Queensland’s new Technical Guidance Material for Walkability
The Heart Foundation is pleased to welcome and provide its support to Queensland’s new Technical Guidance Material for Walkability.
This material, including Model Code for Neighbourhood Design and its mandatory considerations, facilitate the urgent need for change to address the major public health problem of physical inactivity.
These resources call for provisions that align with Healthy Active By Design’s recommendations for healthy and active communities, including safe, connected and walkable communities, in proximity to green open spaces.
From 28 September 2020, new residential subdivisions in Queensland will be assessed against benchmarks relating to:
- connected street layout
- maximum block lengths
- provision of footpaths
- provision of street trees
- proximity to parks or open space.
As the COVID-19 pandemic has clearly demonstrated, the liveability and walkability of our local neighbourhoods matters for our overall health and wellbeing. We need coordination and connectivity to make our communities more ‘walkable’. More than ever, it is important for people to be able to get out into open spaces easily, to walk, ride and play.
Overcoming the many barriers to physical activity requires a response across society, led by governments and implemented at the community level. The Technical Guidance Material for Walkability is representative of this action. This material will be fabulous guidance to help Built Environment Professionals address the Walkability of local areas, so that walking and other physical activities can be the easy choice for residents to be more active, more often in their neighbourhoods.
The Heart Foundation commends this Queensland Government initiative and is delighted to be able to contribute to and encourage its use across Queensland!
See the Heart Foundation Media Release here
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