Growth Areas Liveability Scorecards
Growth Areas Liveability Scorecards were developed in partnership between the National Growth Areas Alliance and the Australian Urban Observatory. The main aim was to investigate and communicate the liveability of Growth Areas in comparison to other areas of capital cities. Growth Area Liveability Scorecards are available for Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney and Perth and include comparison of liveability indicators between Growth Areas, non-growth areas and the overall city averages. All results are based on previously released Australian Urban Observatory 2021 city-level liveability scorecards, while Growth Areas Liveability Scorecards can be downloaded from the map below.
Growth Areas are defined as the fastest growing Local Government Areas in the outer metropolitan regions of capital cities and spill over peri-urban regions on the fringe of these cities. The areas are characterised by rapid annual population growth, with a high proportion of young families in new residential urban development. These Growth Areas of interest have experienced this type of development in either the past 20 years, or are expected to see rapid growth in the next 20 years.
City Scorecards provide observation to support understanding and further action. The reports highlight liveability inequity across Australian cities that includes areas with high liveability and areas where liveability could be enhanced through targeted liveability policy and planning action. Additional information on the liveability indicators included in the Growth Area Liveability Scorecards is available here and detailed suburb and neighbourhood liveability results can be visually explored via the Australian Urban Observatory map.
Key Growth Area Liveability Scorecard findings
Liveability:
Australian capital cities have good overall liveability but can be improved by addressing deficits in liveability in Growth Areas. Inner city areas are most liveable with better walkability social infrastructure, frequent public transport than Growth Areas.
Walkability:
Similar to liveability, our cities are more walkable in inner city areas compared to Growth Areas with more people, destinations to walk to and ways of getting there. Growth Areas have reduced walkability with lower density and fewer destinations to walk to.
Social Infrastructure:
The community and social services that support wellbeing across the lifespan are less accessible in Growth Areas across all cities. The specific sub-domains of Health, Education, Cultural and Community/Sport Infrastructure is lower with delayed provision in Growth Areas.
Public Transport:
Growth Areas have poor access to frequent public transport due to delayed delivery of public transport in these new areas. Inner city areas have better access to these services which has significant impact on liveability and sustainability of these areas.
Public Open Space:
In capital cities, the average distances to Large Public Open Spaces is slightly higher in Growth Areas compared to non-growth areas and city averages. This is one liveability indicator that new Growth Areas perform well on.
Housing Affordability:
Housing stress varies across the capital cities and higher in some Growth Areas than other areas of the city and lower in some capital cities. Approximately 15% of Growth Area households are spending more than 30 percent of their income on housing.