The recently released Draft Sydney Plan mentions the term ‘communities’ or ‘community’ 82 times. Impressive rate for a document only 69 pages long.
A major focus of the Plan and of the current NSW Government is on providing more housing necessary to support our growing population and addressing housing affordability.
But let’s not forget it takes more than just houses to support healthy, cohesive and connected communities. We must balance the very important need for more homes with the equally important need for places for all residents to meet, interact and establish relationships.
Beyond the provision of core services such as healthcare, education and childcare, recent research has also shown in areas where there are no places to meet – such as community centres, libraries, parks or cafes – there are poorer social and economic outcomes, including higher rates of ill health and child poverty*.
To ensure we are creating healthy communities and not just delivering housing, we need to make sure social infrastructure is not just an afterthought but is a key consideration from the outset.
Erin Henshaw-Hill, Director Social Planning & Advisory
(*Local Trust (2019). Left behind? Understanding communities on the edge).
Image: Green Square Library – City of Sydney
