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(By Crystal Davies - Bond University Journalism student)
In a public forum held at Griffith University’s Gold Coast campus last week authorities discussed the need for better urban planning in the Gold Coast region.
Logan Mayor councillor Pam Parker said councils needed to utilise the government’s regional population plan, which called for councils in the South East to accommodate 754,000 new dwellings by 2030.
“If we say no to growth under the regional plan the state will take planning away from councils which would be horrendous, as councils are the level of government that know their communities best,” she said.
She said the greater [utilising the undeveloped land] in the Logan and Ipswich areas would solve some of the growth issues in South East Queensland.
“These regions have vast green field areas that [if developed] can take some of the pressure off Brisbane and the Gold Coast,” she said.
But Professor Paul Burton, deputy director of the urban research centre at Griffith University said high density housing was the key to ensuring a sustainable future for the Gold Coast.
“High density housing areas like Varsity Lakes is what we need in the future if we are to manage population growth sensibly,” he said.
“As per the regional plan, we need to build mixed use, in-fill neighbourhoods at higher densities near public transport ... to create a more compact, vibrant, mature city in the future.”
Queensland Urban Development Institute of Australia’s CEO Brian Stuart said housing affordability was also an issue.
“How can we encourage people to get out and invest then if we are already right at the edge of housing affordability today,” he said.
“We need a game plan that is realistic and that can deliver the quality of life that people are looking for in the places where the industry can build and provide housing on an affordable basis.”
But Professor Paul Burton said Queenslanders often expected too much when it came to housing options.
“That dream of a big backyard where the children can play is becoming increasingly expensive,” he said.
The second forum in The Courier-Mail's Our Future Your Say series drew around 70 people.
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