Sustainable Area Planning (SAP) model: a tool for ESD based urban planning

Governments in Australia (and around the world)are faced with the challenge of adopting ESD strategies to plan and manage their regions, cities, suburbs, towns and localities. This paper outlines findings to date under thesis research being undertaken (2001 to present) for a Masters/PhD (Research) in Natural Resource Management. The thesis hypothesis is that urban quality can be measured and ESD criteria can be adopted and applied as part of a sustainable area planning (SAP) process. The paper outlines the research, its conceptual framework and methodology. The prime aim of the research is to develop a SAP model that governments can use in planning for sustainable communities. The paper first presents the research overview, including an outline of the case study catchment selected. The paper than outlines research work being done on adopting components of a SAP matrix, consisting of sub-catchments matched against indicators of sustainability. The indicators consist of social, environmental and economic measurements as well as equity and governance principles. The paper then outlines the structure of the SAP model to be achieved at the conclusion of Stage One research. The author proceeds to outline Stage Two research, where the SAP model will be applied over the case study catchment. The paper then outlines how the adopted case study SAP will be critiqued against Australian and overseas regions that have adopted ESD based urban planning approaches. The paper finally illustrates how a generic SAP model will be adopted and how this model can be applied to other urban localities within and outside Australia