Fed Square architect calls for better urban planning
Giving incentives to developers to build affordable housing close to cities should be the top priority for Jamie Briggs, the nation’s new Minister for Cities and the Built Environment.
That’s the view of one of the visionaries behind Melbourne’s Federation Square, Lab Architecture principal Donald Bates.
Prof Bates says that tax credits and risk-sharing strategies may be needed to encourage more investment in family-friendly accommodation at lower prices and in suburbs close to the city.
He says smarter cities need to have a good public transport system and links between where people work and want to live, rather than where they are forced to live due to the high cost of housing.
Government and private sector can and should work closely together to identify incentives for the private sector to invest in major infrastructure projects
He says new Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull raised the topic of a city/urban-based department with Labor’s Anthony Albanese at a corporate event.
“They were both on a panel about building smarter cities when Mr Turnbull acknowledged that the previous Labor government’s position on urban planning would run all over the Libs, who didn’t have a similar policy,” he says.
Federation Square architect Donald Bates. Picture: Trevor Mein
He also welcomes Briggs’ philosophy that more Government attention and spending around cities is warranted because that’s where the bulk of our nation’s wealth is created.
Property Council of Australia Victorian director Jennifer Cunich echoes those sentiments.
“With more than 80 per cent of Australia’s GDP (gross domestic product) generated in our cities, productivity clearly has a huge urban dimension,” Ms Cunich said.
“Government and private sector can and should work closely together to identify incentives for the private sector to invest in major infrastructure projects, the State Government cannot deliver these on their own,” she said.
Prof Bates said Australia should emulate the US, Canada and Europe where governments reduce risks to investors in affordable housing by offering a guarantee component to the developers’ financiers.
The story originally appeared in the Herald Sun.
