The importance of suburban renewal to the future of our towns and cities is clear. They are typically established hubs on large areas of land with existing public transport. They provide amenity through the combination of uses and they already have an established identity within a community setting. 

In reality of course, change is hard. Most environments resist change, for a variety of reasons. Our Growth Strategy work in Cairns, and our work on seven suburban centres in Brisbane, has enabled us to look ahead – and to examine the future form and function of these key city places. The potential is exciting.  

We examined existing places and the capacity to change, informed by a baseline of economic, social, and environmental data. We walked forty kilometres around suburban centres to understand where and how change was emerging. We then looked ahead to compare the setting with the future capacity to change, based on a different and integrated place-based approach – with objectives aligned across different stakeholders and interests. 

In reality, we lack many of the tools required to unlock potential quickly and with the right level of ambition. Change in these settings needs to be a shared enterprise, which is why we strongly advocate for mechanisms to incentivise collaboration, integration, and a bold approach to share risk, with our version of a precinct approach. When a zonal approach to increased housing stock is not delivering the supply we need, then an alternative is needed.

Suburban centre renewal presents a very tangible opportunity to create places that can evolve purposefully to deliver mature and compelling city places that communities can be proud of. We just need enough ambition and appropriate confidence in the outcome to reach the tipping point for change.