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World Experts Endorse Swanbourne Village Trust’s Vision

Professor Peter Newman AO and Josh Byrne from Josh Byrne and Associates; leaders in sustainable policy, have endorsed the vision and planning principles of the Swanbourne Village Trust (SVT).

Peter Newman is a Distinguished Professor of Sustainability at the Curtin University Sustainable Policy Institute (CUSP). CUSP was established in January 2008 and headed by Professor Newman.

Sustainability Policy

The idea of sustainability is a relatively new concept, but is rapidly becoming a key issue in public policy theory and practice. Sustainability Policy is also developing as a recognised profession and a multidisciplinary research field in its own right. CUSP is a key player in the Australian Sustainable Development Institute (ASDI) encompassing a broad range of Curtin research centres and teams involved in sustainability scholarship. CUSP has created a PhD and Masters by Research students and is offering a Masters in Sustainability and Climate Policy. Organisations such as Solar E are contributing ideas and projects for these students.

CUSP is now a world leader in increasing sustainability through policy, theory and practice. Its projects integrate different priorities leading to practical outcomes through collaboration.

Sustainability experts; Professor Peter Newman AO and environmental Scientist, Josh Byrne endorse Swanbourne Village Trust’s vision and planning

Professor Newman

Professor Newman, who recently contributed a small video on the SVT website, grew up in the Swanbourne area and his father taught at Scotch College. In 2011 Peter was awarded the Sidney Luker medal by the Planning Institute of Australia (NSW) for his contribution to the science and practice of town planning in Australia. In 2014 he was awarded an Order of Australia for his contributions to urban design and sustainable transport, particularly related to the saving and rebuilding of Perth’s rail system. He can relate to the vision that SVT has in improving the lifestyles and amenities of the local residents and he feels that vision can take the area into the 21^st century.

Prof Newman is quoted as saying “It’s time for a reinvention of the Swanbourne Village. No place can stay exactly as it was and there will always be discussion about how to regenerate a place. We have a team of people who want to make the Swanbourne Village into something very special. We will need everyone with an interest in the place to help. I look forward to meeting anyone who wants to give the Village a new life for its next hundred years”.

Josh Byrne

Josh Byrne is well known for his media work with ABC television as the WA presenter on Gardening Australia and is the author of two books on sustainable gardening and landscape design. Josh also endorses SVT’s vision for sustainability and innovative planning and will advise SVT on its landscape design and rooftop gardens. His expertise will complement the award winning energy efficiency and sustainability credentials from architects Garry Baverstock and James Shaw to ensure SVT will be a leader in community living in the Cottesloe/Swanbourne areas. In 2013, Josh was appointed as a Research Fellow at CUSP to undertake research into high performance housing as part of the CRC for Low Carbon Living.

CUSP wants to see practical outcomes and the SVT project represents an example of a practical solution in reducing cars on the road while providing a good balance between the financial needs and community amenities of the SVT shareholders. These shareholders are using their superannuation to achieve their living and lifestyle requirements without being a burden to the taxpayer.

Photo Credits: Nick Melidonis, www.nickmelidonis.com

Providing for Swanbourne’s Needs into the 21st Century

The Swanbourne Precinct Development Trust (SPDT) has been formed to effectively develop the precinct around the Swanbourne railway station and provide a sustainable roadmap to the needs of this community for the next 5-10 years.

The first property for the SPDT; number 1 Franklin St; has already been purchased and paid for and is in a good strategic location with a right of way. This will allow the trust, together with the engagement of local shop owners and residents, to effectively develop additional apartments and office space above the shops for the next few years.

Positive feedback has already been received from the progressive Town of Claremont. This liaison between the stakeholders; the Town of Claremont and the SPDT, will culminate in a process to address all the key issues to removing barriers to the Swanbourne Precinct being developed into a higher density thus resulting into a successful, vibrant and sustainable community into the 21^st century.

Rod Griffiths and Garry Baverstock discussing the SPDT project outside 1 Franklin St, Swanbourne

Positive Integration

In the past, the Town of Cottesloe Council and the Town of Swanbourne were sometimes regarded as looking after their respective sides of the railway line with often little integration between them. It is hoped that the SPDT, with more and more shop owners and residents from both sides of the track as stakeholders; will see the area in the Swanbourne railway precinct acting as an entity rather than two competing sides of the track. This can only lead to better outcomes for all concerned in the development of the area as a whole over the next 10 years at least.

Photo Credits: Nick Melidonis, www.nickmelidonis.com

Swanbourne Village Trust (SVT) Project gets Green Light

On Tuesday 26^th of May, the Town of Cottesloe’s Council agreed to go to advertising for the Swanbourne Village Trust scheme amendment by a majority vote of 5 to 3. Arguments for and against were debated; with Cottesloe Mayor, Jo Dawkins, voting for the project. Ms Dawkins gave an enthusiastic endorsement of the SVT design merits as well as having an architect of Garry Baverstock’s reputation behind the submission.

Prior to the vote on Tuesday, unit holder Katherine Kalaf studied the Town of Cottesloe’s Strategic Plan (2013) in detail to see how the SVT project fulfilled the long term objectives of the plan. The SVT project was found to comply very well in all aspects to the desired direction the council wished to take, especially as this project was situated very near a major railway transport hub.

SVT unit holder, Katherine Kalaf

SVT and Town of Cottesloe’s Strategic Plan

Specifically; in regard to ‘THE COMMUNITIES VISION AND ASPIRATIONS’, the Council’s mission is articulated as:

“In future, some development and redevelopment is likely to occur with smaller lot sizes and additional medium density housing occurring in areas with appropriate density coding. Redevelopment of older townhouse complexes and multi-level flats should result in more choices in housing style and size. “

Certainly, the SVT project will provide more housing choice with state of the art sustainability credentials.

Secondly, with regard to “UNDERPINNING SUSTAINABILITY PRINCIPLES”, the Council states:

“Under legislation, Council is required to meet the needs of current and future generations in a sustainable way. In carrying out its functions, the Council is committed to four interconnected principles of sustainability:

Sustainable development: To embrace and integrate sustainable development principles including social, economic, environmental and cultural aspects when planning for the district.”

Wise Earth is a leader in sustainable development and the SVT project fulfils the legislative requirement of addressing the changing needs of the community. The trend for living today is to move from large suburban blocks and be part of denser living close to all the amenities such as rail, shopping nodes and the lifestyle amenities which residents have enjoyed all their lives. With younger people, many are also opting for smaller lot sizes and grouped living.

The Strategic Plan further states:

“The priorities and objectives contained in this plan reflect areas Council will concentrate on in the short to medium term that have the potential to impact on how the district develops. Within each objective there are sustainability implications. This means that in moving forward, the Council will be faced with the question “what is sustainable for the long term?”

The SVT project addresses the trend to increase medium housing density at rail and commercial hubs. In other Australian cities such as Melbourne, this has been effectively addressed for some time and has been expressed as a goal by the State Government. Planner Peter Newman has been instrumental in encouraging this option as a sustainable solution to housing pressure in towns such as Cottesloe.

“Care must be taken that the pressure for denser development does not destroy the casual relaxed lifestyle, the character of the beachfront and the green leafy neighbourhood and unduly affect the amenity and ambience enjoyed by residents.”

On this aspect, Katherine goes on to say

“Our project sensitively addresses these concerns by reducing the bulk of the building and referring to an adjacent building form for scale while not overshadowing or unduly causing problems with height for neighbours.

I feel our project anticipates and addresses a number strategic goals in the council’s strategic plan.

Development at railway and commercial nodes.
Sustainability.
Energy efficiency.
Green spaces.
Anticipating and responding to the needs of the community.”

The proponents of the SVT project; some who will live in the development when finished; wholeheartedly support the Cottesloe Council’s Strategic Plan ethos and look forward to providing an innovative, sustainable development that all will be proud to see when completed in Cottesloe.

Photo Credits; Nick Melidonis, www.nickmelidonis.com

Wise Earth, helping to make Australia a Leader in Innovation

Built Environment Innovation Network

Wise Earth has initiated the Built Environment Innovation Network which will be chaired by Garry Baverstock. Taking the form of a closed door, round table discussion; it will focus on exploring the future of innovation for the construction industry in Western Australia and Australia generally. Attending will be representatives from various divisions of the Institute of Engineers; architects and also materials suppliers with leading names such as Boral; BHP and Alcoa together with some representation from State government.

The agenda will focus on how to move forward on sustainability and energy efficiency in the built environment. Wise Earth is a sponsor of Innovate Australia and Garry is the founding director.

Wise Earth- Good research is the first step

Outcomes synthesised from these discussions will be a catalyst for future public meetings where interested parties can attend to listen to relevant speakers that can outline the vision created at the round table discussions. These will be free talks aimed at informing and inspiring participants about the direction of innovation for the next 5 years with the aim of making Australia the number one country in innovation in the world.

Australia’s Innovation Ranking

Australia is currently ranked 15^th in innovation and this initiative will aim to improving that ranking to 10^th in five years and first after 15 years.

Photo Credits: Nick Melidonis, www.nickmelidonis.com