services important to a progressive growing city. Convenience Living Areas are a new concept for modern day Ballarat and an important part of its future.

9. High Quality Local Connections
A sustainable transport system for Ballarat is fundamentally about giving the community more convenient options for how they move.
The Strategy provides alternative transport outcomes to support a growing population and addresses concerns related to increased congestion, rising fuel prices and environmental impacts. Whilst private cars provide the highest levels of mobility, transitioning to a more sustainable transport system which achieves a greater balance between cars and other modes such as walking, cycling and public transport will help address these challenges

11. Linked Initiatives
Support a structure to the city and make land use planning decisions to enable ageing in place, support excellent access to public transport and the viability of providing the services needed for an ageing population
Partner with the community to develop a user focussed cycling network, as a game-changing enabler to growth in cycling
Work with schools and local communities to improve walking and cycling connections within 10 Minutes of key destinations, as part of a Neighbourhood Links Program
Lined initiatives evidence of INTEGRATED ACTIVE LIVING POLICY – ie: Fact not fiction

12. Activities to stimulate development of a network of complete local neighbourhoods
Walk to School programs
City Circle Service
– 10 stops in 10 minutes

13. Walk to School programs
After 3 years we now have 50% of the primary school population exposed to the program through their school – over 5,000 students
Developed good engagement with schools
Pilot program to help active transport become part of school culture
Use students for mapping and to identify routes
Park & Walk
Leadership programs
Low cost road treatments, signage and identification of footpath needs in high use areas

14. Walk to School programs
Ongoing active transport projects
Encouraged the schools to design programs
Map my School
Vic Walks platform
10 and 15 minutes from the school
Parents and students tested the routes and identified barriers which have been forwarded to Council

15. Map my Neighbourhood Meet the Neighbour program Neighbourhood houses
Leverage existing relationships to advance community projects
By walking the routes the community identify issues and opportunities

16. Recognising urban renewal opportunities and convenience living