Protecting the natural environment

The containment of growth within a 15 kilometre radius of the city centre reduces the potential land take for residential development and also reduces pressure on areas of high conservation value which could otherwise be severely impacted by future urban development. The location of future residential development will ensure that areas identified as having significant biodiversity values, such as threatened species and ecological communities and habitat for threatened species are protected from development. Urban intensification and the location of new residential areas on trunk public transport routes will encourage use of public transport and support a more viable and rapid public transport system, as well as facilitating other modes of sustainable transport thereby reducing greenhouse gas emissions and resource use.