Walkable cities – suburban urbanisation

As part of the Committee’s COVID-19 sustainable Road to Recovery program this event focused on two of the Committee’s four pillars; urban optimisation and liveability. Melbourne’s former status as the World’s Most Liveable City was in part attributable to its cherished; transit based, compact, connected, mixed-use, walkable inner neighbourhoods. During the COVID-19 pandemic residents within these neighbourhoods have been able to live, work, learn and play, all within walking and cycling distance of most of their daily needs.

This forum contrasts the form of the growth areas of metropolitan Melbourne with the unique characteristics of these timeless inner neighbourhoods and explore ways to emulate and replicate these unique characteristics in the suburban setting. Mike Day will moderate the forum and share the trends he expects we’ll see across Australia’s capitals through the next decade. Mike was recently quoted in the Herald Sun:

‘Mini Melbournes’ in outer suburbs, more climate-friendly development, and residential blocks above shopping centres have been forecast for 2020 and beyond.
– Scott Carbines, Herald Sun

We also welcomed Leading Urban Thinker, Christopher B. Leinberger. Chris is a land use strategist, teacher, developer, researcher and author with an interest in balancing business realities with social and environmental concerns. Chris is the author of The Option of Urbanism: Investing in a New American Dream and Strategic Planning for Real Estate Companies and has written for the Atlantic Journal, The New York Times and the Wall St Journal.

Mike, Christopher and our expert panel examined new ways of thinking about planning and delivering more liveable neighbourhoods in the growth areas of Melbourne.

Guest speakers:
  • Mike Day | Director and Co-founder, Hatch RobertsDay
  • Christopher B. Leinberger | Land Use Strategist, Developer, Professor, Researcher and Author; Managing Director and Co-founder, Places Platform, LLC; Professor and Chair, Center for Real Estate; Urban Analysis, George Washington University School of Business
  • Ludo Campbell-Reid | Director of City Design and Liveability, Wyndham City Council
  • Peter Seamer AM | Honorary Fellow, Centre Urban Research, RMIT University; Director at Planning Strategies Pty Ltd; Former CEO, VPA, Bendigo City Council and Federation Square
  • Professor Billie Giles-Corti | Director of Urban Futures Enabling Capability Platform & Convener of the Healthy Liveable Cities Group, RMIT University
From the panel:

Watch the event here

Sign up for Committee for Melbourne’s Communiqué


SubmitReceive regular news and updates from Melbourne's leading apolitical, not-for-profit advocacy body, aiming to shape our city as a leading global city.