“The ad hoc nature of redevelopment means consolidation is done in a piecemeal and patchy way. There is little uniformity to streetscapes and a poor mix of housing options.“
The same situation applies on this side of the Tasman too, and right here in Waikanae with all the new northwards-spreading development going on. Some readers will remember Austin Mitchell’s book The Half-Gallon Quarter-Acre Pavlova Paradise from 1972. That’s the way it was then; a freshly developed quarter acre (1,000 sq metres)+ lot on which you built your house is something you can still get in Waikanae, but is rapidly becoming a thing of the past; density is the new regimen.
From The Conversation —
Urban consolidation policies to contain development within existing urban areas are creating poor development outcomes in Australian cities. In Brisbane, our newly published research shows this means the low-density housing character of the city is being retained at the expense of backyards.
Current land development regimes place urban planning outcomes in the hands of property owners and developers whose motives are tied to their financial interests rather than good planning. In doing so, the system works counter to its intended aims, in that it favours “bad density” over meaningful place-making characterised by well-designed medium-density townhouses or low-rise apartments.
