Urban Consolidation and Environmental Sustainability Essay Example for Free

Urban Consolidation and Environmental Sustainability Essay Urban consolidation is a rising issue in amny capital cities and could have a dramatic effect on the environmental sustainability of Australian cities in the near and distant future. â€Å"Urban consolidation policies concentrate on increasing housing densities in the large cities to produce more compact development, shorter travel distances and less dependence on automobiles. † (Forster 2004, p. 171). Some of the main negative issues that is caused by urban consolidation are a drop in value of pre-existing suburban housing, an overload of public resources in over-crowded cities and traffic and transport inconviences. There are many benefits to urban consolidation which involve lower short term envirnomental impacts and high levels of convience, but at the same time there are many disadvantages which are discussed in this essay. The policies of urban consolidation are surrounded by the idea of building large cities upwards, rather than outwards. This means that they are focussing on constructing multi-story facilities close to the centre of the cities. â€Å"more compact development would reduce the rate at which urban expansions consumes good agricultral land and threatens sensitive natural environments† (Forster 2004, p. 71). Existing housing urban housing and facilities must be demolished to make way for new high rise structures. This indicates that for many australians who have worked hard to buy/own their own home in the inner suberbs of major cities, it will be a struggle for them, due to the fact that their house/dwelling or property will decrease in value. As the population increases, the total of vehicles increases aswell. â€Å"In 1945 there were 100 cars per 1000 people, by 1970 there were almost 500 cars per 1000 people†(Forster 2004, p. 17), this will cause traffic congestion within the cities. As a result of traffic congestion, pollution levels will increase. This will negatively affect peoples health and well being. Along with the inconviences of urban consolidation on the everyday lifestyle, health issues can also be inflated. Childhood obesity is more likely to occur in children that were raised in areas of urban consolidation rather than a child raised in a suburban area, â€Å"urban sprawl communities separate people’s homes from stores, offices, services and restaurants. This makes it nearly impossible for people to carry out their errands, sporting activities or go to work without using their car†(Lopez 2004). This is largly due to the fact that children raised in urban consolidation generally have little access to large parks and playgrounds and would have to go out of their way to be highly active on a regular basis, where as children in suburban areas have access to these large parks and outdoor play areas. There can be many negatives with living in an urban consolidated area which can be an overcrowding in kindergarden and schools, lengthy waiting lists to seek medical attention and a possible need to travel further distances to get to bigger and better-equipped shopping districts. These needs negate the value of urban consolidation in that if many people will still be required to travel moderate or lengthy distances to access facilities then they would be better off to live further into the suberbs where the shops/facilities are well equipped. In conclusion, the policies of urban consolidation would be highly beneficial and have great outcomes in all major Australian cities if the preceding measures were taken care of prior or at the same time to taking action against urban sprawl. Although there are some positives to urban consolidation, such as lower automobile dependance and increased convinience, the many negatives outweigh them. In the long term the policies of urban consolidation may benefit some major cities in australia, but given the current situation in which many cities are not developing at the same rate as urban consolidation is affecting them, it stands that urban consolidation is not the answer to environmental sustainability for Australian cities.