On 23 August, Rachel Long presented her MPhil confirmation seminar on urban consolidation in Brisbane, and the constraints of property boundaries.

All Australian cities have polices of urban consolidation, which aim to confine urban growth to within the existing urban footprint. The practical implementation of urban consolidation is, however, largely constrained by urban morphology – broadly meaning the structure and form of cities. Any attempt to ‘replan’ a city will be influenced by its existing physical structure, as it will have a determinative impact on how a city adapts to changing conditions. The nature of property boundaries, and their influence on urban consolidation, is examined through a study of Brisbane.

Rachel’s study will use multiple disciplines including geography, spatial science and urban planning to holistically analyse how and why the redevelopment of existing urban areas occurs in practice.