Planning Design students enjoy regional field trip
Fifteen final-year Regional and Urban Planning students at the University of the Sunshine Coast took part in an extensive field trip recently to see how environmental and social sustainability can be incorporated into planning design.
Lecturer Claudia Baldwin organised the field trip to assist students in a major planning design assignment which will involve the students developing concept plan proposals for a vacant 30ha beachfront site at Wurtulla.
The excursion was guided by Stockland Planning and Design Manager Malcolm Holz who discussed with students the challenges of designing and creating new communities.
The group first travelled to the Sunshine Coast hinterland to inspect one of Australia’s most successful sustainable communities, the Crystal Waters Permaculture Village.
A village founder, Max Lindegger, presented a demonstration about the community’s sustainable development principles and waste treatment procedures.
After lunch in Maleny, the students travelled through several developments and inspected a number of building styles, including small lot houses and duplexes.
Mr Holz explained how efficient and thoughtful planning of master-planned communities could increase neighbourhood interaction and community well-being.
He also showed how storm water treatment in wetlands and swales could be used to contribute to visual amenity through appropriate landscaping, vegetation and paths.
The field trip finished with an inspection of the 30ha site at Wurtulla, where students asked plenty of questions about the site in preparation for their concept plan proposals.