Australian and New Zealand cities are well known for their low housing density, especially in comparison to major European centres. However, as housing pressures continue to intensify in places like Sydney and Auckland, denser housing projects are likely to play an increasing role in our urban environment. With implications for housing affordability, sustainability, quality of life, and the environment, the issue of housing density is likely to affect us all over the next few years.
Multi-unit housing developments have long suffered from negative stigma in this part of the world, which has become famous for its wide open spaces and outdoor lifestyle. However, with increasing pressure on housing, ever-expanding suburbs, rising rents, and increasing commute times, some residents are taking renewed interest in high density living. A number of local governments have also come out in support of high density living, as a way to improve traffic congestion and reduce pollution.
While high density housing is widely accepted throughout Europe, parts of the United States, and much of the developing world, it has always had trouble being accepted in Australia and New Zealand. There are a number of cultural reasons for the great suburban sprawl, including a dream of home ownership that is linked to an outdoor lifestyle and fuelled by the availability of endless suburban land releases.
While dense housing projects are often the result of shear necessity, especially in the developing world, there are also many places where high density living is more of a choice. Barcelona is one of the best examples of a highly centralised urban space, with a population of 4.5 million living in an area that is only 803 square kilometres. While this kind of density is not unheard of in Europe, it seems difficult for many people in Australia and New Zealand to accept movement in this direction.
There are also a number of practical reasons for this resistance however, with power, water, and sewage infrastructure in local cities generally not designed for high density living. In another interesting take on the possible negative implications of high density housing in Sydney, Professor Joel Kotkin spoke of the potential links between lower fertility rates and denser living conditions.
At the Property Council of Australia’s Cities Summit last year, Kotkin said: “Why, in a city like Sydney, where you had wonderful inner ring suburbs, with single family homes, very pleasant places, places you want to raise kids, do they want to densify them and turn them into places people don’t want to raise kids? Where you have high amounts of high-density housing you have very low birth rates … where you have density, you tend to have very few children.”
With increasing pressure on the housing market in many of our largest cities, some experts are suggesting it is time to lose our inbuilt fear of high density urban living. While infrastructure issues and quality of life concerns still have to be overcome, for many people, it is high time to focus our energies on the improved design and regulation of high density housing projects rather than their outright rejection.
