GSE818 Environmental Planning
About this Unit
Semester 1, 2008
Offered: E1 - Evening; First Half-Year
Convenor: Jenny George
Prerequisites/corequisites: None
Credit Points: 4
This unit provides a foundation in environmental planning theory and practice. Interpretations of environmental planning as an integration of land use planning, infrastructure planning, environmental assessment and sustainable development are considered. The unit examines:
- the origin of both town planning and the environmental planning and design movements;
- dominant paradigms in planning;
- the literature on theories of planning and governance;
- the structure of planning systems (including local and international examples);
- the role of statutory planning, strategic planning, and design;
- tools and approaches to different planning challenges; and
- methods in regional planning.
The unit draws on contemporary issues in, and approaches to, planning and has a specific emphasis on the role of planning in working towards sustainable outcomes. Examples of contemporary issues covered in this unit include metropolitan growth management, planning for rapidly developing coastal communities, and planning for climate change adaptation.
Unit emphasis and relationship to other planning units
The unit places an emphasis on achieving solutions to planning problems. Yet it requires students to become familiar with a succession of ideas in a body of literature that has informed a key professional group in what is called environmental planning. The unit introduces strategic and statutory elements of planning, investigates contemporary methods in planning practice, and looks at contemporary regional and issue based case studies. This is in comparison with the complementary unit GSE816 Local Government Approval Process which is oriented toward local development control and project assessment specifically. GSE830 Sustainable Urban Regions further develops practical skills in regional strategic planning and understandings of sustainable development challenges for planning introduced in GSE818 Environmental Planning.
Teaching Staff
Convenor: Ms Jenny George
As unit convenor Jenny is your first point of call for any questions about the unit generally. Jenny is available on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. If you wish to speak to Jenny in person, it is requested that a meeting time be arranged by email or telephone first.
Dr Marco Amati
Where a student has a query especially relevant to the lectures delivered by Dr Marco Amati, he should be contacted directly. If you wish to speak to Marco in person, it is requested that a meeting time be arranged by email or telephone first.
Students will also have the opportunity to hear a number of guest speakers from state and local government and the private sector.
Classes
Contact hours: 13 x 3 hour sessions
PLEASE NOTE: In order to successfully complete this unit, students must attend at least 80% of scheduled lectures.
The timetable for classes can be found on the University web site at http://www.timetables.mq.edu.au/
Unit web page
There is no web page for this unit.
Learning Outcomes
Master of Environmental Planning students can choose to use a Capabilities Portfolio to record and monitor the development of planning and generic skills as they progress through their study program. The Capabilities Portfolio is further explained and accessible on the GSE web site.
The unit convenor shall flag to students where they should be developing certain capabilities throughout the course of the unit. On completion of the unit you should have satisfied yourself and the unit convenor that you have developed the following specialist and generic capabilities (skills).
Specialist capabilities
- provide a substantive explanation of what is meant by environmental planning;
- outline the intellectual origins of modern land use planning;
- understand and critically assess structures of urban governance, decision-making, and funding for land use and infrastructure planning;
- identify ways of effectively working with stakeholders with differing objectives;
- understand the objectives and mechanisms of strategic and statutory planning;
- understand the role of urban and landscape design in planning for sustainable outcomes and contemporary design paradigms;
- understand plan making processes in the NSW context;
- be aware of differences in planning systems elsewhere;
- understand the objectives and mechanisms of place planning;
- understand how policies are developed on a regional or metropolitan planning issue;
- outline the means of implementing plans and policy;
- outline ways of monitoring outcomes of policies and plans;
- identify opportunities and challenges for more sustainable planning;
- be aware of the range of planning tools available to: manage places with differing development challenges, and deliver sustainable outcomes;
- become familiar with: planning issues associated with climate change; principles of "good" climate change adaptation planning practice; and planning tools and approaches for climate change adaptation planning (e.g., integrated assessment and planning, vulnerability and risk assessment, spatial decision making tools)
- become familiar with a range of social, economic and environmental issues for contemporary planning (including cumulative implications of development and integrated problems) and understand the opportunities and limitations of planning in managing or solving these problems.
Generic capabilities
- critically reflect upon professional knowledge and values;
- participate in analytical verbal class discussions;
- write cogent and clearly structured essays and reports, addressing defined issues;
- acquire (through research) relevant theoretical and practical planning knowledge;
- summarise complex issues and communicate these through oral and written briefs
- manage and reflect on your own learning outcomes
- think strategically
- think laterally
- think creatively
- work effectively as part of a multi-disciplinary team
- prioritise and balance competing demands and work to deadlines
Teaching and Learning Strategy
Structure of the unit
The unit entails:
- 12 face to face lecture sessions
- 10 workshop or prac sessions
- 3 written assignments and one poster assignment
- Essential reading
It has three distinct modules which focus on different elements of theory and practice.
Module 1 (weeks 1 to 3) The role and evolution of planning
Module 2 (weeks 4 to 9) Planning systems, tools and approaches
Module 3 (weeks 10 to 13) Issues for contemporary environmental planning
Essential reading materials, a more comprehensive reading list, and unit study guide will be provided at the first class session and via Blackboard.
Expectations in this unit
In order to maximise learning outcomes, students are expected to:
- Attend at least 80% of classes
- Participate in class workshops and practical group exercises
- Read compulsory readings
- Complete all assessment tasks
Schedule of Lectures
| Week | Date | Topic |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | February 27 | Introduction to Environmental Planning |
| 2 | March 5 | Evolution of Planning and Design: theory and practice I |
| 3 | March 12 | Evolution of Planning and Design: theory and practice II |
| 4 | March 19 | Urban and landscape design workshop |
| 5 | March 26 | Environmental Planning Instruments: strategic and statutory planning |
| 6 | April 2 APRIL 3 |
Collaborative planning: theory and practice ASSIGNMENT 1 DUE |
| 7 | April 9 | Property rights |
| MID SEMESTER BREAK | ||
| 8 | April 30 | Governance and finance structures for planning |
| 9 | May 7 MAY 8 |
Place planning and making ASSIGNMENT 1 DUE |
| 10 | May 14 | Metropolitan planning case study |
| 11 | May 21 | Preparing for climate change (risk and vulnerability assessment, principles of adaptation planning) |
| 12 | May 28 | Integrated planning in practice (seachange and peri-urban communitites) |
| 13 | June 4 | Emerging issues for planning Unit reflection Unit evaluation |
| 14 | June 12 | Assignment 3 Due |
Relationship between Assessment and Learning Outcomes
There are three assessment tasks for this unit and a workshop participation mark. Assignments involve reading of relevant literature and research of various planning issues and processes.
| Assessment | Max. Length | Marks | Due |
|---|---|---|---|
| Assignment 1: Essay - Evolution of Planning and Design | 1500 - 2000 words, plus references | 30% | Thursday April 3, 9:00am at the ELS Centre |
| Assignment 2: Essay | 2000 - 2500 words, plus references | 35% | Thursday May 8, 9:00am at the ELS Centre |
| Assignment 3: Planning communication document | 35% | Thursday June 12, 9:00am at the ELS Centre |
As stated above a minimum of 80% attendance at all lecture and workshop sessions is required. If you miss more than 3 sessions you will be required to show cause.
Submission of Assignments
The following outlines where and how assignmnents should be submitted.
All assignments must be submitted to the appropriate assignment box for your unit. Assignment boxes are located in the reception area of the ELS Centre (Room 101), which is on the ground floor at the western end of building E7A.
The Centre opens from 8.30am to 5.30pm on Monday to Friday. There is also an after-hours assignment submission box at the door of E7A which faces the central university walkway. You can access a campus map to assist in locating the building.
All assignments are to be submitted by 9.00am on the date specified and must include a completed and signed coversheet stapled to the front cover. You can download an Assignment Cover Sheet. Please note that ELS Centre staff have requested that assignments are NOT placed in folders or plastic covers.
Penalties of 10% per day apply for late assignment submissions. Extensions must be requested in writing at least 1 week before due date (in normal circumstances). All written work must comply with the GSE Guide for preparing written work.
Required and Recommended Texts/Materials
Workshops and Esssential Reading
There is a minimum reading requirement (essential reading) in this unit. Essential reading requirements will be provided week by week. The following outlines recommended and essential reading for the first week of the unit, and a general reading list.
Recommended Preparatory Reading for Week 1
Campbell, S., and Fainstein, S., (eds) 2003 Readings in Planning Theory: Second edition, Blackwell Publishers (Chapt. 1) (Call No. HT165.5 .R43 2003)
Fishman, R., 1996 'Urban Utopias: Ebenezer Howard & Le Corbusier', in Campbell S & Fainstein S (eds) Readings in Planning Theory, Blackwell Publishers.
Freestone, R., 1984 'The conditions of the cities and the response: early garden city concepts and practice' in Burnley I & Forrest J. Living in Cities, Allen and Unwin, Sydney
Gleeson, B., and Low, N., 2000 Australian Urban Planning: new challenges, new agendas Allen & Unwin, Sydney (Part II & III)
Hall, P., 2002 Cities of Tomorrow: an intellectual history of urban planning and design in the twentieth century Malden, Mass. Blackwell (Call No. HT166 .H349 2002)
McHarg, I L., 1969, Design with Nature, John Wiley & Sons
Howard, E., 1946 Garden Cities of Tomorrow, Faber & Faber (Call No: HT 161.H6)
Mumford, L. 1961 The City in History: its origins, its transformations, and its prospect, Harcourt, Brace & World, 1New York (1st ed.)
Wilson, W.H., 1996 'The Glory, Destruction & Meaning of the City Beautiful Movement', in Campbell S & Fainstein S (eds) Readings in Planning Theory, Blackwell Publishers.
General Reading List
The following are general texts that are specifically useful for this unit.
* Indicates requested to be placed in Reserve in library
# Indicates requested to be placed on 3 Day Loan in library
Books
# Blowers A & Evans B eds 1997 Town Planning into the 21st Century, Routledge, London
* Buck, N., Gordon, I., Harding, A., and Turock, I., 2005 Changing Cities: Rethinking urban competitiveness, cohesion and governance, Palgrave Macmillan, New York (Call No. HT133 .C47 2005)
* Campbell, S., and Fainstein, S., (eds) 2003 Readings in Planning Theory: Second edition, Blackwell Publishers (Call No. HT165.5 .R43 2003)
* Farrier D. and Stein, P., 2006 The Environmental Law Handbook (4th Edition) Redfern Legal Centre Publishing Sydney.
# Glasson, J, Therivel R and Chadwick A 1994 Introduction to Environmental Impact Assessment, UCL Press, London.
# Cullingworth B 1997 Planning in the USA: policies, issues and processes, Routledge, London.
* Duany A & Plater-Zyberk E 1992 Towns and Town Making Principles, Rizzoli International Publications, New York.
* Duany A Plater-Zyberk E & Speck J 2000 Suburban Nation: The Rise of Sprawl & the Decline of the American Dream, North Point Press.
# Girardet H 1996 The Gaia atlas of cities, new directions for sustainable urban living, Gaia Books Ltd, London,
# Gleeson B & Low N 2000 Australian Urban Planning: new challenges, new agendas Allen & Unwin, Sydney (Part II & III)
Gurran, N., 2007 Australian Urban Land Use Planning; Introducing Statutory Planning Practice in NSW, Sydney University Press 2007
# Hall P 1992 Urban and Regional Planning, Third edition, Routledge, London.
* Hall, P. 2002 Cities of Tomorrow: an intellectual history of urban planning and design in the twentieth century Malden, Mass. Blackwell (Call No. HT166 .H349 2002).
* Hamnett S & Freestone R (eds) 2000 The Australian Metropolis: A Planning History, Allen & Unwin Sydney.
# Harvey N 1998 Environmental Impact Assessment Oxford University Press, Melbourne.
* Healey P 1997 Collaborative Planning: Shaping Places in Fragmented Societies, Macmillan, London.
* Howard, E 1946 Garden Cities of Tomorrow Faber & Faber (Call No: HT 161.H6)
* Kaiser EJ, Godschalk DR & Chapin S 1994 Urban land use planning, 4th edition, University of Illinois Press, Urbana.
* Kitchen, T. 2006 Skills for Planning Practice, Palgrave Macmillan, New York.
* Leopold, A. 1966 A Sand County almanac. With other essays on conservation from Round River. Oxford University Press, New York
* Logan, J.R. and Molotch. H.L., 1987 Urban Fortunes: The Political Economy of Place. University of California Press, Berkeley
* Low, N., Gleeson, B., Green, R. and Radovic, D. 2005. The Green City. Sustainable Homes, Sustainable Suburbs, UNSW Press, Sydney. (Call No. HT169.A8 L69)
Lyster, R., Lipman, Z., Franklin, N., Wiffen, G., Pearson, L., 2007 Environmental and Planning Law in New South Wales, Federation Press, 2007
* Mumford, L. 1961 The City in History: its origins, its transformations, and its prospect, Harcourt, Brace & World, 1New York (1st ed.)
* Newman P & Kenworthy J 1999 Sustainable Cities: overcoming automobile dependence Island Press, Washington DC (chpts. 1,3,6,7).
# Pugh C Ed 1996 Sustainability, the Environment and Urbanization, Earthscan, London.
* Sandercock L 1998 Towards Cosmopolis, Wiley, Chichester.
Thompson, S., 2007 Planning Australia, An Overview of Urban and Regional Planning Cambridge University Press, Melbourne, 2007
* Williams, K., Burton, E., & Jenks, M. 2000, Achieving Sustainable Urban Form, Spon Press, London 2000.
# Wright B 2001 Expectations of a better world: Planning Australian Communities, Royal Australian Planning Institute, Canberra (private copy with J George).
Plagiarism
The University defines plagiarism in its rules: "Plagiarism involves using the work of another person and presenting it as one's own." Plagiarism is a serious breach of the University's rules and carries significant penalties. You must read the University's practices and procedures on plagiarism. These can be found in the Handbook of Postgraduate Studies or on the web at: http://www.student.mq.edu.au/plagiarism/
The policies and procedures explain what plagiarism is, how to avoid it, the procedures that will be taken in cases of suspected plagiarism, and the penalties if you are found guilty. Penalties may include a deduction of marks, failure in the unit, and/or referral to the University Discipline Committee.
The GSE recommends that students familiarise themselves with the information contained on the Georgetown University Honor Council website which discusses plagiarism in an easy to understand and comprehensive manner.
University Policy on Grading
Academic Senate has a set of guidelines on the distribution of grades across the range from fail to high distinction. Your final result will include one of these grades plus a standardised numerical grade (SNG).
On occasion your raw mark for a unit (i.e., the total of your marks for each assessment item) may not be the same as the SNG which you receive. Under the Senate guidelines, results may be scaled to ensure that there is a degree of comparability across the university, so that units with the same past performances of their students should achieve similar results.
It is important that you realise that the policy does not require that a minimum number of students are to be failed in any unit. In fact it does something like the opposite, in requiring examiners to explain their actions if more than 20% of students fail in a unit.
The process of scaling does not change the order of marks among students. A student who receives a higher raw mark than another will also receive a higher final scaled mark.
For an explanation of the policy see:
http://senate.mq.edu.au/rules/Guidelines2003.doc or
http://senate.mq.edu.au/rules/detailedguidelines.doc
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To register with ESU, download an Advice of Disability/Health Condition form from http://www.reg.mq.edu.au/academic-index.html. This form must be completed annually, irrespective of whether a disability/health condition is temporary, long-term or permanent. Students wishing to request support services from the ESU should make an appointment to see a Disability Advisor immediately after enrolling at Macquarie University.
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