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David Carey
Town Planning and Development
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The garden city movement to low density suburban sprawl
The Garden City Movement emerged from the toxic cradle of the Industrial Revolution in late 19th-century Britain. As factories multiplied, cities like London, Manchester, and Birmingham swelled with migrant workers living in unimaginable squalor—overcrowded slums with no sanitation, polluted air, and virtually no green space. The average life expectancy in some industrial cities fell to under 30 years. This urban crisis sparked numerous reform movements. Visionaries like John

David
Feb 155 min read
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Le Corbusier's "Radiant City" concept. What worked and what went wrong?
Charles-Édouard Jeanneret known as Le Corusier was an architect, painter, urban planner and writer born in 1887. Dedicated to providing better living conditions for the residents of crowded cities, Le Corbusier was influential in urban planning . His ideas on urbanism were published in " Ville Radieuse" or "The Radiant City" in 1930. This was one of the most influential, and controversial, urban planning concepts of the 20th century. It was not just a design for a city but a

David
Oct 27, 20255 min read
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The Five Largest World Cities in 1525 vs 2025, what has changed?
While it is hard to know precisely, the largest world cities in 1525 were probably something like: 1525 Beijing, China. Estimated...

David
Sep 13, 20252 min read
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Is the City a Parasite on the Surrounding Countryside? A Historical Examination
Throughout history, cities have been both engines of progress and extractive parasites, depending on how they interact with their rural...

David
Jun 27, 20253 min read
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The Invisible Lifeline: How Modern Cities Depend on Trucking
Every morning, as city dwellers sip their coffee and scroll through news feeds, an army of trucks is already at work - delivering the...

David
May 30, 20253 min read
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Why Five Major World Cities Are Located Where They Are
Cities do not develop by accident - their locations are often the result of geographical advantages that facilitate trade, defence,...

David
Apr 25, 20253 min read
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David Carey Town Planning and Development visits Soviet housing estate in Tbilisi, Georgia
The Nutsubidze Skybridge is part of an experimental Soviet-era housing complex in Saburtalo district of Tbilisi, Georgia. It consists of...

David
Mar 29, 20252 min read
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Ports and their impact on land use
Ports are critical nodes in the global economy, serving as hubs for trade, transportation, and industrial activity. They facilitate the...

David
Feb 21, 20255 min read
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Airports and their impact on the city
Airports have become defining features of modern cities, serving as gateways to the world and catalysts for economic, social, and urban...

David
Feb 1, 20255 min read
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Towards better management of storm water - some photos
This article discusses how the management of storm water in urban areas has evolved over time and possible approaches for the future in...

David
Jan 8, 20253 min read
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The street as a place versus a thoroughfare
The primary purpose of the street is a thoroughfare for transport within a city. It is necessary for a public space, accessible to all,...

David
Dec 31, 20243 min read
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Roads and motorways
This article discusses roads and motorways and their influence on geography and human development. For most of human history, walking by...

David
Dec 18, 20244 min read
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Railways
This article discusses how the railway has influenced geography and human development. The railway is a form of transport using wheeled...

David
Apr 15, 20242 min read
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Rivers
This article discusses how rivers have influenced human development and civilisation. Shifts from hunter-gatherer society (the vast...

David
Apr 7, 20243 min read
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Rome and Campbelltown - a comparison of two eternal cities
The image above shows a fountain in Campbelltown. It was installed as a bequest from a controversial former local solicitor, who...

David
Mar 17, 20244 min read
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The metabolism of our cities
This article discusses the main factors behind the growth of our cities and how energy has driven the growth of and layout of our built...

David
Feb 19, 20245 min read
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Decline of local government town planning powers - a timeline
The last post in this blog discussed state government led changes to introduce more medium density housing across the state. While...

David
Feb 9, 20247 min read
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Further details released of changes to allow more low and mid-rise housing
The NSW Government has released further details of a policy intended to create low and mid-rise housing. The link can be found here. The...

David
Jan 12, 20244 min read
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NSW Government announces intention to introduce new medium density housing SEPP
The NSW Government has announced an intention to a facilitate greater diversity of homes like residential flat buildings of 3-6 storeys,...

David
Dec 8, 20233 min read
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Sustainable Buildings SEPP
A new policy called State Environmental Planning Policy (Sustainable Buildings) 2022 came into effect on 1 October 2023. This policy,...

David
Nov 7, 20233 min read
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