4. Canberra’s growing urban area

4.4 Activities

Investigate the impacts of population growth in the ACT

The ACT’s population more than tripled between 1970 and 2022. It is projected to roughly increase by a further 50% by 2050 – from 457,000 people in 2022 to 696,000 in 2050.

Questions:

1. List some of the changes likely to occur in the ACT as population rises in the future.
2. How will the natural environment be impacted by an increasing population?
3. How can we limit these environmental impacts while providing housing for a growing population? Think about what kinds of new dwellingsA self-contained unit of accommodation such as a house, townhouse or apartment. we build, and where.

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My home and the bigger picture

Investigate the environmental context of your suburb

Search your home address on Google Maps using satellite mode. Once you’ve found your house, zoom out a little so you can see the bigger picture – the houses, roads and parks that make up your suburb and surrounds. Alternatively, you can use the map below.

Satellite view of the suburb of Lyneham, ACT. Source: Google Maps

Discussion questions:

1. What kind of land is there around your suburb? Is your suburb surrounded by urban areas on all sides, or does it border with farmland or bush?
2. What kinds of dwellingsA self-contained unit of accommodation such as a house, townhouse or apartment. do you see? Are they mostly standalone houses, or can you see apartment blocks? Note: Using the street view tool may help here!
3. Can you identify any wildlife corridors near your home? Wildlife corridors connect different habitat areas, allowing wildlife to move from one habitat area to another.
4. Can you identify any spaces that could be used differently to improve your suburb’s sustainability and keep our city compact? For example, could you replace a disused carpark with units to increase housing density, or turn a bare patch of grass into a community garden?

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You have been appointed the ACT’s Planning Minister for a day. You are tasked with making an important planning decision – to design a space for 100 new dwellingsA self-contained unit of accommodation such as a house, townhouse or apartment.. You have two options:

1. Use an infill developmentDevelopments that are built inside a city’s current boundaries on land that has been developed before – for example, building a new block of units in an existing suburb. site.
2. Use a greenfield developmentDevelopments that are built outside a city’s current boundaries on land that hasn’t been developed before – for example, building a new suburb on the outskirts of town. site.

Your decision should be based on what is best for the ACT community and the environment. To help you make a decision, list the pros and cons for each development approach in the table below.

Ensure you consider the following factors and how they would be impacted by infillDevelopments that are built inside a city’s current boundaries on land that has been developed before – for example, building a new block of units in an existing suburb. versus greenfield developmentDevelopments that are built outside a city’s current boundaries on land that hasn’t been developed before – for example, building a new suburb on the outskirts of town.:

• BiodiversityThe variety of all life and living processes in the environment.
• Water quality
• Greenhouse gasA gas in the atmosphere (such as carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide) that absorbs and emits energy, warming the Earth. Greenhouse gas emissions from human activities are the main cause of climate change. emissions
• Transport
• Additional infrastructure construction (e.g. roads, sewage, power etc)
• Opportunities for community greenspace (e.g. parks)
• DwellingA self-contained unit of accommodation such as a house, townhouse or apartment. sizes and types
• The urban heat island effectThe phenomenon of urban areas experiencing much higher temperatures than surrounding rural and natural areas. This is because urban areas have less greenspace and more hard surfaces that absorb and retain heat - like buildings, footpaths and roads.

Infill developmentDevelopments that are built inside a city’s current boundaries on land that has been developed before – for example, building a new block of units in an existing suburb.		Greenfield developmentDevelopments that are built outside a city’s current boundaries on land that hasn’t been developed before – for example, building a new suburb on the outskirts of town.
Pros	Cons	Pros	Cons

Once you have decided on your preferred approach, design it!

Use the infillDevelopments that are built inside a city’s current boundaries on land that has been developed before – for example, building a new block of units in an existing suburb. or greenfieldDevelopments that are built outside a city’s current boundaries on land that hasn’t been developed before – for example, building a new suburb on the outskirts of town. development template below to show where you would put your new dwellingsA self-contained unit of accommodation such as a house, townhouse or apartment. and what type of dwellingsA self-contained unit of accommodation such as a house, townhouse or apartment. you would build. To make your new urban development as sustainable and liveable as possible, you will also need to consider transport options, greenspaces, and biodiversityThe variety of all life and living processes in the environment. resources. But think carefully — what you will need to include will depend on which type of development you choose.

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We need to focus on building higher density housing within our current urban footprint in order to protect the environment. However, this doesn’t mean our cities should be wall-to-wall buildings, with no greenery. Urban greenspaces are a very important part of good urban planning. They support biodiversityThe variety of all life and living processes in the environment. as well as human health and wellbeing.

Different types of urban greenspace provide different benefits for people and the environment, but they are all important.

You have been tasked with revitalising an old site into a thriving urban greenspace in Canberra. The site is 30m x 15m (about the size of a basketball court), and is situated in an urban area with a mix of medium-density dwellingsDwellings with a shared wall like townhouses, or low-level flats with a few storeys. and high-density dwellingsDwellings like apartments in multi-storey buildings.. At present, it’s a dusty piece of land with some patchy introduced grass.

First, choose what kind of greenspace you want to create.

Here are some ideas:

• A community veggie garden
• A native habitat patch
• A small park with amenities for young families
• An urban micro-forest

To help with your design, consider the features listed below. Which are important for the type of greenspace you want to create?

• Urban cooling (e.g. shading, water)
• Habitat for wildlife (e.g. native plants and trees)
• Wildlife corridors (e.g. connected areas of native vegetation)
• Water retention (e.g. ponds and rain gardens)
• Community connection (e.g. picnic areas)
• Opportunities for exercise and play (e.g. playgrounds, walking paths)

You don’t need to include them all — for example, a playground may be an important feature of a park for young families, but could detract from the space if its primary purpose is to be a native habitat patch. Think carefully though: can you strategically combine any features to enhance benefits for both people and the environment?

For inspiration, check out this design for the the Watson Community Micro-forest:

Draw on the template below to create your new greenspace, then answer the questions.

Questions:

1. Why did you choose this type of greenspace for the given location?
2. What benefits will your urban greenspace provide for the environment, the community, or both?
3. What are the main things to consider when trying to balance infill developmentDevelopments that are built inside a city’s current boundaries on land that has been developed before – for example, building a new block of units in an existing suburb. and urban greenspace?

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