Development Types

Shopping Precincts - Full Text

Introduction

Consideration should be given to:

• siting new shopping precincts where they have the best access to the community they service and are co-located with compatible uses
• providing safe and direct access to the centre for pedestrians, cyclists, public transport and vehicles
• providing facilities within and around the centre to encourage social interaction
• ensuring access and interaction is suitable for all members of the community especially the elderly, young people and carers with young children
• promoting centres that have an interaction or frontage with the street so that the community can control and modify spaces to suit evolving needs and also have the potential for 24 hours access to an area, and
• controlling the location and management of parking to ensure that the comfort and safety of pedestrians is not undermined by excessive expanses of parking areas.

As shopping precincts are important locations for social interaction there need to be facilities within and to the centre for a range of users, including youth and older people.  Research has indicated that the features of the built environment that can promote physical activity for older people include proximity to shops, particularly medical services, shady streets and footpaths (National Ageing Research Institute, 2003).

PLANNING CONSIDERATIONS

The following design elements can support a range of active transport modes to the shopping precinct and also social interaction within the centre.

Spatial Location Centrally locate for the residential catchment of the shopping precinct. Ensure it is accessible for pedestrians, cyclists, public transport and vehicles. Structure Preferably configure the shopping precinct to have an active frontage to the street environment. Minimise areas of at grade parking between the street and shop fronts to avoid conflicts between pedestrians and cars. Where practicable integrate new shopping precincts near complementary uses such as community uses, recreation areas and medium to high residential development.

Main street shopping – Berry, NSW Photo: SGS Economics and Planning

Transport Network and Design

• Provide safe access to the shopping precinct for pedestrians, cyclists, public transport and vehicles.
• The pedestrian and cycling access should be part of a broader network connecting to residential areas and other adjoining uses, such as recreation areas and schools.
• Where relevant, safe bicycle facilities, including lock up areas, should be provided.
• Footpaths should be provided to provide safe movement.

Social Interaction

• Provide support facilities to encourage interaction and useability, such as seating, water fountains, shelter, public toilets and signage.
• Ensure the shopping precinct creates a safe environment such as by having traffic calmed streets and lighting to ensure safety.

Safe and direct pedestrian access, around
shopping precinct - Bateman’s Bay, NSW
Source: SGS Economics and Planning

PRACTICE ADVICE

Good Practice

• Provide a range of options to access the shopping precinct including by walking, cycling, vehicular and public transport.
• Integrate and link new shopping precincts with surrounding land uses.
• Include facilities for cyclists.
• Include well-designed car parks with safe access between car parks and shops.

Optimum Practice

• Integrate new shopping precincts with complementary uses.
• Provide appropriate facilities to encourage social interaction at the centre.

Avoid   Catering solely for vehicular access rather than the full range of access options. Excluding or not welcoming a range of people at the shopping precinct. Fortress type shopping precincts that do not relate to the surrounding neighbourhood or permit access except by roads.

Seating and shade in Hastings Street, Noosa, Queensland  Source: SGS Economics and Planning

REFERENCES

Medibank Private, 2007, The cost of physical inactivity: What is the lack of participation in physical activity costing Australia?  Viewed 10 March 2009:
http://www.medibank.com.au/About-Us/Publications.aspx

National Ageing Research Institute, 2003, Participation in Physical Activity Amongst Older People, funded by the Victorian Department of Human Services, viewed 10 March 2009 www.mednwh.unimelb.edu.au/publications/pdf_docs/participation_in_physical_activity.pdf

National Preventative Task Force, 2008, Obesity in Australia; A need for urgent action Commonwealth of Australia, viewed 10 March 2009: http://www.preventativehealth.org.au/internet/preventativehealth/publishing.nsf/Content/home-1

Western Australian Planning Commission, Liveable Neighbourhoods 2007, viewed 11 March 2009:
http://www.planning.wa.gov.au/Plans+and+policies/Liveable+Neighbourhoods/default.aspx

Last updated on 17th August, 2009