20 Results

Some critics see high rise living in the CBD as ‘vertical sprawl’, but its sustainability credentials are exemplary, it’s eminently walkable and it helps make housing affordable elsewhere in the metro area

Fairfax columnist Bruce Guthrie is upset cyclists are getting dedicated road space at the expense of motorists. It’s time to acknowledge cars should no longer get priority in the city centre

The chances of getting the massive funding required to build major urban rail projects any time soon don’t look promising. What might happen to our cities if they’re never built?

The Herald-Sun and the RACV are united in their opposition to plans by Melbourne Cty Council to take roadspace in the CBD away from cars and give it to cyclists. Do they have a case?

The received wisdom these days is the structure of big cities should be ‘polycentric’ rather than ‘monocentric’. It’s apparently so self-evidently desireable there’s no need to consult with the public!

High density living in the city centre is an increasingly popular option for some Australians and scores well on sustainability, but there’s still suspicion of this new-fangled way of living

More than half of cyclists ignore red lights according to British motorising organisation, The Institute of Advanced Motoring (IAM). The Institute conducted a survey which found 57% of respondents answered yes to the question: “As a cyclist, do you ever jump red lights?” It’s a highly sensational number but it’s also highly dubious. There’s every [...]

Bernard Salt had a fascinating but ultimately somewhat flawed article in The Australian last Saturday, Welcome to the Metropolis, which looks “at how Melbourne is narrowing the gap with Sydney in the contest to become the nation’s top city”. It’s gated, but well worth reading – I recommend doing what I did and taking out [...]

The CEO of Melbourne Airport, Chris Woodruff, has a gripe. The Victorian Government is pressing ahead with construction of a $250 million rail line to support his competitor – Avalon Airport – but is spending a mere $6.5 million to study the warrant for rail to Melbourne Airport. Yet as I noted once before, while [...]

Urbanists throughout Australia and the world were startled and amazed to read of the radical 20-50 year vision for expanding Melbourne’s CBD proposed last week by Victoria’s Planning Minister, Matthew Guy. According to the Herald Sun, which headlined its story Mega Melbourne plan for skyscrapers in suburbs, Mr Guy’s plan will “see skyscrapers stretching from [...]