Activity Centre Performance Toolkit

Toolkit Briefing for Property Council

Members

Pracsys Economics

• Urban and employment economics• Translating ‘sustainability, livability,

prosperity’ objectives into measurable outcomes

• Evidence-based decision making

Policy Environment

Plan for Greater Adelaide

• Promote mixed-use activity centres• Develop higher density residential within

and adjacent to centres• Design specialist centres with clusters of

key economic and service activity• Transform traditional centres into transit-

oriented developments promoting efficient use of infrastructure

What does this mean for centre owners?

• Redevelopment/expansion plans need to focus on a range of performance indicators to receive approval

• Surrounding land uses can contribute to the success of the retail core

• Increased intensity of residential and commercial development means more immediate centre users

• More transport mode options means easier access and less reliance on expanding vehicle catchments

Toolkit Approach

• Specify outcomes rather than inputs• Measure outcomes• Make system transparent and common to all• Use benchmarks• Work with market• Assess function of whole network• Ensure centre strategies are practical and

implementable• Achieve common goal of successful centres

Method of Assessment

1. Regional economic analysis• Role of centre within the region

2. Centre performance assessment• Economic sustainability• Best practice urban form

3. Benchmarking • Same level in hierarchy• Different level in hierarchy• Centres in other cities

4. Master plan assessment• Gaps and opportunities

Regional Analysis

Activity allocation – understand the activity (population and employment) load expected of each centre in the network

Dimensions of measurement

Economic Sustainability Urban Form

Diversity Urban Quality

Intensity Urban Amenity

Employment Centre Mobility

Accessibility Safety

Diversity

Mixed Use Proportion of jobs in the

centre in categories other than retail

Equitability How evenly jobs are

distributed to ensure that all amenities are represented (and certain land use categories do not dominate the mix at the expense of others)

A diverse mix of users and activity increases trading hours, multi-purpose trips and local job opportunities

Intensity

Residential Density Dwellings per hectare 400m and 800m walkable

catchment

Employment Density Jobs per hectare Destination zones Plot ratio (if floor space data

available)

Co-locating activity ensures walkability, social interaction and economic activation

Master Plan Assessment

Benchmarking

Malls and Main Streets

Economic Metric Marion Norwood

Mixed Use Percentage 38% 82%

Shannon's Equitability Index 0.54 0.81

Residential Density 400m 9.59 17.97

Employment Density 90 30

Employment Scale 2,979 6,558

Strategic Employment (%) 3% 18%

• All types of centre have a role to play• Important to look at alternative employment &

services provision within region (i.e. Tonsley Park to provide strategic jobs within City of Marion)

Advantages of main streets

• Monocultural centres find it difficult to diversify due to specific built form constraints

• Multiple ownership presents a greater ability to adapt the user mix

• Main streets integrate retail, office, entertainment and residential uses which leads to greater diversity, intensity and employment quality

• Main streets can be a key focus of urban form improvements

PCA members should….

• Prepare centre development plans against all eight outcome areas

• Explain how these outcomes translate to ‘success’ for the centre

• Encourage decision makers to use evidence to support their decisions and be outcomes focused

• Contact Pracsys for a scorecard www.pracsys.com.au/toolkit-briefing/