Joint media release
A major new survey of 2,500 people nationwide by the country’s largest residential developer has revealed what Australians consider most important for making their communities and cities liveable.
The Stockland Liveability Index, released today, was conducted between January and March 2017 in partnership with leading research specialists, Colmar Brunton.
Its findings and relevance to the future direction of our cities will be discussed at a special event hosted by the Committee for Sydney tonight featuring eminent visiting international land use expert Professor Christopher Leinberger, together with Greater Sydney Chief Commissioner Lucy Turnbull AO, Stockland CEO and Managing Director Mark Steinert, and Co-Founder of Roberts Day, Mike Day.
Voted one of the Top 100 Urban Thinkers in a 2009 poll conducted by international urban planning site Planetizen, Professor Leinberger is at the forefront of research into the changing dynamic of urban spaces in the United States.
Professor Leinberger’s 2016 report, Foot Traffic Ahead, shows that: “For perhaps the first time in 60 years, walkable urban places (‘WalkUPs’) in all 30 of the [US’] largest metros are gaining market share over their drivable sub-urban competition — and showing substantially higher rental premiums.”
Stockland Managing Director and CEO, Mark Steinert, said: “We are delighted to partner with the Committee for Sydney and bring Professor Leinberger to Australia at a time when as a nation we are rethinking the future of our cities, with a strong focus on liveability.
“For communities to be liveable, they need to be smart, healthy, connected and importantly, affordable. The powerful emerging market trend toward walkable urban development in the US is one we expect to see replicated in Australia, as our cities continue their strong growth trajectories.
“Capturing and applying the insights from research by experts such as Professor Leinberger will help ensure our growth story is a positive one for the people who live, work and visit our metropolitan centres.”
Tim Williams, Chief Executive of the Committee for Sydney said: “Governments at all levels are accelerating their efforts to shape the future of our cities, with a focus on ensuring we have the right infrastructure and public amenities in place to make them sustainable and liveable over the long-term.”
Mike Day, Co-Founder of Roberts Day, said: “With Sydney suffering from the overlapping crises of health and affordability, a key step to transform Sydney is creating walkable places. Walkable places offer people safety, comfort and delight. Benefits of a walkable Sydney include creating a true 30 minute city to address the fact people of Western Sydney are three times more likely to suffer from diabetes than their inner-city counterparts.
“The emerging equity issue Sydney needs to address is people’s proximity to walkable places. By giving priority to walkable places as the new missing middle of Sydney’s density done well discussion, the added value of improved health, happiness and productivity, means everyone benefits.”
The Stockland Liveability Index measures the liveability of 40 communities nationally and is informative in evaluating the effectiveness of ‘City Deals’ and other government-led initiatives that aim to drive healthier, more productive and more accessible places for people across Australia. It provides key insights for cities, together with case studies highlighting the very real impact liveability has on a range of social and economic factors.
Aside from the personal and community toll, PwC (2015) estimates obesity and its related health impacts will cost the Australian economy more than $87 billion over the next decade. Already, today some 63 per cent of Australians aged over 18 years are overweight or obese*.
Mark Steinert continued: “The obesity statistics present a significant challenge facing the liveability of Australian cities. Liveability and walkability are core commitments that Stockland has embraced in our communities across the country, and has become central to public policy discussions about how cities should be planned and built in the future.
“Our research shows us that if we work with government and other key stakeholders to fast-track schools, parks, childcare, cafés and shops, we can have a profound impact on the liveability of our communities and the health of residents. The social imperatives for doing so is compelling and is supported by equally clear commercial ones.
"The Federal Government’s Smart Cities Plan, as well as State planning policies including the recently-released Greater Sydney Commission District Plans, reflect the importance of liveability measures.
“The unique perspective offered by our Liveability Index is the voices of more than 2,500 residents – from the ground up, sharing their experiences of what makes a community work well."
The Stockland Liveability Index provides three key lessons for cities:
The Index also includes case studies highlighting the very real impact liveability has on a range of social and economic factors.
Stockland’s overall Liveability score for 2017 was 83 per cent. This is up eight percentage points from our 2012/13 score. Stockland residents continue to score above the Australian Average for Personal Wellbeing as developed by Deakin University and reported by Australian Unity. The current Australian average is 76.7%, while the Stockland average resident PWI score for 2017 is 79%. The Liveability Index has been conducted since 2011.
The Liveability Index is available at www.stockland.com.au/liveability
The panel discussion on liveability will be moderated by Committee for Sydney CEO Dr Tim Williams this evening. A recording of the discussion will be available at www.sydney.org.au
*ABS data 2014-15
About Professor Chris Leinberger
Professor Christopher B. Leinberger is a land use strategist, teacher, developer, researcher and author, balancing business realities with social and environmental concerns. Mr Leinberger is currently the Charles Bendit Distinguished Scholar and Research Professor, George Washington University School of Business; a Nonresident Senior Fellow at Brookings Institution in Washington DC; and Founding Partner of Arcadia Land Company, a new urbanism and transit-oriented development firm.
About the Stockland Liveability Index
For cities to be liveable, Stockland has identified the four most critical factors as being:
Overall result
Quality of life
Health & wellbeing
Community connections