Planning for a Water Sensitive City: What can Auckland learn from Melbourne? : A dissertation submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Planning at Lincoln University

Abstract

This dissertation has a focus on Water Sensitive Cities, in particular, comparing how planning facilitates or hampers a movement towards becoming a Water Sensitive City in both Melbourne and Auckland. Secondly, this dissertations aims to establish if Auckland currently has a framework in place which is facilitating a smooth transition to Water Sensitive Urban Design (WSUD) and overall water sensitivity, or if Auckland could learn and adopt some of Melbourne’s planning approaches. This dissertation was carried out using a comparative case study to compare the two cities in depth. Furthermore, a document analysis was undertaken as a crucial way to compare the planning of both cities towards becoming water sensitive. This study found that Melbourne’s planning tools and devices are facilitating a smooth transition towards water sensitivity, and that Auckland could learn and adopt some measures from Melbourne to benefit the city for the future. As a result of these findings, I recommend that Auckland must add policy specifically regarding WSUD into the Auckland Unitary Plan and Auckland Plan 2050.