QPIA – 2017 Tropical North Queensland Planning Symposium

The 2017 Tropical North Queensland Planning Symposium took place yesterday (30th May) at JCU.

The programme covered the future of the region, tropical urban planning and design, community engagement, and  indigenous planning.

It was refreshing to hear that the Institute sees the region as leading new models of urbanism, particularly related to innovative ways of greening the city to control the urban heat island effect (UHI). This comment followed last week’s news that the rising temperatures in Aussie cities could create death traps. North Queensland’s location in the tropics and in one of the warmest areas of the country puts the local urban planning and design in a privileged position to contribute to this issue.

It was also reassuring to hear that the QPIA understands the need for increasing urban density, and does not want to stop it. The Institute supports better design and changes in the understanding that urban greenery means backyards and large parks. In reality there is much more to it.

Let’s hope that these ideas keep strengthening in the future.