A Necessary Planning Tool in Sydney’s Future
Abstract
With the recent release of the NSW Government’s, City of Cities – A Plan for Sydney’s Future, it is now the right time to think about transferable development rights (TDRs) in the delivery of sustainable communities.
TDRs are not the magic bullet for future urban growth management. It is a planning tool that will only be effective in the right situation and under the right circumstances. A good analogy is that TDRs are like a golf club in a golfer’s bag. Each golf club has a specific purpose and role, for example, a sand wedge is a golfer’s tool to manage the sand bunker, similarly TDRs are a tool that planners can use to protect valuable resources and deliver sustainable communities in certain specific circumstances.
Developers, local councils, government agencies and the community are often faced with the challenge of simultaneously promoting development and preserving natural resources, landscapes or built assets. One approach for reducing the tension between these increasingly incompatible objectives is through the use of transferable development rights (TDRs). TDRs allow development to occur and enable the protection of sensitive lands. TDRs also actively contribute to the development of sustainable communities by promoting a compact development form.
The purpose of this paper is to generate discussion and debate about the role of TDRs in Sydney’s future and to demonstrate that TDRs are not a fad but rather a successful planning tool in the implementation of strategic planning outcomes.
Author
Teena Pennington
Senior Urban Planner, SKM