Logan's Zeros

I've been thinking about the lack of creative industries in Brisbane in general, and I can't remember whether I mentioned on this blog that I've been getting involved (along with an increasing number of people at higher levels)in trying to find a way to improve the ratio of creative industries companies to everyone else. In the UK, and in fact in lots of places across the globe right now, there seems to be a general consensus on the need to promote creativity and innovation.

Here, that notion hasn't gone any deeper than - a quick glance across the surface here and there. The Logan council have a website that deals with communicating their 'vision' for the future. I suppose its probably pretty much what you'd expect....

The Logan draft corporate plan 2009 sets out it's vision as:

'A city of opportunities for families, lifestyle and business.'

The difficulty, I think for Logan for the foreseeable future is that it is growing very quickly. As a result, it's focus is on development and planning infrastructure. The latest council forecasts suggest that we need to build circa 55,000 new dwellings over the next 20 years. That’s 52 houses a week, with all the attendant needs to build roads, public transport, drains and sewerage and waste management facilities, drinking water supplies, power, schools, libraries, hospitals, business parks, prisons, play areas, shops, swimming pools, meeting venues, churches, police stations, fire stations etc. Not to mention the increased congestion and emission problems.

To put this in perspective, Logan City Councils 'Quick facts' page:
http://www.logan.qld.gov.au/LCC/logan/profile/quickfacts.htm currently suggests that we have 96,000 rateable properties (including those that aren't dwellings I assume). The council anticipate Logan’s population in 2029 at 400,000 – or another 139,000 people, or 2.5 people per dwelling. Very roughly (using the council's figures) we'll need to build about 130km of water mains and about the same of sewers. About 20 or 30 schools, and imagine if all at once, 75,000 vehicles drove into Logan... what would happen to our ability to get about?

I can see that Logan will be a city of business, and I can see that there will be a lot of families in it, but I'm not seeing where the 'lifestyle' part of the vision is going to fit.