What is social sustainability?

There is fierce academic debate about definitions of social sustainability. The debate touches on philosophical questions about social justice, equity and quality of life.

Social sustainability brings together many connected factors, a number of which are difficult to define and measure – social cohesion, sense of community, quality of life and wellbeing to name just a few.

As the academic debate continues, practitioners in a range of fields including social planning, urban regeneration, community development and urban planning are developing their own definitions. Practice is beginning to lead theory.

Steve Rossiter, Elton Consulting Associate Director says “Social sustainability is  a somewhat fluid and dynamic concept because it reflects the unique and evolving circumstances of local communities – how they respond and adapt to local factors, as well as wider social, political and economic drivers.

“However, its building blocks can be defined and it is important to do so.”

What are academics saying?

Typically, the debate about sustainability in general has focused on the economic and the environment “pillars” of the triple bottom line, rather than the social or even the more recently the “governance pillar” of the quadruple bottom line. Climate change has brought into sharp focus the environmental consequences of our lifestyles and the planning frameworks supporting them. The emphasis is important but means that less attention has been paid to other aspects of sustainability, including the social dimension.

Professor Tim Dixon, former Director, Oxford Institute for Sustainable Development and current Professorial Chair in Sustainable Futures in the Built Environment at the University of Reading, warns against our neglect of the social.

“Social sustainability matters because people, places and the economy matter as much as environmental issues.”  (Dixon, 2011)

In ‘Strengthening the ‘Social’ in Sustainable Development: Developing a conceptual framework for social sustainability in a rapid urban growth region in Australia, Sustainable Development,’ Professor Michael Cuthill argues community based research provides a strong “practice perspective” of what social sustainability involves. This practical understanding, gained through firsthand experience, is helped by consideration of evaluation studies of large scale urban development projects.

Evaluation studies of urban development in the United Kingdom and elsewhere by Marina Stott, Neil Stott and Colin Wiles (2009) have highlighted key lessons:

• Community development is “an essential requirement in the creation of communities”
• Developing appropriate community infrastructure was identified as a core ingredient in achieving vibrant, cohesive and sustainable communities. “Community infrastructure combines people, place and property. Place and property provide the physical opportunities/limitations to community activity, people (champions, activists, dedicated staff) provide the initiative, leadership and expertise”
• Good neighbourhood planning and design can facilitate some social elements thought to contribute to social sustainability (like community cohesion and interaction) but physical design alone is not enough
• Housing type and tenure play an important role in creating cohesive and sustainable communities.  The ‘right mix’ of housing should consider “income, age, ethnicity and household types to ensure a range of households with different social characteristics”

Steve explains that part of the problem is that the skills involved in designing the physical elements of a community are more recognised and developed, than those involved in understanding and developing its social fabric.

Professor Dixon identifies that the “challenge” now is “to build on this progress and ensure that new housing routinely creates strong communities” (Dixon, 2012).

A contemporary definition

Research and evaluation of practice has led to a clearer understanding of social sustainability. A recent UK collaboration of the Young Foundation, Social Life, Professor Dixon and developer, the Berkeley Group, resulted in social sustainability being defined as:

About people’s quality of life, now and in the future. It describes the extent to which a neighbourhood supports individual and collective well-being. Social sustainability combines design of the physical environment with a focus on how people live and use a space, relate to each other and function as a community. It is enhanced by development which provides the right infrastructure to support a strong social and cultural life, opportunities for people to get involved, and scope for the place and the community to evolve. (Dixon 2012).

What is Elton Consulting doing to raise the status of social sustainability?

Steve says “We’ve taken the definition above and concepts it is based on, applying and adapting it based on our own experiences. The UK collaboration’s work has reinforced and provided additional insight to practices that have formed the basis of our social planning and community development work. It is based on similar processes but is set in a different context which has resulted in some adaptation.

As part of that adaptation, we are currently refining our social sustainability framework – informed by the UK work but based on our Australian experience.”

Community and social needs should be recognised as being equally as important as urban design and physical planning issues in creating successful places.

It is only with equal emphasis that there is the opportunity to create real places that are appealing, engaging, supportive and promote community health and wellbeing – the essence of a strong, resilient and sustainable community.

“Our new framework helps achieve that emphasis” says Steve, ”because it is practical and distils years of experience into six key building blocks”

Steve will present the framework at the Planning Institute of Australia’s 2013 National Conference on Monday 25 March. Stay tuned to the Elton Consulting website for Steve’s presentation.

References

Cuthill, M. (2010), Strengthening the ‘Social’ in Sustainable Development: Developing a conceptual framework for social sustainability in a rapid urban growth region in Australia, Sustainable Development, 18, 362-373

Dixon, T. (2011), Putting the S word back into Sustainability: Can we be more social?, Oxford Institute for Sustainable Development for the Berkeley Group, Surrey, UK

Dixon, T. and Social Life (2012), Creating Strong Communities: How to measure the social sustainability of new housing developments, commissioned by the Berkeley Group, Surrey, UK

Stott, M., Stott, N. and Wiles, C. (2009), Learning from the Past? Building community in new towns, growth areas and new communities, Keystone Development Trust, Norfolk, UK

Woodcraft, S., Bacon, N., Hackett, T., and Caistor-Alexander, L. (2012), Design for Social Sustainability: A framework for creating thriving communities, Young Foundation, London, UK

The post Planning for social sustainability appeared first on EltonConsulting News.

Meeting the transport demands of a growing population is one of the biggest challenges facing NSW. That is why the NSW Government created an inclusive and comprehensive transport planning process involving community, business, industry and government stakeholders.

Elton Consulting was engaged by Transport for NSW to lead the statewide stakeholder and community consultation for the NSW Long term Transport Master Plan, released in December 2012.

Featuring over 220 short, medium and long term actions, the Plan outlines a clear direction for transport over the next two decades; identifying the role of each transport mode in meeting future needs including rail, road, buses, ferries, cycling, and walking.

The Elton Consulting team, led by Senior Project Manager Deborah Palmer, was responsible for planning, implementing and reporting on the public consultation and engagement process. The process was designed to identify and consider the diverse range of views and interests of customers, stakeholders and the community across NSW.

“The Master Plan involved unprecedented collaboration with the people of NSW,” Deborah said.

“Whether a commuter or a truck driver, an industry representative, business person or part of local government, everyone was given opportunities to provide input that shaped the approach to the future of transport in NSW.”

Fourteen regional forums were held between February and May 2012, involving over 1,000 participants.  This enabled Transport for NSW to hear and understand the views of people in all parts of Sydney, and every region of NSW. Summaries of these sessions were fed back into the planning process.

Four Advisory Groups – representing customers and community, local government, industry and transport specialists – were also regularly consulted. In addition over 140 stakeholders attended an industry briefing.

Alongside traditional media relations, advertising, a website and 1800 number, the team used a number of innovative methods in the public participation process for the Plan. These included:

• Introducing consultation into a NSW Government announcement – from day one of the project. For the launch, 130 key stakeholders were brought together for small group discussions, to get their input from the outset. Simultaneously, a dedicated website was launched seeking immediate community feedback.
• The use of social media such as Twitter and online surveys with ongoing monitoring to assess the effectiveness of the approach.
• Inclusion of the draft Plan online which allowed the public to make comments on specific sections, to inform the final version.

“Public participation was the central objective of the development of the Plan, which aimed to put the customer first in decisions about transport services and infrastructure,” Deborah said.

“Transport plays an integral role the lives of people across NSW. It affects their communities, their livelihoods, their health, local amenity and the environment.

“This fundamental understanding – that transport matters to people – was the reason for the breadth and depth of the public participation process implemented.”

Detailed regional transport plans are now being developed by Transport for NSW in consultation with local communities, to ensure that the unique requirements of each region are carefully considered and planned.

The post Widespread consultation critical to development of NSW Long Term Transport Master Plan appeared first on EltonConsulting News.

Elton Consulting celebrated two landmark events recently with Managing Director, Brian Elton, and Director, James Evans, both hitting the big ‘six oh’ in style.

Corralled into a lift to attend yet another meeting, the pair was overwhelmed when the lift opened to a foyer full of silly-hat-wearing colleagues and family in front of a ‘Happy 60th Birthday’ banner.

A tongue in cheek James said “At our age, this surprise could have been terminal. It was an extraordinary but wonderful shock.”

To commemorate the occasion, the Elton team presented Brian and James with a ‘This is your life’ book – a compilation of life events told through letters and pictures contributed by family and colleagues.

Complete with the obligatory baby photos and embarrassing teen years, the book highlights the lives of two extraordinary men who have helped shape Elton Consulting into what it is today.

Established in 1989, Elton Consulting was the brainchild of Brian. From a few team formative members, including James, the firm has grown from strength to strength, increasing service offerings and people.

With this growth, the positive culture has continued, where expertise and skills are nurtured and camaraderie valued.

Describing the surprise birthday party, Brian said it was “simply one of the nicest things I have experienced.”

Taking the opportunity to express his thanks; Brian said that “being so thoughtful to take the time to engineer a celebration of our birthdays at a time when we are ‘insanely busy’ was truly remarkable and a reflection of the special people Elton attracts.”

James said, “Not many people receive this kind of event unless they are retiring. Brian and I are not and in this sense we are undeserving, and hope to remain so for some time.

“But, boy, how good it was and is it to have this kind of attention.”

The post 60th birthday celebrations for Brian and James appeared first on EltonConsulting News.

A focus on strong engagement techniques was at the heart of developing a recent Consultation Policy for the Australian Institute of Architects.

Well-versed in the art of consultation and engagement, Elton Consulting’s team was tasked with using their experience to help the Institute collect stakeholder viewpoints to feed into the Policy.

After assessing the best approach to achieve the project’s outcomes, Elton Consulting undertook a high level engagement process which included supporting the establishment of both a Working Group and a Reference Group.

Consisting of representatives from Institute members and staff, the Working Group was advised by Elton Consulting’s team and aimed to drive the process of creating a Member Consultation Policy.

As part of this process, the Working Group carried out a consultation process that reflected how decisions would be made with the Policy in place.

An online survey was designed and rolled out over a three week period to capture the viewpoints of the Institute’s 11,500 members. The survey focused on how engaged members felt on issues such as governance, organisational policy and the Institute’s position on public policies.

Trish Oakley, Associate Director, Elton Consulting, said that “the survey was an important part of fulfilling the Australian Institute of Architects’ commitment to improving its consultation and communication with members.

“The survey was designed to capture feedback about the Institute’s current consultation practice and ways it could be improved so an appropriate Policy could be developed to meet the needs of both the Institute and members.”

Following the survey conclusion, Elton Consulting worked to identify themes and analyse responses from almost 1,000 members that participated. This information was then used to establish a Policy framework.

As a final step, the Policy was then developed by the Institute, with valuable input from a members’ Reference Group. Elton Consulting’s team reviewed the Consultation Policy before it was presented to the National Council and approved in December 2012.

Trish said the consultation and engagement process was critical to the project’s overall success.

“The input of stakeholders was crucial in making sure everyone was on the same page with the resulting Policy.”

The post Good engagement at the heart of Consultation Policy development appeared first on EltonConsulting News.

1 William Street in Brisbane will soon be transformed from an unused car park to a bustling civic centre.

The Queensland Government recently announced Cbus Property as the winning proponent for the development of 1 William Street.

This project will revitalise the precinct, bringing culture, community and landmark architecture to the southern edge of Brisbane’s CBD.

1 William Street will accommodate significant parts of the Queensland Public Service. The proposal combines the longstanding tradition of civic service with contemporary design, meeting the needs of government today and into the future.

The proposal also includes public art, pod cafes and landscaped gardens to create a vibrant streetscape and riverfront.

In addition to its unique contribution to the Brisbane skyline, the positive economic impact of Cbus Property’s offer will be seen across the state.

The new building is expected to save at least $60 million per year in taxpayer dollars and create approximately 1,000 jobs.

Adrian Pozzo, CEO of Cbus Property, said the project demonstrated the Fund’s ongoing commitment to investment in the state.

“The opportunity to partner with the State Government in the revitalisation of the precinct, together with building on one of our unique strategies of directly investing in our member’s industry, demonstrates our long term commitment to Queensland,” Mr Pozzo said.

Brian Elton, Managing Director at Elton Consulting, said Elton Consulting’s bid strategy and design team had provided a number of value-adds to assist in the successful tender process.

“We worked closely with Cbus Property to develop key messages and the story for the tender response,” Brian said.

“Our team’s understanding of urban planning and architecture helps them to deliver quality products within tight timeframes and produce attractive, readable packages that tell the story of our client’s projects. The look and feel of the response document was specifically tailored to reflect the client’s vision for 1 William Street,” Brian said.

Elton Consulting was very pleased to have had the opportunity to work with Cbus Property and we wish them all the best for the next stage of the project.

The post Bidding for the future appeared first on EltonConsulting News.

David Johns originally had dreams of being an engineer but a brief flirtation with urban planning at Auckland University proved much more interesting. David has worked over the last decade in New Zealand, the United Kingdom and most recently, Australia, on a wide variety of urban development and infrastructure projects.

Graduating with a Masters of Planning with Honours from the University of Auckland, David initially followed his passion for ecological housing development but says that his interests soon diversified.

Discussing what appeals about planning, David said “I like being involved in the decision making process and seeing projects through to their completion.

“I became really interested in project management, public policy and corporate strategy.”

Particular career highlights include public policy development for the UrbanGrowth NSW reforms and the Church Street Neighbourhood Plan in London which took a delivery led approach to a significant social housing estate regeneration effort.

His approach to projects involves keeping it simple for clients.

“I believe in successfully managing projects and documents to deliver timely outcomes to clients, in a form that is easily understood and usable.”

David also has considerable experience in corporate strategy and in process improvement relating to governance, management and project delivery. His skills and experience lend themselves to major project management and controls, public policy development and corporate strategy, urban regional planning and transport assessment.

Describing his reasons for moving to Elton Consulting, David explained that he was attracted by the brand and culture of the firm.

“Elton Consulting has a great name and is held in high regard.

“It’s been great to see that everything I’d heard before joining has held true.”

While settling into his role and the opportunities it offers, David is also enjoying spending time with family.

“I moved to Sydney rather than Melbourne because I have cousins living here and wanted to be able to spend time with them outside of work.”

The post Elton Consulting’s team enhanced with newest addition: David Johns appeared first on EltonConsulting News.

It was a full house in Darwin recently when Brendan Blakeley, Associate Director and consultation expert from Elton Consulting shared some of his personal tips and experiences.

Called ‘Secrets of effective consultation’ the Master Class was held as part of the Northern Territory October Business Month. Participants from the government and private sector were treated to a jam-packed event of consultation insights and working examples from Brendan.

Hosted by the Elton Darwin office in the Darwin Entertainment Centre’s Gallery Room, the event was so popular that many hopeful guests were put onto a waiting list.

Here’s a snapshot of what participants heard on the day:

Defining engagement

A definition of engagement from the MacMillan Dictionary is: “the feeling of being involved in a particular activity.” Brendan said that an engagement process that successfully involves people requires good preparation and recognition of complexities to achieve the best result. Bringing together a range of diverse perspectives needs to be “inclusive, transparent and collaborative.”

Taking place via informal and formal interactions, engagement can connect communities and stakeholders. Engagement can create a better understanding of what change is proposed, the reasons for it and the opportunities to be involved and influence particular aspects.

You can never be too prepared

Going into a consultation process unprepared is not only unprofessional, it creates barriers to your desired outcome from the get go and is disrespectful of participants.

Knowing and understanding the scope of a project, its purpose, context, timing and deliverables is crucial in working out the best way to engage about it. A key, Brendan explained, is “being clear from day one which decisions can and cannot be influenced – what’s negotiable and what’s not.”

Brendan said that even when it appeared all decisions had been made and there was little room for community input or influence over outcomes, “there can often still be opportunities for engagement or communications to enhance understanding of the reasons behind a decision or to work with stakeholders to identify how a particular decision or policy may impact upon them.”

Having a good grip on available resourcing is also important in choosing the best engagement approach. This includes thinking about internal issues such as staff availability and time constraints as well as external resources such as availability of facilitators, graphic designers and of course, stakeholders. Don’t start an engagement process that you can’t resource well.

Know your stakeholders

You need to know who your stakeholders are, their interests and the ways in which they can best be engaged.

Brendan stressed that “You need to put yourself into your stakeholders’ shoes because it helps you to understand where they’re coming from.

“If you can’t move in an area that they are interested in, then be honest about it but think about the best way and place to have that conversation from their perspective.”

Knowing your stakeholders means that you can anticipate and work to prevent unexpected issues potentially derailing engagement activities: you can plan and anticipate issues in advance and often address potential concerns before they arise.

In the case of confrontation arising, be empathic. Recognise that fear and anger often mask feelings such as a need for recognition, wariness of change and loss of control.

Having a clear idea of who your stakeholders are also allows you to find champions. They don’t necessarily have to be advocates but can be people or groups active in encouraging others to participate in giving their views and feedback.

Select the right technique

Use the right technique for the project and the objectives you want to achieve.  A common error in engagement processes is deciding the techniques first before really thinking through whether the technique suits the circumstances. The available time and resources, the types and numbers of stakeholders you want to engage and the types of matters that can or cannot be influenced all impact the techniques you choose. In many cases, the ideal engagement process will involve using a range of techniques for the best result.

Some common techniques include:

• Information and feedback sessions
• Workshops or summits
• Focus groups
• Online forums
• Advisory groups
• Social media

To read Brendan’s presentation from the ‘Secrets of effective consultation’ in full, please click here.

Elton Consulting is a leader in community and stakeholder engagement with a strong reputation for design, facilitation and management of consultation processes for government and the private and community sectors. Please click here for more information on our Communications and Engagement services.

The post Secrets of effective consultation appeared first on EltonConsulting News.

10% of NSW householders experience rental stress, spending a third or more of their income to keep a roof over their heads. In Sydney that figure leaps to a staggering 30%. It’s a continuing problem and one that many state and local government planning policies have tried to address.

In a recent presentation at a NEERG Seminar, Jenny Rudolph, Director, Elton Consulting, was asked to provide an overview and comment on the State Environmental Planning Policy (Affordable Housing Rental Housing) (AHSEPP).

Introduced in 2009 and modified in May 2011, the policy aims to increase affordable rental housing by encouraging new partnerships between the private and community-housing sector. The policy provides density bonuses and development standards for new housing that incorporates a percentage of affordable rental housing. The overall objective is to keep affordable housing in the market for a minimum of 10 years, after which time the property can be sold at full market value.

Jenny explored areas of housing covered by the policy including in-fill development, granny flats (referred to as secondary dwellings in the policy), boarding houses, residential flats and group homes.

“AHSEPP does provide some motivation to increase the supply and range of affordable housing on offer. However, the floor space ratio bonus for infill housing cannot be achieved in many cases unless additional height is available. This, together with the value of the land and costs, can often be an obstacle.”

“The development standards for affordable housing located within 400m of a centre or public transport are more flexible than they would otherwise be,” Jenny explained.

“This locational criteria is attractive to investors, who sometimes enter into partnerships with community housing providers which have gained  funding through the National Rental Affordability Scheme, to provide suitable affordable housing.

“It allows developers an opportunity to create inclusive communities where low and moderate income earners are active members in their local area, while keeping a development sustainable.”

Accessibility is also crucial for affordable rental housing with the policy defining accessibility as being close to public transport.

Building affordable rental homes close to public transport hubs means that people can easily access  important services such healthcare, education and employment.

In addition, the housing needs to fit in with local surroundings, a rule further refined in 2011.In certain circumstances the policy no longer allows residential flat buildings in lower density areas.

The NSW Government currently has a Task Force examining a series of issues related to affordable housing, as well as the development of a new SEPP for affordable housing.  Its report is expected soon.

For notes on Jenny’s presentation please click here.

The post How do we increase affordable rental housing in NSW? appeared first on EltonConsulting News.

Elton Consulting recently welcomed its newest team member, Peter Brennan.

Peter was the Director of Planning and Environmental Services at Waverley Council. Earlier roles in his 30 year history in local government included Manager, Development and Building Control and Deputy Chief Health and Building Surveyor.

Having joined the Urban and Regional Planning team, Peter is using his wealth of local government experience to complement the existing skills and talents of the Elton Consulting team.

Specialising in planning, building and environmental health, Peter was keen to step into the role.

“Over the years I’ve worked with many people at Elton so was really excited to be offered the opportunity to join the team and work in the consultancy field.”

“In the early part of my career, I worked in building surveying and fire safety so planning was a natural progression, beginning mainly in the statutory area before moving into a more strategic and management role.

“I have always been interested in buildings and their form and how new buildings can integrate and complement the existing character of an area.
“I have a particular interest in heritage buildings, especially old industrial buildings, and I think they make a great contribution to a city’s form and can be put to a range of uses.”

An accredited mediator, Peter’s interest in mediation stems from years of problem solving about planning issues in local government and with local communities. His planning and mediation skills have been put to good use in many strategic projects including, most recently, the development of the Waverley Comprehensive Local Environment Plan 2012 which was recently gazetted, and the Waverley Heritage Review.

Although a Sydneysider his whole life, Peter enjoys exploring the world. A recent travel highlight was being present for the London 2012 Olympics which Peter said was a great experience.

“The English certainly know how to put on an event.

“My wife and I both love London having lived and worked there in the early 70s so we were lucky to get last minute tickets to a few events.”

Peter is looking forward to using his many years of experience on a range of planning and development projects.

The post Introducing Peter Brennan appeared first on EltonConsulting News.

Housing for Mudgee’s growing population is one step closer with a proposal to rezone Caerleon, 310 hectares of land on the town’s outskirts in Central West NSW. Approved by Mid Western Regional Council in late October, the proposal is now set to go to the Department of Planning and Infrastructure for gazettal.

Located just three kilometres from Mudgee’s bustling town centre, rezoning would help to address a shortage of land, paving the way for a new residential community of the scenic township.

Engaged earlier in 2012 by Blaxland Property Mudgee Pty Ltd, the Elton Consulting team prepared the Planning Proposal which aims to rezone Caerleon to part zone R1 Residential General and part R5 large Lot Residential. Rezoning would take place under the region’s upcoming comprehensive Local Environment Plan (LEP).

Jenny Rudolph, Director, Elton Consulting, said the Mid-Western Regional Council’s approval in mid October of the Development Control Plan (DCP) and LEP amendment was a great planning outcome, particularly as the planning process was efficient and streamlined – approved within six months.

“This decision supports the steps we have taken to make sure rezoning will help meet the expanding needs of the Mudgee community, both now and into the future.”

Nathan Davis, Director, Blaxland Property, said that the proposed development would “lay foundations for a sustainable community that connected with the existing town and recognised good urban design practise, access and place making options.”

The Planning Proposal outlines the vision for Caerleon if rezoning is achieved. This vision includes:

• A high quality residential community of between 1,000-1,200 homes;
• A connected network of streets and pathways to provide convenient and safe movement by cars, cyclists and pedestrians;
• A mainly residential setting with a small activity centre to meet residents’ daily needs;
• Various housing lot sizes offering a full range of housing needs to create a balanced and diverse community and
• Open space designed for a mixture of social activity, entertainment and recreation.

Jenny said that the “Elton team has technical experience and intimate knowledge of the rezoning process in NSW.

“The skills and dedication of team members have been invaluable so far in meeting the outcomes and tight deadlines of this project.”

Prior to receiving Council approval, the Planning Proposal was placed on public exhibition and tailored following feedback.

The post More housing options on the cards for growing Mudgee community appeared first on EltonConsulting News.