Providing infrastructure for new housing: Australian dilemmas

Abstract

Australian metropolitan strategic plans seek to ensure a balanced approach to the development of new residential areas with infrastructure facilities provided as housing construction progresses. Critical questions relate to the setting of infrastructure standards; what levels of provision are appropriate; how should shared infrastructure be costed and who should pay? A shift away from infrastructure funding based on general taxation to user pays approaches, raises questions about social and intergenerational equity. Using a multidisciplinary perspective we report on case study evidence from new housing developments to illustrate the variety of experience. We seek to identify trends such as the increasing movement towards the use of community titling and identify best practice taking economic legal and planning aspects into account. We aim to reach conclusions on strategic questions of policy in respect of provision of infrastructure for future urban development in Australian cities.