Infill development improving our neighbourhoods

Having moved from Mount Lawley - a traditional neighbourhood with everything anyone could need within a 1 minute walk - to the much more suburban Joondanna, my partner and i have a great appreciation of what a diverse, rich and robust neighbourhood can offer. A liquor store and pharmacy are the only things available within a five minute walk.

The above image is a simple 3D model of the 1960s units where we live. There are 11 identical units, ours is at the front on the right. I haven't drawn doors, windows, etc, but the walls fronting the street are completely blank - there are no openings whatsoever, and the units open onto the internal driveway. The 8 metre front setback is maintained by the strata company, who recently spent its entire budget on mulch and new plants for the front setback area.

The problem is that the development offers nothing to the street, in that there is no interaction between the street and the residents, except for when the residents leave (usually in their cars). In the spirit of examining our own neighbourhoods for opportunities, i have looked at the wasted front setback area in more detail, and looked at using the 160m² areas either side of the driveway.

This shows two single bedroom dwellings built in front of the existing units, built up to the front boundary to make best use of the site. A street verandah provides shelter to people walking along the footpath. The carports and courtyards are positioned so that the new dwellings have minimal impact on the existing units (and the owners could make a tidy profit from selling the new dwellings). And a 3.2m high ceiling provides flexibility for the future conversion of part or whole of the dwellings into other uses, once zoning laws are relaxed.

Best of all, the development is completely compliant with the requirements of the local Codes with the exception of front setback requirements. Communities should be lobbying for front setback requirements to be relaxed to allow for this type of infill in their suburbs.

I will look at other ways infill development could be undertaken in your streets in upcoming posts - with enough infill development increased local populations will better the viability of businesses in our suburbs.