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PERTH WA 6000
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Activity Centre Performance Toolkit
DISCLAIMER
The information contained in this report has been prepared with care by the authors and includes information
from apparently reliable secondary data sources which the authors have relied on for completeness and
accuracy. However, the authors do not guarantee the information, nor is it intended to form part of any contract.
Accordingly all interested parties should make their own inquiries to verify the information and it is the
responsibility of interested parties to satisfy themselves in all respects.
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PERTH: 23 Lyall Street South Perth Western Australia 6151 • t (08) 9367 1511 • f (08) 9367 4066
MELBOURNE: Cannons House Level 7, 12-20 Flinders Lane Melbourne Victoria 3000 • t (03) 9654 5775
e admin@pracsys.com.au • www.pracsys.com.au
4. Foreword
Welcome to the Activity Centres Performance Toolkit. The Performance Toolkit is the Property
Council’s contribution to assist Local Government Authorities with planning for Activity Centres in
Perth.
Over the past decade, our population has rapidly expanded driven by strong economic growth. This
has made it harder for people to access housing they can afford, close to amenities and in the places
they want to live.
It has also reduced the diversity of housing available. Greenfields are just part of the solution; we
also need to have new high density Activity Centre developments in order to meet the community’s
needs.
The Performance Toolkit provides an evidence base for decision-making around Activity Centres that
has been rigorously developed in consultation with a range of Property Council members, including
various State and Local Governments, centre owners and developers.
The Property Council of Australia has been engaging with State and Local Government on issues
around Activity Centres identified by members and has been providing constructive evidence-based
advice to inform the policy and implementation debate.
Our engagement in this area has included the Property Council’s Activity Centre Development
Roundtable held in late-2011, which brought together the institutions, developers and policy makers
responsible for making Activity Centres a reality in Perth.
The Property Council of Australia is encouraged by examples of Local Government Authorities who
are proactive in dealing with Activity Centre developments to address the exciting growth challenges
presented by Western Australia’s strong economic growth.
We trust that you will find the contents of this Performance Toolkit a useful resource.
Joe Lenzo
Executive Director
Property Council of Australia
5. Foreword
Pracsys has been involved with activity centre performance measurement for over 15 years. We
began with modelling the retail performance of shopping centres, but as policy has moved towards a
more comprehensive view of activity centre performance, we have moved too.
We have championed the use of a transparent, evidence-based decision making framework to make
planning for centre growth a cooperative, efficient process for both centre owners and approval
authorities.
This ‘Activity Centre Performance Toolkit’ is the first of a series of publications that will form the
basis for that cooperation. It identifies simple, consistent metrics for measuring economic activity
and urban form performance that can be applied to centres throughout Australia. This enables
assessment of centre strengths and weaknesses, comparison and benchmarking, and a way for
centre owners to map a path to long-term centre sustainability and vitality.
Based on the same performance dimensions, we will shortly be publishing a ‘Decision-Makers Guide’,
which will present the decision rules and processes by which local governments can effectively plan
for a hierarchy and network of successful centres within their localities. Both centre owners and local
governments can then use the same language and measurement techniques to assess activity centre
performance – removing much of the red tape and frustration around centre development.
We would like to acknowledge the support of the South Australian Integrated Design Commission
for assessments of best practice design in Adelaide centres. Thanks also to Hames Sharley for their
help in identifying appropriate urban form metrics and their assistance in developing aspects of the
assessment framework.
We look forward to assisting Property Council members to measure the performance of their centres,
in order to streamline planning processes and continue to evolve the measurement toolkit for
excellent activity centres.
Michael Chappell
Managing Director
Pracsys Economics
6.
7. CONTENTS
1 THE NEED FOR BETTER PLANNING 9
2 TOOLKIT FOR EXCELLENT ACTIVITY CENTRES 13
3 EVIDENCE-BASED DECISION-MAKING 17
4 CASE STUDIES 21
Subiaco snapshot 24
Marion snapshot 26
Chatswood snapshot 28
Casuarina snapshot 30
5 BEYOND THE PROTOTYPE: FUTURE
DIRECTIONS 33
9. 1 THE NEED FOR BETTER PLANNING
“If we simply allow growth characterised by centres that
to happen – uncoordinated, service the shopping needs of
unplanned and without vision or a local catchment but do not
purpose – it will result in sprawling cater for higher order household
cities with poorly located housing, services or a strong mix of quality
insufficient access to transport or employment opportunities
jobs and an over-consumption of for the resident workforce. As
water, energy and other natural a consequence, workers travel
resources” – 30-Year Plan for Greater long distances to work and are
Adelaide. vulnerable to fuel price shocks
and road congestion, reducing the
Cities across Australia face new productivity and efficiency of the
and emerging challenges and city.
opportunities arising from strong
population growth and an ageing Although adequately specifying
population, technological change, the level of land and built form
industry growth and diversification. inputs, the conventional approach
Planning to accommodate to activity centre planning has
hundreds of thousands of new generally failed to acknowledge
people, dwellings and jobs must and value the outcomes generated
involve significant research and by centres.
analysis to determine the necessary
steps to achieve the vision of how Activity centres play a vital role
we want our cities to look. within our cities. In addition to
equitable distribution of jobs
The urban form we see now in and services, centres are hubs
Australian cities is the direct result of social and economic activity,
of an historic planning approach, creating places for people to
9
10. Activity Centre Performance Toolkit: The Need for Better Planning
interact, facilitating collaboration associated with city and activity
between firms, attracting centre development. The COAG
investment, maximising the use Reform Council released a ‘Review
of infrastructure and fostering of Capital City Strategic Planning
productivity gains. Systems’ in April 2012, recognising
a clear need to improve outcomes
To address problems associated in cities through:
with the delivery and activation
of activity centres will ultimately • Collaboration by
contribute to the resolution of governments to improve
broader sustainability issues data and information
that are placing constraints on • A commitment to evidence-
economic growth and quality of based policy interventions
life in Australian cities.
• Clear frameworks for
Across Australia, many measuring progress and
organisations and agencies are monitoring implementation
attempting to both understand of strategic planning in cities.
and address
The Federal Department for
issues
Infrastructure and Transport
released ‘Our Cities, Our Future
- A National Urban Policy for a
productive, sustainable and
liveable future’ on 18 May 2011.
It also highlighted the need
for integrated land use and
infrastructure, improved
efficiency of urban
infrastructure, improved
accessibility and reduced
dependence on private
vehicles – objectives
that are driven by good
activity centre planning.
10
11. Activity Centre Performance Toolkit: The Need for Better Planning
The Productivity Commission This paper outlines an evolving
has long advocated a rigorous, system for activity centre
evidence-based approach to public performance measurement that
policy, and the inter-jurisdictional has been developed over the
challenges associated with such past five years in consultation
reforms. with various state and local
governments, centre owners and
Despite a national acceptance developers. It provides an evidence
of the problem, it is evident that base for decision-making, using
policies and strategies cannot be data that can be consistently
successful unless they are properly applied across Australia. The result
implemented. This requires is a simple and effective way
coordinated and cooperative for governments, organisations
governance, involving all levels and firms to reach consensus
of government, an agreed vision, and work to a common goal of
stakeholder buy-in, efficient achieving sustainable, liveable and
allocation of resources and productive cities.
a system for monitoring and
measuring progress.
The Property Council of Australia,
on behalf of its property industry
members, held a recent
Activity Centre Development
Roundtable to identify issues
with the implementation
of Western Australia’s
Activity Centres Policy.
It found challenges
associated with local
and state government
inconsistency, as well as
discrepancies in planning
and approvals between
different local governments.
11
13. 2 TOOLKIT FOR EXCELLENT
ACTIVITY CENTRES
Changing the form and This system for measuring the
performance of activity centres will performance of centres has been
require a new planning paradigm developed over five years and
that considers a full range of applied to more than 100 centres
outcomes, rather than limited land across Australia. The key outcome
and building inputs. principles for activity centres used
in this system include:
Streamlining the processes by
which activity centre planning Economic sustainability
decisions are made will reduce
inefficiencies in the planning • Activity diversity
system. • Activity intensity
The toolkit provides the • Employment quality
opportunity to merge the • Centre accessibility
economic needs of centres with
a definable, best practice design Urban Form
approach in order to facilitate
• Urban quality
the development of high quality,
implementable activity centres. • Urban amenity
• Centre mobility
• Centre safety
13
14. Activity Centre Performance Toolkit: Toolkit for Excellent Activity Centres
Some aspects of earlier research Melville) have expressed interest
were incorporated into the Western in adopting the same system
Australian Activity Centres Policy of measurement. The approach
(SPP 4.2), including guidelines for has also been commissioned by
mixed-use and residential density. centre owners (including Westfield
However many issues surrounding Whitford City, AMP Ocean Keys,
implementation remain, with Perron Cockburn Gateways, GPT
developers experiencing problems Casuarina Square), who see long-
with approval processes in term financial benefits associated
particular and local governments with more sustainable and
lacking guidance about how to user-friendly centres. Providing
prepare their local strategies. a consistent measurement
framework is an important step
In the southern suburbs of Perth, towards removing the conflict
the City of Cockburn is promoting between local authorities and
the use of these performance centre owners around scale and
metrics following the success mix of development.
of their new Local Commercial
and Activity Centres Strategy The purpose of the toolkit is to
(LCACS). Several other Perth local move project assessment away
governments (Canning, Stirling and from qualitative and aesthetic
14
15. Activity Centre Performance Toolkit: Toolkit for Excellent Activity Centres
testing of place, to a measurable with a new model of more
understanding of what makes balanced, sustainable activity
an appropriate activity centre centre development
for Australian cities. As a simple
• Prototype a toolkit for
toolkit, it can:
designers to aim for best-
• Present centre owners and of-type for centres in each
developers with a way of stratum of the activity centres
evaluating activity centre hierarchy
performance that promotes
‘Top-down’ employment allocation
a diverse range of activities,
modelling directs targets for
rather than just retail
employment and housing to
• Provide government and centres to maximise efficiency and
policy makers with a high- effectiveness. A strong quantitative
level framework to measure understanding of the function of
the value of a wide range of employment and industry ensures
activities within traditional that the intensity, diversity, quality
retail centres and quantity of new development
contribute to the ‘bottom-up’
• Challenge economists,
operation of successful and
financiers and leasing agents
sustainable activity centres.
15
17. 3 EVIDENCE-BASED DECISION-
MAKING
Applying quantified metrics The measurement of centre
enables decision-makers to characteristics produces a
undertake evidence-based compelling centre performance
assessment of the value of framework that can be used as a
development proposals, providing basis for making decisions about
the foundation for decision rules where and when to prioritise
that can guide the evolution resources. Metrics provide
of centres to higher levels of data useful to developers and
performance. government alike, and applying a
clear and objective measurement
Without gathering data and framework throughout the
measuring performance, it is planning process will take much of
impossible to identify problems the subjectivity and guesswork out
and introduce improvements. of planning decisions.
Implementing appropriate metrics
enables centres to be analysed,
scored and compared with relevant
benchmarks.
17
18. Activity Centre Performance Toolkit: Evidence-Based Decision-Making
The following economic sustainability metrics are derived
sustainability and urban form primarily from the ABS Census,
principles have been identified using employment rather than
as relevant to activity centre floor space as part of the indicator
performance, based on their for intensity and diversity.
impact on a centre’s ability to
attract and retain sustainable user The majority of urban form metrics
catchments. have been measured using aerial
photography. Each activity centre
Each principle contains two or is divided into street/pedestrian
more metrics, which combine to way/mall sections and metrics
measure a centre’s performance. are taken for each section. This
The metrics used have been approach allows for medium-grain
chosen based on availability of features such as street trees and
data and consistency of data across footpaths to be taken into account
Australian states. As a result of with a high degree of accuracy.
inconsistent land use surveying
by planning departments, the The division of the activity centre
economic into segments provides data on
specific areas of good and poor
quality and can be used to pinpoint
areas which are functioning well or
those which need to be improved.
Where possible an on-the-
ground survey is also used to
gather fine-grain and up-
to-date data, such as the
current levels of property
occupancy or general
disorder. Additional data
is gathered for the entire
centre from reliable
government sources,
including crime statistics
and road network data.
18
19. Activity Centre Performance Toolkit: Evidence-Based Decision-Making
Principle Impact on Centre Success Metrics
A diverse mix of users and activity are desirable for an
economically, environmentally and socially sustainable
Mixed Use Threshold,
Activity Diversity city, enabling users to access multiple needs with fewer
Equitability Index
trips and contributing to higher rates of employment
self-sufficiency.
Co-locating activity within a vibrant, intense space ensures
walkability, social interaction and economic activation. Residential Density,
Activity Intensity
Intense agglomerations of activity have been shown to Job Density
increase industry productivity.
Centres require both a quantity and quality of employment,
as befits their position within the centres hierarchy. High Employment
Employment Quality quality employment (knowledge or export-based) drives Quantum,
economic development and facilitates higher levels of Employment Quality
employment self-sufficiency.
Centres must be accessible to a wide mix of user groups
utilising different modes of transport. This reduces the Transport
Centre Accessibility impact of petrol price shocks, increases sustainable Infrastructure,
centre catchments and facilitates movement between Distance from CBD
employment nodes.
Improving the aesthetics, attractiveness and pleasantness Attractive and
Urban Quality of the physical environment makes an urban area more Unattractive
conducive to frequent and prolonged use. Features
Public Realm,
Offering opportunities for recreation and leisure within the Comfort, Continuing
centre and ensuring the comfortable use of the centre by Noise Emissions,
Urban Amenity
pedestrians increases centre attractiveness and activation Street Furniture,
and is conducive to more frequent and prolonged use. Leisure/Recreation
Facilities
Facilitating easy movement around the centre for all
Walkability, Bicycle
users and ensuring a variety of well linked and positioned
Access, Vehicle
Mobility transport options means the potential for the centre to
Access, Public
be equitably accessed by a range of user groups will be
Transport
maximised, and use of the centre may be induced.
Improving infrastructure directed at enabling safe
movement throughout the centre and improving the Perception of Safety,
Safety perception of safety in the centre will increase the Personal and Traffic
attractiveness of using the centre over a greater daily time Safety
period and for a greater range of user groups.
19
21. 4 CASE STUDIES
Data has been collected for centres surrounded by car parking
across a wide range of typologies. and located in suburban
Four case studies contained in this residential areas. These are
report provide a snapshot of how often referred to as ‘Shopping
developers, local governments Centres’ or ‘Shopping Malls’.
and statutory authorities can use
• ‘Principal’ centres providing a
the toolkit to enable valuable
diverse range of employment,
benchmarking and performance
goods and services to a large
analysis in planning for new and
regional catchment. They
expanding centres.
often began as retail malls
but their level of maturity
The four broad typologies
(and geographical location)
identified are:
means that they have evolved
• ‘Inner urban’ including to include a scale and variety
centres found within 10km of of employment, services and
the city CBD that have often entertainment that provides
developed along a transport an alternative to a city’s CBD.
corridor. Their location means • ‘Regional location’ centres
that they are generally more located in non-metropolitan
mature than outer lying areas are often a key focus
centres, impacting upon of a regional community.
diversity and intensity. These Although smaller and less
are also often referred to as mature than principal centres,
‘Main Streets’. they generally experience
• ‘Retail-centric’ referring lower rates of competition
to centres that have and must include a diversity
developed primarily around of activity for a more isolated
a large shopping mall, usually community.
21
22. Activity Centre Performance Toolkit: Case Studies
Subiaco, in Western Australia, As a case study, it represents a
is often acknowledged as an principal activity centre, providing
exemplar centre in terms of urban a CBD alternative for high-level
design, public transport and employment and services.
quality of employment. It is an
example of an inner urban centre, Casuarina in the Northern Territory
located less than 4km from the is considered a regionally located
Perth CBD. centre due to its size and function
within Darwin. It has a strong
Marion in South Australia retail catchment and is located
represents a retail-centric centre, between several of Darwin’s major
developed around a Westfield- community institutions.
owned shopping mall. It has a
regional retail catchment but lacks A benefit of the toolkit is that it
a diversity of other uses. enables centres to be assessed in
many different ways. For example,
Chatswood in New South Wales centres within the WA activity
is one of the North Shore’s major centres network can be compared
commercial and retail districts. with others at the same level of
22
23. the hierarchy or with
centres at a different
hierarchical level.
Alternatively, Perth
centres can be assessed
against more established
centres in other cities, or
against the average and best of a
particular typology.
The typologies contained in
this paper are simply one way
that centres can be categorised,
recognising that not all centres
are expected to function in the
same way. However, the toolkit
provides the ability for centres that
are retail centric, for example, to
be compared with more diverse
principal centres to map out a path
to improved performance and
sustainability.
23
24. Subiaco snapshot
Activity Centre Performance Toolkit: Case Studies
Subiaco is an inner western Results
suburb of Perth, located less than
four kilometres from the Perth Subiaco attained the highest urban
CBD. It contains medium density form score of the case studies, with
housing, a strong fashion and particularly high scores in safety
food main street, entertainment, and amenity. It also achieved
recreation, major hospital the second highest economic
facilities and a concentration of sustainability score, after the
professional services employment principal centre of Chatswood.
in proximity to the train station.
It is an established inner suburb Subiaco rated equal to the ‘best-
that underwent transformation of-type’ centre with respect to
when a portion of the train line accessibility, due to its close
was undergrounded and industrial proximity to the Perth CBD and
land redeveloped to accommodate other employment nodes and
a diversity of new housing and the presence of well-integrated
employment uses, facilitating a public transport infrastructure.
connected urban centre. It also achieved a better than
average employment quality
Average Best score, operating as a high amenity
Economic
Subiaco Inner Inner
Measure CBD alternative for footloose
Urban Urban
professional services.
Diversity 6.50 7.00 8.70
Intensity 8.20 6.65 9.20 Recommendations
Employment
8.25 7.75 9.50
Quality Subiaco is rated relatively poorly
Accessibility 8.50 8.25 8.50 in the urban quality category due
Score out
8.01 7.41 8.98
to the presence of unattractive
of ten features such as vacant land
Urban Form Measure Subiaco parcels, vacant buildings and car
Urban Quality 5.70 parks interfacing with the public
realm. Improvements in passive
Urban Amenity 8.80
surveillance of the public realm
Mobility 7.20
and providing more traffic calming
Safety 9.20 devices would assist in creating
Score out of ten 7.73 a higher quality pedestrian
environment.
24
25. Activity Centre Performance Toolkit: Case Studies
Diversity of activity
achieved is also lower
than the average due to
a high representation
of retail and office uses.
There is the potential
for better links
between nodes (such
as community, health
and recreation) and
the addition of high-
rise accommodation Improvements in urban
options to complement the variety quality and internal mobility
of high quality medium density
will enable Subiaco to build
housing.
its employment attraction
capability. Ensuring new
developments focus on
creating higher intensity
environments with a mix of
uses will maximise Subiaco’s
potential
25
26. Marion snapshot
Activity Centre Performance Toolkit: Case Studies
Marion is the largest shopping Results
complex in Adelaide, located
approximately 13km from the Marion received the lowest score
Adelaide CBD. At approximately of the case study centres for urban
120,000m2, it contains two quality, however it performed well
department stores, three in terms of amenity and safety.
discount department stores and
two supermarkets along with Marion attracts a regional
more than 300 speciality stores catchment to its retail offer
and a variety of entertainment but lacks a diversity of other
options, including cinemas and employment uses, including
a bowling alley. Although the higher quality knowledge-based
centre also contains office space employment.
accommodating professional
services (medical, legal, Residential density around the
accounting, management), it centre is also low in comparison
functions primarily as a shopping to centres in other cities, in part
destination for the region. due to the predominance of
surrounding car parks.
Average Best
Economic
Marion Retail- Retail- Oaklands railway station is
Measure
centric centric
approximately 800m-1km from
Diversity 4.00 6.25 8.10 Marion centre, while in other cities
Intensity 6.40 4.70 6.70 such as Sydney, stations have
Employment
3.00 4.25 7.75 much better integration with retail
Quality centres.
Accessibility 6.50 6.00 7.25
Score out of Recommendations
5.15 5.30 7.45
ten
Marion’s urban quality score has the
Urban Form Measure Marion
potential for improvement through
Urban Quality 3.7
attention to landscaping, street
Urban Amenity 7.3 trees and public art. Addressing
Mobility 4.9 vacant land and car park interfaces
Safety 6.2 with the public realm could assist
Score out of ten 5.5 with both the urban quality score
and the intensity of activity,
26
27. Activity Centre Performance Toolkit: Case Studies
allowing expansion
of office space and
residential dwellings in
proximity to the centre.
The integration of
cultural, aquatic and
leisure centres and
places for eating and
drinking within the
centre boundaries
build on Marion’s
consumer services strengths,
The challenge for Marion is to
which combined with a higher
quality public realm and better
build on its substantial retail
train accessibility could attract
strengths to become a more
the requisite higher order diverse regional town centre.
employment. Greater external focus and
connectivity will make it a
more desirable place for future
commercial and residential
development
27
28. Chatswood snapshot
Activity Centre Performance Toolkit: Case Studies
Chatswood is a suburb on Results
the North Shore of Sydney,
Chatswood achieved very high
approximately ten kilometres
scores in economic sustainability
from the Sydney CBD. Chatswood
compared with other case studies
contains two major shopping
and compared to the average of
centres, linked by a main street
the principal centres measured.
containing a mix of specialties,
mini majors and smaller shopping Intensity is very high, due to
centres. Chatswood centre is a combination of office and
also home to a large number residential towers, developed
of commercial offices including within walking distance of the train
several technology headquarters, station.
located within a walkable Employment quality is also high,
catchment from the Chatswood reflecting the centre’s role as a
train station, which accesses both major commercial centre for the
the North Shore and Northern rail North Shore and an alternative to
lines. In addition to commercial and the CBD.
retail development, Chatswood
accommodates a number of high- In contrast, urban form scores are
density residential towers. lower than those achieved in inner
urban centres such as Subiaco.
Economic Average Best The large size of the centre and
Chatswood
Measure Principal Principal
the intensity of activity mean that
Diversity 7.25 7.25 8.60 external pedestrian amenities
Intensity 9.20 6.35 9.55 and features have been replaced
Employment
9.00 8.00 9.75 with internal spaces and it is often
Quality difficult to navigate streets at peak
Accessibility 7.75 6.00 9.50 times.
Score out
of ten
8.46 6.90 9.35 Recommendations
Urban Form Measure Chatswood Quality was rated relatively poorly
due to a lack of landscaping, few
Urban Quality 5.0
green spaces viewable from the
Urban Amenity 6.3
majority of the centre, lack of public
Mobility 6.5 art and presence of a number of
Safety 6.3 building sites. The mobility score
Score out of ten 6.0 also reflected a lower frequency
28 of bus stops, little provision for
29. Activity Centre Performance Toolkit: Case Studies
bicycle parking and
few marked cycle
paths. Although
the train station is
well integrated, the
centre must also
address issues with
car accessibility and
parking issues.
The challenge for
Chatswood is to
insure that the high intensity
(and growing) environment is From a strong base, Chatswood
accompanied by attractive and can build its employment and
user-friendly urban form. This resident attraction capability
will assist in creating a more through improvements to
inviting community space, internal mobility, urban
ensure workers and residents quality in the public realm and
are retained in the centre, and a focus on community and
improve the commercial success entertainment to complement
of all components through greater the retail offer
mobility and legibility.
29
30. Casuarina snapshot
Activity Centre Performance Toolkit: Case Studies
Casuarina Square is located in Results
the northern suburbs of Darwin,
1km from Charles Darwin Casuarina receives a low score for
University, 2km from the Royal urban form due to the disconnect
Darwin Hospital and less than of the shopping centre from the
3km from Darwin International main street, lack of landscaping,
Airport. Casuarina is classified as internal public realm and presence
a major centre under the Greater of large car parking areas isolating
Darwin Region Land Use Plan, the centre core.
and operates as one of two sub-
regional centres servicing a main Although the centre is based
trade area of almost 120,000 around a retail mall, the presence
residents. The centre is the subject of surrounding community uses
of a current redevelopment plan, and links to health and education
aimed at enhancing its role within improve both the intensity and
the community and creating employment quality scores.
an environment that attracts
and retains new residents and An absence of residential
businesses. accommodation means that the
centre is not activated at night,
Economic Average Best reducing safety and the success
Casuarina
Measure Regional Regional
of entertainment uses. The lack of
Diversity 6.50 6.75 8.90 integration of the transit centre
Intensity 4.70 3.15 6.35 affects accessibility and safety
Employment scores.
8.00 5.50 9.00
Quality
Accessibility 5.25 4.00 8.50 Recommendations
Score out
6.11 4.85 8.19 Plans to integrate the transit centre
of ten
with the core and a redeveloped
Urban Form Measure Casuarina
public realm will improve
Urban Quality 4.2
centre safety and accessibility.
Urban Amenity 5.5 Opening the internally focused
Mobility 5.0 mall to link with the main street
Safety 4.9 creates opportunities for new
Score out of ten 4.9 entertainment and community
30
31. Activity Centre Performance Toolkit: Case Studies
uses that will extend
activation beyond retail
trading hours.
The addition of
residential apartments
and commercial office
within the centre will
improve diversity and
intensity of activity,
and a focus on pedestrian and
cycle paths will benefit links with The vision for Casuarina as a
external nodes. diverse, vibrant town centre
can be achieved through
improvements to the public
realm, transit centre and main
street integration. This will in
turn attract greater residential
and commercial development
and improve visitation.
31
32. 5.0
Beyond the Prototype:
Future Directions
32
33. 5 BEYOND THE PROTOTYPE: FUTURE
DIRECTIONS
This toolkit demonstrates how The toolkit can also be developed
applying metrics to an activity specifically for the use of
centre can provide practical data developers or local governments
for both developers and local for the purpose of planning and
governments. Subset toolkits approving developments on a
can be developed to collate data small or large scale, programming
showing the performance of revitalisation projects, planning
activity centres for specific user maintenance schedules or new
groups - such as children, the public infrastructure, such as parks
elderly, the mobility-impaired or community centres. Application
or DINKS (double-income no- of the toolkit can show developers
kids). This will allow developers what is expected of them when
to design new developments to developing a site and used to
cater for their intended target assess the performance rating of
group or groups, and provide local a proposal from plans submitted
government with the information for local government approval.
they need to improve centres for all The toolkit criteria can be built
users. into local and state government
strategic plans to ensure that
all development is based on a
consistent, comprehensive and
33
34. Activity Centre Performance Toolkit: Beyond the Prototype: Future Directions
agreed upon vision. Design Population health is another
guidelines for an area can be tested important issue which can be
against the toolkit to determine targeted by the toolkit - measuring
whether they will be effective the performance of a centre
in creating an excellent activity against criteria conducive to
centre. various types of physical activity
for all users, the provision of
To address the pressing need healthy eating options and food
to improve the environmental sources, opportunities to take part
sustainability of our cities, the in organised sports, support for
activity centre toolkit is designed organised and incidental social
to create an urban fabric capable of interaction, and provision of access
ensuring low waste and emissions, to the natural environment for the
improved food security, a low- improvement of mental health and
cost lifestyle, a centre with cycling restoration.
and walking the primary form of
transport, and more. For more information or a
demonstration of the activity
centre toolkit, please contact
Pracsys Economics www.pracsys.
com.au.
34
35. PERTH • MELBOURNE
For more information or a demonstration of the activity centre admin@pracsys.com.au
toolkit, please contact Pracsys Economics www.pracsys.com.au. www.pracsys.com.au
36. Property Council of Australia Limited
www.propertyoz.com.au
Activity Centre Performance Toolkit
