Recognising the need for more integrated approaches to local and regional planning, SMART has developed Vision Illawarra, a web-based regional dashboard created to enable evidence-based planning and integrated development across the Illawarra.
The first of its kind in Australia, Vision Illawarra combines a public dashboard as well as a private subscription modelling platform.
The dashboard comprises publicly available data including recent economic, demographic, transport and land use figures, as well as the evolution of utility usage over the last ten years (water, electricity, wastewater and solid waste). This data is regularly updated, allowing for robust benchmarking and spatial analyses.
The modelling platform is available through a subscription and provides a state-of-the-art regional growth model developed with the Geonamica Platform (RIKS, Netherlands). Stepping away from traditional trend analysis, this model integrates demographic, economic, land use and transport dynamics as endogenous processes, allowing for more realistic projections. This enables smarter and strategic decisions for the benefit of the region.
Vision Illawarra is a regional initiative bringing together data providers (Sydney Water, Endeavour Energy and Remondis), tool developers (SMART and RIKS) and information users (NSW Department of Planning and Environment, the NSW Office of Environment and Heritage, Transport for NSW and Local Councils) within a Steering Committee that examines data privacy or security issues, and proposes new regional scenarios to be modelled.
Vision Illawarra is not only an innovative planning tool but also a vehicle to bring together regional resources through mutualisation of relevant expertise, existing data and available funding.
