Strategic Planning and Design: Managing Urban Growth Effectively

This essay explores the critical role of strategic planning in managing urban growth, particularly within the Australian context. It emphasizes the Planning Institute of Australia's (PIA) stance on effective planning as a means to manage urban expansion, secure necessary infrastructure investments, determine appropriate settlement patterns, and generate positive economic development. The essay highlights the importance of community involvement, strong leadership, and transparent planning practices. It further discusses how good planning helps in identifying long-term goals, understanding stakeholder roles, and addressing challenges related to population growth, unemployment, and resource utilization, ultimately leading to sustainable and improved living conditions.

Strategic plan
and design
How good planning can manage urban growth

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Contents
Introduction......................................................................................................................................2
Australian institute of planning.......................................................................................................2
Role of good planning in managing urban growth..........................................................................2
Conclusion.......................................................................................................................................4
References........................................................................................................................................5

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Introduction
Planning for the future is pivotal to the growth and development of any economy. At present,
The Australian economy is battling various issues and addressing them is the need of the hour.
Therefore urban planning is critical to the long term sustainability of Australian cities. The
intensifying population of the country has mandated the need to plan for a brighter future. This
rise in population has also led to increased migration in urban areas of the country (Faludi,
2013). The growing urban population has mammoth needs which can only be satiated through
improved opportunities, infrastructure, education and overall economic growth. In order to
accomplish the same, extensive planning is required which would help in paving the way to
urban growth. This report throws light upon the role of planning in managing urban growth.
Planning institute of Australia’s policy of 2014 has been referred for a deeper insight on the
importance of planning.
Australian institute of planning
PIA is a national body of planners which works with the mission to create better communities by
guiding planners through communication, education and professional development (PIA, 2018).
PIA asserts that planning for the future is pivotal to Australia’s efficiency and livability. PIA’s
policy statement declares that good planning is the best way to manage urban growth, secure
required infrastructure and generate economic development. The purpose of good planning
according to Planning Institute of Australia relates to the idea of achieving goal on social,
economic and environmental platforms (Badland et. al., 2014).
Planning has been identified at a crucial tool in managing copious changes which are being faced
by our communities. PIA has been known to deliver a wide range of activities that develop
planners and demonstrate the value for planning for the growth of the community. Over the last
many years, PIA has played an active role in ensuring that the economy’s efforts towards growth
are planned in an effective manner leading to productive outcomes.

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Role of good planning in managing urban growth
For the long term success of any project, the first and the most basic step is ‘planning’. The role
of planning must not be undermined in order to successfully take the project to its zenith.
Planning for urban growth helps in defining desired outcomes as well as in generating a pathway
to reach that outcome (Geertman, Toppen & Stillwell, 2013). Australia is one of the most
developed societies in the world. In order to ensure continued growth of the economy, planning
plays a critical role in identifying the needs and drivers of change within the country. Urban
growth, in this context, refers to social, economic and environmental growth.
The Australian economy is facing various changes including growing population, reducing
inflation, increasing unemployment and growing poverty. In order to address these issues at
large, effective planning by the central as well as the state governments in the need of the hour.
People come from towns to cities in order to seek for jobs which give rise to unemployment and
increases population. Effective planning must be done to address these issues. A good planning
will only be possible if there is an active participation by the members and the authority. Further,
it is also essential that the members are professionally trained and dedicated towards their work.
Government of the state is under obligation to plan in efficient and effective manner so as to
achieve urban growth. Under good planning, essential infrastructure investment is done by the
government for the welfare of urban people. Apart from this, suitable settlement patterns are
determined for cities and town. These settlement patterns promote and encourage prosperity and
development in urban areas. In good planning, planner foresight and predict the future in order to
reduce risks and challenges. In this way, good planning reduces adverse social, economic and
environmental consequences and impacts. Optimize utilizations of resources can be possible
through good planning (Leigh & Blakely, 2016). Planning for urban growth also helps
governments in identifying and managing their investment in the economy. This in turn leads to
effective utilization of funds. Therefore good planning is guided by communities to determine
the growth and success of urban areas. Effective leadership styles are used by planners to
manage the urban growth.
Planning for urban growth also helps in identifying various performance indicators against which
urban growth can be measured. According to PIA, these performance indicators include stronger

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communities, confident return on investment, and enhancement in inherent value for the youth,
increased innovation, and preparedness for climatic change (Taylor et. al., 2014).
Effective planning for the future also ensures identification of the needs of all the stakeholders
and equal participation and contribution from them. Key stakeholders of urban growth in
Australia include residents, government (state, local and federal) and real estate & property
development industry (Fagence, 2014). Active participation from all the stakeholders can be
achieved through advance planning and this is pivotal for effective urban growth (Paris, 2013).
A good planning delivers outcomes. This is because planning ensures that communities are
prepared for uncertain circumstances that may pose any risk to the growth. Planning in an
effective manner leads to ensuring that such situations are handled with poise and productivity.
Conclusion
A good planning is really important to manage urban growth. Urban growth can be seen as the
rise in population in the cities. Planning for urban growth will assist in identifying long term
goals and also help all the stakeholders to understand their role in achieving those goals. The
importance of planning for any individual, organization or society cannot be undermined. It is
one of the most important arrow in the quiver of the Australian government and it is imperative
that they use it meritoriously. Therefore in order to courageously battle the issues clouding
Australia’s urban growth, it is imperative to plan pedantically. This will lead to increased
sustainability and improved living conditions of the society.

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References
Badland, H., Whitzman, C., Lowe, M., Davern, M., Aye, L., Butterworth, I., Hes, D. and Giles-
Corti, B., 2014. Urban liveability: emerging lessons from Australia for exploring the potential for
indicators to measure the social determinants of health. Social science & medicine, 111, pp.64-
73.
Fagence, M., 2014. Citizen participation in planning (Vol. 19). Elsevier. India.
Faludi, A., 2013. A reader in planning theory (Vol. 5). Elsevier. India.
Geertman, S., Toppen, F. and Stillwell, J., 2013. Planning support systems for sustainable urban
development. Heidelberg: Springer.
Leigh, N.G. and Blakely, E.J., 2016. Planning local economic development: Theory and
practice. Sage Publications.
Paris, C. ed., 2013. Critical Readings in Planning Theory: Urban and Regional Planning Series.
Elsevier. India.
PIA, 2018. ‘About us’. Available at https://www.planning.org.au/aboutpia. Retrieved on 9 April,
2018.
Taylor, B., Wallington, T., Heyenga, S. and Harman, B., 2014. Urban growth and climate
adaptation in Australia: Divergent discourses and implications for policy-making. Urban
Studies, 51(1), pp.3-21.