Planning Institute of Australia has awarded the ‘PIA 2015 Victoria President’s Award for Planning Excellence’ to a report exposing the fact that apartments are being built in Melbourne’s CBD at four times densities allowed in Hong Kong, New York and Tokyo.
At a lunch today as a pre-cursor to next week’s PIA Victoria Awards for Planning Excellence ceremony, Victorian President of the Planning Institute of Australia (PIA), James Larmour-Reid described the report - the Churchill Fellowship Report from Leanne Hodyl – as devastating yet timely:
“The report is not the first to analyse and critique the planning controls that apply to high rise development in central Melbourne, nor is it flawless in its analysis or conclusions. It is a game changer because of the clarity of its argument and its near-perfect timing. Standing on the shoulders of those who came before, it has the temerity to point out that the emperor, indeed, has no clothes.
“The report’s devastating opening sentence - ‘High-rise apartment towers are being built in central Melbourne at four times the maximum densities allowed in Hong Kong, New York and Tokyo – some of the highest density cities in the world.’ – was perfectly pitched to both grab attention and provide a mental benchmark that could be readily understood by the layperson. Few planners have the skill, bravery or independence to make their case so audaciously’.
"Leanne Hodyl’s report is careful to emphasise that high rise apartments play an important role in providing housing close to jobs and transport and should therefore be supported. It also emphasises that in designing and approving such development we need to be mindful of the long-term implications for internal amenity, public realm liveability, community service provision and affordability. These are arguments and sentiments that PIA strongly support," concludes Larmour-Reid.
Leanne Hodyl completed the Churchill Fellowship in 2014. She is co-ordinator of city plans and policy at Melbourne City Council. The fellowship was separate to her council job but with the support of key staff.
The annual PIA President’s Award for Planning Excellence recoginses the most outstanding contribution to issues relating to urban and/or regional planning in Victoria.
Planning Institute of Australia is Victoria’s peak body for the planning industry.
An awards ceremony acknowledging and announcing all winners in the PIA Victoria Awards for Planning Excellence will occur at 6pm on at The University of Melbourne.
For interviews please call PIA Victorian President James Larmour-Reid on 0409 396 279 or PIA Victoria Executive Officer Carmel McCormack on 0402 249 832