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Australian Ultra High Rise [UHR] Development Key Transition Drives

UHR development is generating differing views and unhappiness among all types of Australians. Suburbs with leafy green canopies are transformed by skyscrapers jutting into the skyline. ’Fears leafy suburbs will become concrete jungles’ (ABC 2019). ‘We’re trading backyards for balconies and courtyards, and this has resulted in around one in five Australians living in an apartment today – up from one in seven in the 1990s’ (Yardney 2021). In 2019, the ABC reported, ‘younger people gravitated towards apartment buildings,’ while others ‘suggest young families and millennials do not prefer apartments and want a backyard’ (ABC 2019). (ABC 2021, Yardney 2021)

Instead of urban sprawl, in Australia, the right alternative seems to be living ‘close to work, lifestyle facilities and amenities in an apartment in a medium to high building (Yardney 2021). Also, ‘Australia’s urban population boom’ is addressed decisively with UHR (ABC 2019).  (ABC 2021, Yardney 2021)

Since the beginning of Sydney, housing has been high-density close to the CBD. People wanted to be close to work. Affluence led to weekend homes being built down the road in a suburb called Summer Hill.

The Australian Labour Party is concerned the price of the property is out of reach of young people. Perhaps the reason for the increase in purchasing apartments is a result of land in our cities being expensive. Australia’s urban population boom is addressed decisively with UHR.

Will capital cities in Australia be like Hong Kong as seen in this photo taken in 2019 from Victoria Peak? Well, surely not soon. Any state government would have to concur a UHR project would provide immense economic benefits to a neighbourhood, locality, city, and state.

Now, there is unhappiness among all types of Australians. For example,  in 2019 ABC reported, ‘Angela said she was not against development, but having multiple buildings above 30 storeys was “too much”, and was not done in consultation with residents ‘, ‘“It’s happened very quickly — too quickly And I don’t think they’ve planned it very well,”’, and ‘ “I know they want to make us the second CBD.’, and “we don’t have the roads. We don’t have the infrastructure to support that.”’

On the flip side, Victorian Whitehorse City Council Mayor Sharon Ellis said, ‘There is always resistance to change,’ ‘”Parking is one of the problems that people are more concerned about.”’, ‘but … with change came benefit, and that development could foster growth, boost employment opportunities and improve the lifestyles of residents.’

No doubt neighbours argue there is not enough infrastructure in place. There are solutions. In 2003 Leichhardt Council acquired a factory site in Leichhardt NSW 2040, demolished the warehouse, and installed Wangal Nura Park [as seen in the photo below] for the community by August 2008.

So, there you have it.    The drives for UHR are [not necessarily in this order]:

• The need to be close to work
• Lifestyle
• Property prices
• Population boom
• Economic benefits to an LGA.

However, with COVID-19 government-imposed lockdowns and people working from home, it would be interesting to see how the UHR trend evolves. Holiday home areas out of Sydney like Vincentia NSW 2540 and Huskisson NSW 2540 have recently gone up in value because people seeking a different lifestyle away from the rat race can live there and work from home. So away with the concrete jungle and back to homes with backyards.

Social Advantages Towards UHR

UHR buildings have high population density and are essentially self-contained communities, so potentially there are a lot of multi-cultural neighbours to meet leading to positive social relations. One can meet neighbours in the lobby or lifts, carpark and make friends and engage in socialising later. If a bar is an integral part of the building socialising can occur there. If there are community and playrooms spread throughout a building people, parents and their children can socialise there.

‘In 2007, Professor Robert Gifford of the University of Victoria published an article, “The Consequences of Living in High-Rise Buildings,” in the journal Architectural Science Review’ (Barr 2018). Barr (2018) points out: ‘Of the 99 studies reviewed, only 17 measured a positive outcome for the research question; 55 measured negative effects and 27 were mixed or neutral’. So UHR living can result in seventeen per cent positivity. (Barr 2021)

Social Disadvantages Towards UHR

Reiterating, Barr (2018) points out: ‘Of the 99 studies reviewed, ………… for the research question; 55 measured negative effects …. (Barr 2021). That’s fifty-six per cent negative results. (Barr 2021)

A low-maintenance lifestyle in a UHR leads to less interaction with tradies. There are no backyards only courtyards, maybe balconies. Children cannot play outside in a backyard or even front yard with others leading to problems with child-rearing. Potentially a person doesn’t have a dog to take for a walk.

Also, Barr (2018) highlights: ‘Across these different categories, many studies found that people living in high-rises suffer from greater mental health problems, higher fear of crime, fewer positive social interactions, and more difficulty with raising their children.” For some people, living in a UHR may cause behavioural problems or psychological stressors. Poor capital growth could also induce negativity, affecting mental health. (ABC 2021, Barr 2021)

Looking at the Sydney construction industry, there is a possibility of a scary future due to shoddy work and structural problems or defects leading to people being kicked out of their rented or mortgaged homes onto the street, as couch surfers and possibly homeless. The London Grenfell Tower and La Crosse Melbourne fire brought to the fore problems with aluminium composite panels leading to property damage, dead humans, and court action.

Reflection

Maybe, all UHR should be built like the high-rise 38-level One Central Park building, on Broadway, Chippendale, Sydney [shown above]. This building has the largest green façade in Australia. If UHR developers include green façades there might be a definite degree of positive social advantageous results.

I have always lived in a house on a block of land of some size in the semi-gentrified suburbs of Sydney. ‘Property ideal of a home on a quarter-acre block with a big backyard is still for me an Australian mainstay (ABC 2019). Currently, on a 645 sqm block with the 100-year-old Californian Bungalow, a bit of backyard including 20-year-old development of a 120 sqm shed come garage. The shed (shown juxta-positioned here) has council DA approval to transform the garage into a house as well as the existing house on the one block), and Torrens Title subdivision with a common driveway. There was a struggle with timing, I got a private certifier to issue the Construction Certification quick smart and made the local council the Principal Certifying Authority. Physical commencement of the DA was achieved & recorded, so the development can continue, and be finalised down the track in coming years whenever that may be. Daresay, the latter cannot be done with a UHR apartment. If we sold up, we’d be looking for another development opportunity instead of living in a UHR. [this was a recent uni assignment by me, References- ABC NEWS 2021, How skyscrapers and high-rises are transforming Australia’s suburban skylines, viewed the 3^rd  of September 2021, https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-11-17/how-skyscrapers-are-reshaping-australian-suburbs/11697614, Barr, J 2018, Building the skyline the birth & growth of manhattan’s skyscrapers, viewed the 3^rd of September 2021, https://buildingtheskyline.org/highrise-living/]. Images source – author & google.

Como Building P/L, Michael Como provides in SYDNEY, an NSW Building Regulations Consultancy service that comprises, Interpretation of NSW legislation relevant to the construction of Class 1 and 10; Issuing: Complying Development Certificates (CDC), Construction Certificates (CC) [after a local council has approved a development], Occupation certificates (OC), Compliance Certificates, NCC Building Code Australia Reports. Engagement for the certification work is on a contract basis.

Also, a pre-purchase property inspection or building inspection by Michael Como may empower you with knowledge about the condition of a property currently or before you buy it and help you avoid future problems and unexpected costs. However, this service can only be conducted if the insurer is on-side, and currently, they are not and as a result, we do not conduct it.

Michael Como is Your Custom Home Builder in Sydney with over 46 years of construction experience, a Master Craftsman sharing innovative Restoration/renovation Ideas. Licensed since 1988. At this stage, I will only carry out building work at a contracted agreed hourly rate.

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