Table 1 The variations in the 20-minute neighbourhood concept across different iterations of Plan Melbourne

Plan Melbourne 2014 [27] ^a

20-minute neighbourhoods are places where you have access to local shops, schools, parks, jobs and a range of community services within a 20-minute trip from your front door.

(Page 11)

Plan Melbourne aims to create a city of 20-minute neighbourhoods where people have safe and convenient access to the goods and services they need for daily life within 20 minutes of where they live, travelling by foot, bicycle or public transport.

(Page 117)

Shops, cafés and restaurants, early-years centres, primary and secondary schools, parks and sporting fields, medical centres and public transport.

(Page 114)

Playground, parks and greenery, cycling and walking, community centres, employment centres, local bus services, public transport to key centres, shared community open space including food growing, local shops and services, day care centres and schools, local gathering places.

(Figure 14, Page 115)

This includes a variety of housing choices, shops and commercial services, schools, parks and recreation opportunities and good walking and bicycle infrastructure.

(Page 117)

Within 20 minutes of where they live, travelling by foot, bicycle or public transport.

(Page 117)

20-minute neighbourhoods help improve health and wellbeing, reduce travel costs and traffic congestion, and reduce vehicle emissions. They also create opportunities to provide a greater diversity of housing choices close to where goods and services are located.

(Page 114)

Plan Melbourne refresh - Discussion paper 2015 [25] ^a

The ability to meet your everyday (non-work) needs locally, primarily within a 20-minute walk.

(Fig. 1, Page 22)

This concept is about living locally not specifically working locally. Although more local jobs are a consequence of more services and facilities locally. (Fig. 1, Page 22)

Everyday needs: This may include facilities such as schools, shops, meeting places, open space, cafés, doctors, childcare and access to public transport

(Fig. 1, Page 22)

Primarily within a 20-minute walk

(Figure 1, Page 22)

It is indicated that the 20 minutes equates to 1–1.5 km

(Figure 2, Page 22)

Additionally, the within 20 minute definition is further expanded on by stating “This is included as it is important to outline that many areas will have access below 20-minutes’ walk and lower distances to services should be encouraged”

(Figure 1, Page 22)

Benefits include:

• Improved health (by encouraging physical activity like walking and cycling)

• Less need to travel long distances by car which reduces household travel costs

• Less greenhouse gas emissions (and pollution)

• Lower major infrastructure costs (by making best use of existing infrastructure)

• Better sense of place and the encouragement of vibrant, convenient and safe neighbourhoods

• Population growth is accommodated with more housing choice in locations with better access to services

• Enhanced community and social equity benefits such as better design for the elderly, the young and parents, and more interactions living and meeting locally.

(Page 21)

Plan Melbourne 2017–2050 [26] ^b

The 20-minute neighbourhood is all about ‘living locally’—giving people the ability to meet most of their everyday needs within a 20-minute walk, cycle or local public transport trip of their home.

(Page 98)

A 20-minute neighbourhood must:

• be safe, accessible and well connected for pedestrians and cyclists to optimise active transport

• offer high-quality public realm and open space

• provide services and destinations that support local living

• facilitate access to quality public transport that connects people to jobs and higher-order services

• deliver housing/population at densities that make local services and transport viable

• facilitate thriving local economies.

(Page 98)

Neighbourhood activity centres are an integral part of the city’s vibrant community life and critical to the creation of 20-minute neighbourhoods. These high streets and specialised strips of shops, cafés, small supermarkets, service businesses, community services and public spaces serve the needs of the surrounding community and provide a focus not only for local jobs but also for social interaction and community participation.

(Page 99)

Local shopping centres, local health facilities and services, local schools, lifelong learning opportunities, local playgrounds and parks, green streets and spaces, community gardens, sport and recreational facilities, safe streets and spaces, affordable housing options, ability to age in place, housing diversity, walkability, safe cycling networks, local public transport, well connected to public transport, jobs and services within the region, local employment opportunities.

(Figure 12, Page 99)

Due to the specialised and diverse nature of many people’s work, access to employment will often be outside the 20-minute neighbourhood.

(Page 99)

Within a 20-minute journey from home by walking, cycling, riding or local public transport.

(Figure 12, Page 99)

Within a 20-minute walk, cycle or local public transport trip of their home.

(Page 98)

If 20-minute neighbourhoods existed across Melbourne, it could reduce travel by nine million passenger kilometres and cut Melbourne’s daily greenhouse gas emissions by more than 370,000 tonnes.

(Page 98)

A 20-minute neighbourhood can create a more cohesive and inclusive community with a vibrant local economy— reducing social exclusion, improving health and wellbeing, promoting a sense of place, reducing travel costs and traffic congestion, and reducing carbon emissions across the city as a whole.

(Page 99)

20-Minute Neighbourhoods – Creating a more liveable Melbourne 2019 [24] ^b

The 20-minute neighbourhood is all about ‘living locally’ – giving people the ability to meet most of their daily needs within a 20-minute walk from home, with access to safe cycling and local transport options.

(Page 22)

A 20-minute neighbourhood must:

• be safe, accessible and well connected for pedestrians and cyclists to optimise active transport

• offer high-quality public realm and open space

• provide services and destinations that support local living

• facilitate access to quality public transport that connects people to jobs and higher-order services

• deliver housing/population at densities that make local services and transport viable

• facilitate thriving local economies.

(Page 24)

Local shopping centres, local health facilities and services, local schools, lifelong learning opportunities, local playgrounds and parks, green streets and spaces, community gardens, sport and recreation facilities, safe streets and spaces, affordable housing options, ability to age in place, housing diversity, walkability, safe cycling networks, local public transport, well connected to public transport, jobs and services within the region, local employment opportunities. (Fig. 1, Page 24)

…within a 20-minute walk from home, with access to safe cycling and local transport options.

(Page 22)

This 20-minute journey represents an 800 m walk from home to a destination, and back again.

(Page 25)

800 m has been adopted as the spatial accessibility measure of a walkable neighbourhood. This distance should be used as a guide only, as there are many factors that influence people’s ability, or desire, to walk.

(Page 25)

While cycling and local transport provide people with alternative active travel options to walking, these modes do not extend neighbourhoods, or access to 20-minute neighbourhood features beyond walkable catchments of 800 m.

(Page 25)

Benefits of a walkable neighbourhood:

• can halve household transport costs

• enhances sense of community and social cohesion

• walking infrastructure can provide a higher return than rail or road

• support health, infrastructure and environmental savings to Victorian economy

• walking infrastructure delivers $13 benefit for every $1 spent

• alleviates pressure on Melbourne’s transport

• increases retail trading by up to 40%

• improved health and wellbeing

• supports passive surveillance increasing safety

• helps reduce pollution and CO2 emissions

(Pages 10–11)

Research suggests that this approach to planning, (i.e., building walkable compact places), has multiple benefits, including improved public health (mental and physical), increased safety and stronger social connections. It also reduces emissions, lowers household costs and increases environmental, economic and social sustainability.

(Page 23)

If 20-minute neighbourhoods existed across Melbourne, they could reduce travel by nine million passenger kilometres and cut Melbourne’s daily greenhouse gas emission by more than 370,000 tonnes. (Page 23)

20-minute neighbourhoods are the way we can think and act locally to resolve global challenges, such as reducing emissions and creating more sustainable ways of living.

(Page 23)