Property Council Victoria Growth Summit 2018

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Density is an opportunity to embrace, to enhance the community, make the most of the land – and it is the cornerstone to delivering amenity.

Urbis Director Sarah Macklin brought her expertise as an urban planner and #cityshaper to Density Done Well.

The panels considered issues like: How do we respond to Victoria’s pronounced population growth? How do we handle the never-before-seen rapid rates of densification, manage NIMBYism and congestion?

Some high-level learnings from the panels:

• We need to actively address growth and manage its impacts to remain such a liveable city.
• Greenfield developments can only release so much of the pressure valve 
• We need to work in a consultative manner with the community. Show great design, built trust and acceptance.
• It’s important to bring together the community and developers for productive early conversation rather than setting up to be in opposition from the start.
• Density is an opportunity to embrace, to enhance the community, make the most of the land – and it is the cornerstone to delivering amenity.
• Walkable urbanism and equitable infrastructure access are key.
• It’ll take time to absorb density but if we can deliver real benefits – amenity, access to CBD and employment hubs – it will have a critical impact.

The challenges and the competing priorities they addressed are the new normal – and we must leverage the expertise, creativity and innovation of the property industry to shape our cities and communities.  

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The industry has the will and the smarts to engage with the challenges in a way that continues to enhance our vibrant, inclusive and economically healthy state.

A hands-on innovation session facilitated by Co-Squared reminded us that richness of diversity and thought is key to success.

The Growth Summit highlighted – as we were already aware – that the industry has the will and the smarts to engage with the challenges in a way that continues to enhance our vibrant, inclusive and economically healthy state.

As Director Claire Grealy emphasised when closing the Summit, Urbis is pleased to support the Property Council’s Growth Summit because we know the value of pausing to look ahead – to ask the questions and debate the answers – to think carefully and creatively about what will take Melbourne – and cities across Australia and beyond – to the next stage. Thank you to the Property Council for hosting such an important dialogue.

Urbis looks forward to working with the industry in positioning Victoria for our next chapter of successful growth.