• A network of walkable, appealing and public open spaces helps meet a community’s recreational, play and social needs.

• Public use of open spaces can be improved by ensuring that they are easily accessible to, and by, all members of the community.

• Open space designs that respond to their surrounds can enable a strong connection to the community and the environment.

• ​ Public Open Space Factsheet

Northern Sydney examples:

• ​ Meadowbank Skate Park - City of Ryde
• ​ Mindarie Park - Lane Cove Council
• ​ Lindfield Village Green - Ku-ring-gai Council

• Movement networks facilitate safe and convenient travel within neighbourhoods. This should connect walking, cycling and public transport routes and links them to a range of destinations.

• Movement can be enhanced through the provision of safe, connected, convenient, continuous, easily navigated and attractive links.

• The inclusion of safe, functional and highly visible infrastructure (eg. bike racks, drinking fountains, change rooms and lockers, shade/shelter, seating, lighting) encourages a range of travel options.

• ​Movement Networks Factsheet

Northern Sydney examples:

• ​Coast Walk - Northern Beaches
• ​B-Line - Northern Beaches

• Compact mixed-use neighbourhoods with a variety of destinations, facilities and focal points create opportunities for healthy and active living during the day and at night.

• An interesting choice of local destinations encourages neighbourhood walkability and fosters residents’ physical activity and social connections.

• ​ Destination Factsheet

Northern Sydney examples:

• ​ Crows Nest Town Centre - North Sydney Council
• ​ Dee Why Town Centre - Northern Beaches Council

• Compact mixed-use neighbourhoods with a variety of destinations, facilities and focal points create opportunities for healthy and active living during the day and at night.

• Facilities that enable multiple uses may better serve the community and encourage greater use, which can provide health, socio-economic and economic benefits to the community.

• ​Community Facilities Factsheet

Northern Sydney examples:

• ​Waitara Precinct - Hornsby Shire Council
• ​The Concourse - Willoughby Council

• Well-designed buildings and sites that specifically support health, including healthy food access and increased levels of physical activity (incidental or deliberate), can improve health outcomes for the community.

• The provision of specific services and facilities within a building, and the overall design of the building, can encourage a healthier lifestyle. Facilities such as gymnasiums, exercise classes, end-of-trip facilities and shade/shelter can promote physical activity.

• Incidental physical activity can be encouraged through a well-designed layout that supports movement and social interactions.

• ​ Buildings Fact Sheet

Northern Sydney examples:

• ​ Balgowlah Stockland - Northern Beaches (YouTube)

• Providing opportunities for interaction, preserving places of interest, using local building materials, highlighting neighbourhood stories and history, meeting the community’s needs and responding to the local climate are all ways of developing a sense of place.

• Understanding the built and cultural heritage of a place can provide insights for designs that strengthen ties to the community.

• Encouraging both current and future communities to participate in design and development decisions contributes to a sense of place and builds ownership and respect.

• ​ Sense of Place Factsheet

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• Providing choice, through various housing and occupancy types, meets the dwelling needs of a diverse community and helps create active and vibrant places.

• A mix of dwelling types can increase density and attract a broad demographic, creating a resilient neighbourhood that caters for a diverse range of household structures, ages and tenures.

• The design of a dwelling can have a positive influence on its surroundings and inhabitants. It can lead to safer and more engaged communities – and healthier lifestyles.

• ​ Housing Diversity Factsheet

Northern Sydney examples:

• ​ Willoughby Local centres and Housing Strategy

• Planning for healthy food requires effective planning and design of food environments, retail and promotion, food production space, transport infrastructure and ensuring healthy food outlets are both available and accessible to community residents.

• Activity centres that provide fresh and healthy food opportunities can encourage healthier diets. Similarly, providing space for the production of healthy food promotes healthier food intake.

• ​ Healthy Food Factsheet

Northern Sydney examples:

• ​ Turramurra Lookout Garden - Ku-ring-gai

• ​ Manly Vale Community Garden - Northern Beaches

• ​ Northside Produce Markets - North Sydney

• ​ Mosman Community Gardening