While land use drives transport demand, the accessibility provided by the transport network drives demand for development. Land-use integration with urban structure (see Principle 2) can be achieved by clustering key land uses on main streets that prioritise walking, cycling and public transport. These streets have a higher capacity to enable efficient movement and deliver place outcomes, as illustrated in Figure 9.

The co-location of key land uses in greenfield precincts should be developed iteratively with the urban structure and based on main street frontage, rather than large superblocks. Co-locating key land uses may be more difficult in brownfield precincts; however, infill development or increased density can help ‘reshape’ urban structure. Alternatively, road space can be re-allocated on corridors with key land uses to shift the urban structure from car-based to walking, cycling and public transport-based.

Figure 9 Co-locating key land uses along main streets to prioritise walking, cycling and public transport provides better connectivity and supports 15-minute neighbourhoods and 30-minute cities.

Cluster key land uses on priority walking, cycling and public transport corridors

Key land uses with high place intensity – such as shops, offices, hospitals, community facilities, recreational opportunities, local centres, strategic centres and specialised precincts like stadiums, universities and significant community open space – should be co-located along priority waking, cycling and public transport corridors. When key land uses are dispersed across the precinct, the walking and cycling trips become longer, and public transport routes become circuitous and indirect.

Entrances to key land uses should be directly located on the priority walking, cycling and public transport corridors – avoid isolating commercial uses behind large or landscaped setbacks, car parks, fencing or inactive building frontages. They should also be located away from main roads where pollution, noise or congestion can affect place qualities.

Locate sensitive land uses adjacent to priority walking, cycling and public transport corridors

Sensitive land uses such as schools, childcare centres, senior housing and places of worship should be located adjacent to priority walking, cycling and public transport corridors and away from main roads.

Their entrance should face the adjacent, quieter and low-speed streets to reduce conflict between walking access, bus movements, drop-off areas, and high-volume traffic, and improve road safety. However, they should be within walking distance to public transport stops and adjacent to other complementary facilities in and around centres (see School Site Selection and Development).

Locate industrial employment lands on or adjacent to main roads

Intensifying employment in commercial areas adjacent to interchanges and stops provides more opportunities for living and working locally.

Industrial employment lands typically require fast and direct freight access. They should be located on main roads (including motorways), away from main streets and priority corridors for other modes. Interface with a priority walking, cycling and public transport corridor should be buffered with specialty land uses, such as smaller warehouses, bulky goods and car dealerships – ensuring the built form remains human-scale and consistent with the rest of the precinct.

Distribute density across a precinct to reach a minimum average density of 30 dwellings/ha in urban areas

Historically, neighbourhoods that achieve an average net density of at least 30 dwellings/ha can support more walking, cycling and public transport trips¹. Homes in residential areas should be located within 800m from frequent public transport (or 400m in areas with fewer public transport services) to maximise public transport catchment. All homes should be within a 15 to 20 minutes walk from a collection of local shops, a primary school, public transport, a supermarket or a grocery store.

Density can be distributed across a precinct to avoid polarised neighbourhoods with stark density, scale and access requirement changes. It may take the form of apartment buildings and mixed-use neighbourhood centres, particularly within the walking catchments of high-quality public transport stops and public spaces. These densities would taper down to townhouses and dual occupancies within a short walk of the corridor. Finally, lower density detached housing is located furthest from the corridor. This densification and clustering of land use not only supports walking, cycling and public transport but also provides a more diverse range of housing choices to meet communities’ diverse needs. In very-low-density precincts without any public transport services or centres, public space may become the anchor for density.

Minimise car parking provision across a precinct by providing safe, accessible and viable walking, cycling and public transport options

Car parking provision should be minimised, adaptable and integrated across a precinct with more flexible requirements. Areas with good access to public transport following the public transport accessibility level measure should have fewer car parking spaces than the minimum required under an applicable environmental planning instrument or development control plan.

Other tools to consider include setting maximum parking space provision, or providing parking on a needs basis (decoupled, unbundled or remote parking), particularly along priority walking, cycling and public transport corridors.

• Better Placed: An integrated design policy for the built environment of NSW (GANSW 2017)
• School Site Selection and Development (School Infrastructure 2020)
• Development near Rail Corridors and Busy Roads – Interim Guideline (DPE 2008)
• State Environmental Planning Policy (Infrastructure) 2007

¹ Density Matters, Presentation to the Australian Institute of Urban Studies (NSW Branch), 21 February 2019