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The infrastructure deficit, continued population growth and expanding urbanisation at the fringe of cities has been the subject of criticism, however, it remains important to consider how best to address the social, economic, health and environmental issues. This practice review sets out a method for multi-criteria analysis of infrastructure project proposals in outer suburban growth areas, undertaken by an independent team with knowledge of the issues. As a result, it provides insights into how to provide a cost-effective and systematic input into infrastructure prioritisation processes and investment advocacy, and as a result support local government in addressing infrastructure requirements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fear of crime is implicated as a risk factor for poorer mental health, yet few studies have explored whether there is a causal relationship between fear of crime and health, or tested the direction of the relationship. Does, for example, heightened fear of crime lead to poorer mental health, or could poorer mental health exacerbate fear of crime? RESIDE participants in Perth, Australia, completed a questionnaire three years after moving to their neighbourhood (2007–2008, n = 1230), and again four years later (2011–2012, n = 531). The impact of fear of crime on psychological distress (Kessler-6) was examined in SAS using the Proc Mixed procedure (marginal repeated measures model with unrestricted variance pattern). Models controlled for demographics and time, and progressively adjusted for avoidance behaviours (i.e., walking, community participation, social cohesion). This approach was repeated with psychological distress as the independent variable and fear of crime as the outcome. For each increase in one standard deviation (SD) in fear of crime, psychological distress increased by 0.680 ( p = 0.0001), however in the reversed models, for each one SD increase in psychological distress, fear of crime increased by 0.152 ( p = 0.0001). To help explain these results, temporal order models examined whether baseline values predicted follow-up values. There was a significant association between psychological distress (at baseline) and fear of crime (at follow-up), but no association between fear of crime (at baseline) and psychological distress (at follow-up). The findings suggest a bi-directional relationship exists between fear of crime and mental health, however it appears that higher psychological distress over time leads to higher fear of crime, rather than the reverse. Furthermore, the pathway connecting fear of crime and mental health appears to be direct, rather than via constrained social and physical activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Since 1955 a plan known as the Stephenson–Hepburn Plan has dominated the allocation of public open space (POS) in Perth, the capital of Western Australia and within a Hotspot of Global Biodiversity. Since that time there has been a general requirement of 10% POS within any new suburban development based on 1955 parameters, identified here as being private open space and housing densities. These assumptions were examined with a view to determine their relevance today, and changes were noted in housing densities, and POS objectives and policy practices up to 2005. It was found that current housing densities are greater than existing or predicted in 1955, and private open spaces (gardens) have reduced. Since 1955 there has been an accumulation of additional requirements made on POS, while the allocation of land has not increased. It was considered that the current allocation of land for public open space in this global Hot Spot is based on old realities of private open space and housing, and does not address new ambitions for POS, particularly those regarding ecological function. It was suggested that the spatial configuration of POS moving into biologically diverse areas needs to be site-specific and ecologically framed, rather than culturally, to enable corridor design of meaningful function across regions. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A large database collated by bird watchers was analysed to determine whether birds living in the urban habitats of Sydney, Australia could be characterised as a discrete community differing from those occupying a variety of nearby native habitats. Standardised surveys at fixed distances from nine remnants of one native habitat (woodland/scrub on Hawkesbury sandstone) were then conducted to determine whether size of, and distance to, remnants of native habitat influenced the composition of the surrounding suburban bird community. Non-metric multidimensional scaling did not separate the bird community of urban parks and gardens from those occupying residential areas. However, analysis of similarity showed that these communities were significantly different from the bird communities of each of the native habitats. Suburban habitats could be differentiated by the prevalence of exotic species as well as parrots, large honeyeaters, and large birds incorporating vertebrate foods in their diet, and a relative rarity of small insectivores and honeyeaters. Nearby remnant vegetation had little effect on the bird community inhabiting suburban areas. No significant effects of remnant size or remnant proximity were detected for species richness, individual abundance or community composition. These results suggest that there is little overlap in use of urban and remnant habitats by the majority of species and that in order to increase bird diversity, urban habitats must provide a fuller complement of ecological requirements. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]