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  • A New Dawn for Urban Policy (PDF 56.30 KB)

    Published by New Zealand Planning Institute - June 2003

    This article provides an overview of the Governments new portfolio of Urban Affairs. It describes recent important publications and the development of urban policy within the sustainable developmen...

  • An American's Impression of New Zealand (PDF 0.76 MB)

    Published by New Zealand Planning Institute - June 2003

    This article describes a certified American planner’s impression of New Zealand and describes his perspective of what a US planner can learn from New Zealand and vice versa.

  • Approaches to Crime Prevention (PDF 464.71 KB)

    Published by New Zealand Planning Institute - December 2005

    This article considers statutory and non-statutory approaches to crime prevention through environmental design (CPTED) using the case studies of Auckland City Council and Wellington City Council. I...

  • Better Neighbourhoods Making Higher Densities Work (PDF 509 KB)

    Published by Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment - March 2005

    This report considers how barriers to successful higher-density housing can be overcome. It analyses the challenges associated with building at higher densities, and shows how housing intensificati...

  • Creating A Sense of Place (PDF 0.65 MB)

    Published by New Zealand Planning Institute - January 2001

    This article discusses the Glen Innes Tile Mosaic Project, which helped to create a public space which embodies a strong feeling of local identity. The project came to fruition through the collabor...

  • Crime Prevention through Environmental Design Part One: Seven Qualities of Safer Places National Guidelines for Crime Prevention

    Published by Ministry of Justice - November 2005

    These guidelines are based on Crime Prevention through Environmental Design (CPTED) principles. They help local authorities, architects and urban design planners create safer public spaces.

  • Crime Prevention through Environmental Design Part Two: Implementation Guide

    Published by Ministry of Justice - November 2005

    This document is primarily aimed at planners and designers working for local authorities, but is also of relevance for architects, engineers, building managers and others involved in crime preventi...

  • Cul de Sacs, Grid Street Patterns Both Have a Role to Play

    Published by The Heartland Institute - May 2005

    Article looks at the merits of the grid patter and cul-de-sac development, in particular their respective roles with regard to traffic movement.

  • Design Guidelines: A Wellington Reprise (PDF 242.13 KB)

    Published by Resource Management Law Association of New Zealand Inc - November 1995

    The article is a critical summary of the Wellington City Council Design Guidelines.

  • Design Guides - a Wellington Perspective (PDF 116.51 KB)

    Published August 1995

    This article discusses the use of design guidelines in the Wellington City Council Proposed District Plan.

  • Designer Offers Alternative to Urban Sprawl (PDF 507.68 KB)

    Published by New Zealand Planning Institute - March 1994

    This article outlines an Australian urban planner's presentation on urban design at forums in Auckland and Wellington. The presentations focused on ways of achieving innovative and sustainable deve...

  • Emerging Urban Strategies (PDF 453.66 KB)

    Published by New Zealand Planning Institute - December 1996

    This article details how the key to a satisfying urban experience is successful urban design. The article discusses implementing urban design into New Zealand planning policy, using the experience ...

  • Inquiry into sustainable cities

    Published by House Standing Committee on Environment and Heritage (Australia) - September 2005

    On Monday 12 September 2005, the Australian House Standing Committee on Environment and Heritage tabled its report Sustainable Cities on the enquiry into sustainable cities. The conclusions in thi...

  • Introduction to Urban Stormwater Management in Australia – Water Sensitive Urban Design (PDF 783 KB)

    Published by Department of Environment and Heritage (Australia) - 2002

    This document introduces ‘water sensitive urban design’ (WSUD), which is a holistic approach to water cycle management and regional natural resource management. These approaches can be linked t...

  • Locating Older People as if Their Happiness Matters (PDF 187.86 KB)

    Published by New Zealand Planning Institute - March 2004

    This report highlights that happiness in old age needs careful thinking about where the elderly live in retirement, and how they will transport themselves when they no longer have a drivers license.

  • Managing Growth (PDF 0.75 MB)

    Published by New Zealand Planning Institute - December 2002

    Provides an overview of the Auckland Regional Growth Strategy, describes the development and implementation of the Liveable Communities Strategy 2050 and discusses community reactions to this strat...

  • Many pathways from land use to health: Associations between neighborhood walkability and active transportation, body mass index, and air quality. (PDF 118 KB)

    Published by American Planning Association - 2006

    Examines the relationships between land use pattern and public health, looking particularly at the impact of increasing walkability through planning choices, decreasing obesity and air pollution.

  • Measuring urban form: Is Portland winning the war on sprawl? (PDF 1074 KB)

    Published by American Planning Association - 2004

    In this article the authors discuss how to measure urban sprawl and evaluate whether the Portland metropolitan area is winning the war on sprawl.

  • Moving Forward with Transit-Oriented Development in New Zealand (PDF 2.84 MB)

    Published by New Zealand Planning Institute - December 2006

    Looks at changes in urban form taking place in Portland, Oregon, with transit-orientated development rethinking the way developments are designed, integrating public transport from the start.

  • Natural environment strategy for Christchurch (PDF 0.54 MB)

    Published by New Zealand Planning Institute - March 1996

    This article details the strategy aimed to produce a framework which integrated sustainable management practices for a region's natural resources. It concludes that the value of nature in the city ...

  • Negotiating Good Urban Design Outcomes (PDF 0.81 MB)

    Published by New Zealand Planning Institute - June 2005

    This article discusses good urban design outcomes, and offers methods that could be adopted to help put the Ministry for the Environment’s Urban Design Protocol into practice. The article illustr...

  • New Zealand Urban Design Protocol

    Published by Ministry for the Environment - March 2005

    The New Zealand Urban Design Protocol provides a platform to make New Zealand towns and cities more successful through quality urban design. It is part of the Government's Sustainable Development P...

  • Noise Mitigation (PDF 233.70 KB)

    Published by New Zealand Planning Institute - December 2003

    Highlights the potential dangers that Wellington City Council's new noise mitigation measure in its District Plan (excluding noise from land transport) may have on urban design.

  • Open Space in Storkport (PDF 343.45 KB)

    Published by New Zealand Planning Institute - January 2001

    This article discusses Storkport Metropolitan Borough Council in England's approach to formal and informal recreation needs. The article discusses the planning policies in regard to open space, and...

  • People, Places, Spaces: A design guide for urban New Zealand

    Published by Ministry for the Environment - June 2001

    This guide provides a broad overview of urban design processes and principles appropriate to New Zealand. It seeks to increase awareness and discussion of the role and value of urban design, what i...

  • Plan Tectonics (PDF 1.06 MB)

    Published by New Zealand Planning Institute - May 2005

    This paper describes the role planners play in a post-disaster recovery and reconstruction situation. The ‘Great Wellington Earthquake’ is used as an example.

  • Planning for an Older Future (PDF 120.79 KB)

    Published by New Zealand Planning Institute - March 2003

    Describes the ageing population trend in demographic terms, and discusses the likely impacts for planning under the RMA.

  • Planning: Feet First - A Radical Change to How we Plan our Cities and Towns (PDF 216.37 KB)

    Published by New Zealand Planning Institute - July 2002

    This presentation discusses that to attain a sustainable future, planning and urban design approaches and techniques will need to radically change. This presentation is divided into five parts: An ...

  • Protocol with Potential? (PDF 61.40 KB)

    Published by New Zealand Planning Institute - December 2003

    This article is based on the authors answers to three questions asked by the Ministry for the Environment as a preliminary exercise to the development of the Urban Design Protocol. The questions we...

  • Residential Activity in the Industrial Zone (PDF 0.70 MB)

    Published by New Zealand Planning Institute - March 2004

    The huge demand for student accommodation in central Dunedin has led to increased pressure on the current zoning framework, because residential activity is encroaching on the industrial zone. This ...

  • Retirement Villages (PDF 242.53 KB)

    Published by New Zealand Planning Institute - March 2004

    Highlights the need for policy to consider the changing housing needs of the elderly, and the way communities and decision makers will need to adapt/respond to retirement villages.

  • Roof Water in Urban Areas (PDF 279.96 KB)

    Published by New Zealand Planning Institute - June 2004

    Advice for urban property owners on safe non-potable use of roof collected water, providing an overview of legal requirements; microbiological, chemical & physical hazards & risk management practices.

  • Safe streets, liveable streets (PDF 5086 KB)

    Published by American Planning Association - 2005

    Is there a correlation between the presence of streetscape design elements and vehicle accidents? Discusses evidence of liveable streetscape elements actually enhancing the safety of urban roadways.

  • Second Generation Crime Prevention through Environmental Design (2Nd GEN CPTED (PDF 0.56 MB)

    Published by New Zealand Planning Institute - March 2006

    Progressing on from the CPTED principles comes 2nd Gen CPTED which looks at the factors that build healthy, happy neighbourhoods that can work to prevent crime. This article canvases the need for ...

  • Smart Planning at Work (PDF 1.51 MB)

    Published by New Zealand Planning Institute - December 2002

    This article discusses urban revitalisation schemes in Chicago and San Francisco. This approach embraces holistic planning which involves taking into account environmental, social and economic cons...

  • Smart Planning at Work (PDF 1.27 MB)

    Published by New Zealand Planning Institute - December 2002

    This article describes the holistic planning approach involving environmental, social and economic considerations, which has been implemented in Chicago and San Francisco. It discusses the urban re...

  • Streetscapes (PDF 0.93 MB)

    Published by New Zealand Planning Institute - June 2005

    This article explores public work design principles in older residential streets in Christchurch. The benefits and downfalls of community involvement in the design process are given consideration.

  • Sustainable Development for New Zealand Programme of Action

    Published by NZ Government - January 2003

    Contains information on each part of the programme, as well as information about sustainable development in policy and decision making and how to measure progress and update the programme of action.

  • The Value of Urban Design: The economic, environmental and social benefits of urban design

    Published by Ministry for the Environment - June 2005

    This document aims to establish whether there is a persuasive case for urban design - the design of the buildings, places, spaces and networks that make up our towns and cities.

  • Town Planning in New Zealand (PDF 126.68 KB)

    Published by New Zealand Planning Institute - December 2002

    This article traces some of the early urban planning endeavours in the period up to World War II, these include the colonial beginnings of New Zealand’s main centres and the early attempts to pas...

  • Transit Oriented Development (PDF 40.14 KB)

    Published by New Zealand Planning Institute - December 2004

    Highlights elements of the Transit Oriented Development in Colorado, which suggests solutions to common public transportation problems, and discusses how TOD principles could be applied in Auckland.

  • Urban Design Case Studies

    Published by Ministry for the Environment - March 2005

    The Urban Design Case Studies support the New Zealand Urban Design Protocol by showing practical examples of successful urban design.

  • Urban Design Toolkit

    Published by Ministry for the Environment - April 2007

    The Urban Design Toolkit is a compendium of tools that can be used to facilitate high-quality urban design and supports the implementation of the New Zealand Urban Design Protocol.

  • Urban Design and Continuing Professional Development Programme Course Material

    Published by Ministry for the Environment - April 2005

    The Urban Design Continuing Professional Development Programme Training was developed as part of the implementation of the New Zealand Urban Design Protocol. The course is made up of a series of se...

  • Urban Innovation or Fortification? (PDF 482.56 KB)

    Published by New Zealand Planning Institute - March 2004

    Gated communities are a relatively new phenomenon in New Zealand and to date have received little attention from central and local government. This article describes gated communities from an inter...

  • Urban Regeneration (PDF 331.72 KB)

    Published by New Zealand Planning Institute - June 2003

    This article describes an urban renewal programme administered in Haringey, London, by the UK's Single Regeneration Budget during the 1990s. Furthermore it discusses what New Zealand can learn fro...

  • Urban Sustainability Worldwide: An Information Resource for Urban Practitioners

    Published by Ministry for the Environment - November 2003

    This publication provides a selection of urban sustainability information (websites, website reports and books) from countries other than New Zealand.

  • Will Urban Design Destroy Planning? (PDF 296.35 KB)

    Published by New Zealand Planning Institute - December 2003

    This article highlights the uncertainty and lack of clarification in New Zealand surrounding the concept ‘urban design’. It outlines the gaps, challenges, threats to the planning professions an...

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