Master Plan Assessment
Tuggeranong and Erindale Centre Planning Project
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| Project Area (ACTPLA 2011) |
This work is submitted to the Faculty of Business and Government of the University of Canberra by Emma Butcher, Timothy Carne, Ozy Salu and Michael Finch on 24th November 2011 as an assessment piece for Planning Theory and Processes (7968) Semester 2, 2011.
Introduction
The purpose of this essay to discuss whether the Tuggeranong and Erindale Centres Planning Project (hereafter referred to as the ‘Master Plan Project’) is likely to produce quality master plans. This will be undertaken using an adapted set of criteria proposed by Baer (1997). More specifically, the Master Plan Project will be discussed with reference to four criteria as set out by Baer. These are: (1) rational model considerations; (2) adequacy of scope; (3) approach, data and methodology; and (4) quality of communication. Before applying these criteria, a brief rationale for this exercise will be provided, along with an outline of the Master Plan Project and Baer’s assessment criteria.
Rationale for Exercise
The master plan is arguably one of the most effective products of the planning profession (Alexander 2011). It is an important tool used to guide the development and redevelopment of our towns and cities (ACT Government 2011). Therefore, the assessment of master plans is an important issue. In other words, it is important to be able to distinguish between ‘good’ and ‘bad’ plans before they are implemented. As Baer (1997) discusses appropriate assessment criteria are required in order to do this.
Outline of Master Plan Project
The Master Plan Project is run by the Australian Capital Territory Planning and Land Authority (ACTPLA). The purpose of the project is to develop master plans for the Tuggeranong and Erindale town centres, as well as Erindale drive which is the main transport artery connecting the two centres. The plans will be non-statutory documents that will provide guidance for growth and development over the next 20-30 years (ACT Government 2011). According to ACTPLA (2011) the project was initiated to address a number of key planning problems. These can be categorized into three broad areas: climate change adaption; responding to increasing population and demographic change; and ensuring that communities are healthy and active. Clearly, the resolution of these problems will be significantly influenced by the quality of the master plans produced.
Baer's Assessment Criteria
Baer (1997) has proposed a set of criteria that can be used to assess master plans as they are embodied in the preliminary documents. With regard to the Master Plan Project, various draft proposals will be assessed to this end, as well as the ACTPLA website and other documents produced during the project’s consultation process (links to these can be found in the references and bibliography sections). According to Baer the criteria are to be used while the plan is being formulated. It is therefore relevant to the Master Plan Project which is intended to be completed by “early 2012” (ACT Government 2011). Finally, Baer describes the criteria to be “advisory and suggestive.” This implies that it is at the discretion of those engaging in assessment to choose and adapt criteria that are applicable to the particular plan they are assessing. Hence, the authors of this essay have chosen and adapted four criteria for the assessment of the Master Plan Project, namely, rational model considerations; adequacy of scope; approach, data and methodology; and quality of communication.
Application of Assessment Criteria
Rational model considerations
‘Rational model considerations’ refers to the underlying planning theory guiding the plan and whether this theory is clearly stated and adhered to throughout the process. In this case, the purpose and characteristics of a master plan must be kept in mind when assessing the Master Plan Project. Haar (1955) outlines the various purposes a master plan should serve, one of which is to act as a program of correction. Thus the plan must indicate the negative aspects of the target area. The SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats) analysis outlined in the Analysis Summary Report (ACTPLA 2011) of the Tuggeranong and Erindale town centres provides a comprehensive overview of the weaknesses currently associated with the planning sites, consistent with those raised through community consultation (Rossiter 2010). Weaknesses such as the low residential population in Tuggeranong, the lack of pedestrian scale and lack of sense of place experienced in both areas are reiterated throughout the report. The success of the master plan will depend upon its capacity to address such weaknesses either directly or through the guidance of subsequent planning documents.
One aspect of rational model considerations that is lacking in the Master Plan Project is the identification and use of a set of criteria to assess the progress of the plan during the formulation stages. Such criteria are not clearly outlined on ACTPLA’s website nor in the project’s preliminary documents, the closest equivalent being a list of shortcomings and limitations associated with the consultation process mentioned within the consultation summary documents. The inclusion of such a list would help identify the success of the formulation process, and allow any shortcomings to be identified and suitably acted upon.
Adequacy of Scope
A master plan should serve as an estimate of the future, and as stated by Haar (1955, p. 143). “…. the planner should be concerned with emerging conditions”. This links to the idea outlined in Baer’s (1997) criteria of ‘adequacy of scope’, which refers to the consideration of the plan in the context of the larger world. Two main challenges facing communities presently, and pertinent to all planning decisions, include the impending risks of climate change and the implications of a growing and aging population. Both of these issues are specifically mentioned in the Analysis Summary Report (ACTPLA 2011) as ones of great importance that has been considered as part of each topic. On a practical level, these considerations are evident in a draft proposal for the Tuggeranong town centre (ACTPLA 2011) through the promotion of walkability and increased density surrounding the centre, reducing the prominence of automobile generated pollution. The focus on creating a mixed use and higher density housing choices will not only promote self sufficiency, but will help ease the burden on aged care facilities by allowing ‘aging in place’.
A master plan should not only identify probable future trends and respond to them, but also, according to Haar (1955), actively promote a set of goals to achieve a type of environment that the community wants. Throughout the consultation feedback and in the Analysis Summary Report (ACTPLA 2011), emphasis is placed on the creation of an economically prosperous, socially vibrant and environmentally sustainable community. Whilst these are broad goals, they correspond to the tone of the plan which aims to provide “… a vision to guide growth and development…” (ACT Government 2011, ‘Tuggeranong and Erindale centres master plans, para. 2) with little design resolution itself, but the ability to provide guidance for future land use decisions. This relates back to Baer’s rational model consideration outlining the need for a plan to explicitly state its scope, so that the reader is fully aware of the aim of the plan and what to expect.
Approach, Methodology and Data
This section will discuss the ‘approach, methodology and data’ of the Master Plan Project. With regard to this criteria, Baer (1997) infers that a quality plan should make clear its technical bases, data sources and the ways the data is used. If this has been achieved, “… others may check the plan’s thinking by use of the same sources” (Baer 1997 p. 339). With regard to approach, which is understood to be the general way of undertaking the Master Plan Project, some description is evident. For example, in the Analysis Summary Report (ACTPLA 2011), the diversity of sources used to assemble an initial understanding of the planning sites demonstrates a type of approach. These sources of information included community consultation activities; original planning documents; interviews with designers; summaries of current planning policy and contextual issues; technical papers from external consultants; and ideas produced by specialist planners and designers. This wide range infers that the approach of the Analysis Summary Report was to incorporate a variety of different opinions and perspectives. Given that the report provides the “… basis for subsequent consultation, design and planning” (ACTPLA 2011, p. 48) it can be assumed that the Master Plan Project in general is also directed by this approach.
Looking now at methodology, which is distinct from ‘approach’ in the sense that the former concerns more specific and systematic techniques used in the Master Plan Project. For the purposes of this study, methodology is considered to comprise three activities i.e. the gathering, interpreting and applying of information. With regard to the Master Plan Project, certain activities are clear while others are not. For example, the methodology for gathering information from community consultation is provided. A detailed description of the consultation process is included as an appendix in the Stage One Consultation Report (Rossiter 2010). Also, Survey Feedback Forms are provided as appendices in the report concerning the second stage of consultation (Rossiter 2010). Despite this, however, the methods for interpreting and applying the information derived from consultation is not explicit. It is not clear, for instance, how issues raised by the community where determined to be of value and by what means community input was applied to the creation of subsequent draft proposals.
Turning now to data, which in this context refers to quantitative or qualitative information derived from the systematic techniques of the Master Plan Project. Although the project documents provide summaries of data (e.g. key points raised during community consultation activities) the original data from which the summaries are based is not shown. This could include, for example, transcripts from interviews made with planners, designers and community members, or any other raw data such as traffic statistics. There is one exception, however, in the Analysis Summary Report (ACTPLA 2011) with the provision of initial planning documents from the 1970’s as appendices. It may be suggested that most original data was not included because such detail would not be necessary for the purposes of the preliminary documents i.e. to keep the public informed. However, instruction on how to access original data could have been provided so that the logic on which the plan is based could be assessed by planning researchers or other interested parties.
Quality of Communication
Tentative urban master plans are specifically designed to communicate often complex information to a broad range of persons (e.g. planners, development professionals and the public) in a manner which is readily interpretable. It is therefore vital to the plan’s success that the information contained within such documents is presented both professionally and unambiguously, so that persons external to the plan development process can adequately respond to the documents. Baer (1997) makes provisions for effective communication within his suggested criteria for plan assessment. Such provisions offer an evaluative capacity that can objectively judge the clarity and communicative veracity of the planning documents. This criteria is termed ‘quality of communication’. It includes, but is not limited to, the “convincing presentation” of ideas and the inclusion of “criteria with which the plan is intended to be judged”.
When evaluating the preliminary documents of the Master Plan Project it can be observed that they are for the most part congruent with Baer’s (1997) ‘quality of communication’ criteria. The ideas presented through the documents are easily understandable by members of the public, who may have limited experience in planning related development processes and the ideas are presented both creatively and in a number of modes including written, diagrammatic and photographic. These positive characteristics are particularly well exemplified throughout the Analysis Summary Report (ACTPLA 2011). In addition, the documents are well and logically formatted; these components work to make the plans convincing to a wide audience.
However, the Master Plan Project ostensibly falls short or Baer’s criteria in a number of key areas. Firstly, rationales of the plan are predicated on some cited background research, yet some specific interpretations or conclusions of these research processes are not clearly made evident. The
presented proposals are consistent with the visions outlined in the documents, however a more explicit understanding of the rationales may be needed to analyse the proposal-objective relationship. Finally, none of the preliminary documents are inclusive of a set criteria that will be used to internally judge the quality of the plans continued development, resultantly casual observers cannot account for the quality of the plan by standards set by the plan maker.
Conclusion
This essay has discussed whether the Tuggeranong and Erindale Centre Planning Project is ‘on track’ formulating quality master plans. This was achieved by using an adapted set of assessment criteria proposed by Baer (1997), namely, rational model considerations; adequacy of scope; approach, methodology, and data; and quality of communication. These criteria were discussed with reference to the ACTPLA website, various draft proposals and other preliminary planning documents. With respect to the Master Plan Project the following points can be concluded.
First, the Master Plan Project does address aspects of the ‘rational model considerations’ criteria in that it corresponds with many of the key purposes of a master plan as outlined by Haar (1955). However, the failure to outline and include a set of criteria to assess the progress of the plan formulation presents a clear deficiency.
Second, the consideration of the plan in relation to the larger world presents a broad set of criteria, but focusing specifically on considerations of climate change and population change, it can be seen the Master Plan Project recognises and addresses these issues as ones of great importance.
Third, although the project indicates a type of approach, there are aspects of methodology that are absent and, for the most part, there is no original data included. This means that someone apart from the project would not be able to, as Baer puts it, “…. check the plans thinking by use of the same sources” (1997, p. 339).
Finally, the Master Plan Project documents present a prima facie attractiveness that is congruent with some of the points highlighted under the ‘quality of communication’ criteria category. None the less, there are attenuated areas- where criteria have not been met- and require substantive improvements in order to be copasetic with Baer’s pertaining criteria.
Overall, it seems that aspects of the Master Plan Project require improvement in order to ensure that quality master plans are produced for the Tuggeranong and Erindale town centres and Erindale Drive. The assessment of master plans at this early stage (i.e. before implementation) represents an important planning issue. This is because master plans are vital planning tools and significantly impact the development of towns and cities. Therefore, the resolution of the planning problems that the Master Plan Project aims to resolve will depend to a large extent on the quality of the master plans produced. Thus, assessment of the kind utilized in this essay is a critical part of the planning process.
References
ACT Government 2011, Environment and Sustainable Development, Canberra viewed 3 November 2011, http://www.actpla.act.gov.au/topics/significant_projects/planning_studies/tuggeranong_and_erindale_centres_planning_project#
ACT Planning & Land Authority 2011, 4A Tuggeranong Town Centre, poster, ACT Government, viewed 20th November 2011 http://www.actpla.act.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0003/24375/201107_-_Tuggeranong_Poster_-_04.pdf
ACT Planning & Land Authority 2011, Tuggeranong and Erindale Centres planning project: Analysis summary report, ACT Government viewed 20th November 2011, http://www.actpla.act.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0017/22256/TE_Analysis_report_V4.pdf
Alexander, E 2010, ‘Planning Rights: Toward Normative Criteria for Evaluating Plans’, International Planning Studies, vol. 7, pp. 191-212, viewed 3 November 2011, Taylor & Francis Online database.
Baer, W 1997, ‘General Plan Evaluation Criteria: An Approach to Making Better Plans’, Journal of the American Planning Association, vol. 63:3, 329-344.
Haar, C 1955, ‘The Master Plan, an Impermanent Constitution’, in Birch 2009 The Urban and Regional Planning Reader, Madison Avenue, New York, Routledge.
Rossiter, S 2010, Tuggeranong and Erindale Centres Planning Project Stage One Consultation Outcomes Report, Elton Consulting, viewed 20th November 2011, http://www.actpla.act.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0010/23779/Item_4.pdf
Rossiter, S 2010, Tuggeranong and Erindale Centres master plans project- Community Engagement Stage Two Report, Elton Consulting, viewed 20th November 2011, http://www.actpla.act.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0004/23782/Item_8.pdf
Bibliography
ACT Planning & Land Authority 2011, 1 What is a master plan?, poster, ACT Government, viewed 20th November 2011 http://www.actpla.act.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0018/24372/201107_-_Tuggeranong_Poster_-_01.pdf
ACT Planning & Land Authority 2011, 2 Erindale group centre ideas, poster, ACT Government, viewed 20th November 2011, http://www.actpla.act.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0014/22640/Erindale-Ideas-web.pdf
ACT Planning & Land Authority 2011, 2 Tuggeranong town centre ideas, poster, ACT Government, viewed 20th November 2011, http://www.actpla.act.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0004/22639/Tuggeranong-Ideas-web.pdf
ACT Planning & Land Authority 2011, 2 Why are we preparing a master plan?, poster, ACT Government, viewed 20th November 2011 http://www.actpla.act.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0019/24373/201107_-_Tuggeranong_Poster_-_02.pdf
ACT Planning & Land Authority 2011, 3 Consultation to date…, poster, ACT Government, viewed 20th November 2011 http://www.actpla.act.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0020/24374/201107_-_Tuggeranong_Poster_-_03.pdf
ACT Planning & Land Authority 2011, 4 Erindale Drive ideas, poster, ACT Government, viewed 20th November 2011, http://www.actpla.act.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0015/22641/ErindaleDrive-Ideas-web.pdf
ACT Planning & Land Authority 2011, Tuggeranong and Erindale Centres planning project: Youth consultation report, ACT Government viewed 20th November 2011, http://www.actpla.act.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0003/22854/TE_youth_consultation_report.pdf
Everett Josh 2011, Erindale Traffic Report- Final Report (Revision 1): Tuggeranong and Erindale Centres Planning Project, Snowy Mountains Engineering Corporation, viewed 20th November 2011, http://www.actpla.act.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0009/25776/20111103_-_Erindale_Traffic_Plan_-_Final_Report_Rev1.pdf
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