The Heart Foundation’s involvement in the shaping of the 600-lot development at Mittagong as a ‘healthy community’ has led to Renwick being selected as one of four UrbanGrowth NSW’s (formerly Landcom) residential projects to be included in the UNSW research project. The other three projects are Victoria Park, Rouse Hill and Airds Bradbury – all in Sydney.
Launched under the UNSW’s Healthy Built Environments Program (HBEP), the ‘Planning and Building Healthy Communities’ study aims to research how residential localities can make healthy, everyday living a reality, with the focus on physical activity and social cohesion.
University researchers will interview Renwick residents as part of the study in a bid to find out how built environments can help residents combat chronic health issues such as diabetes, depression, cancer and heart disease.
As part of the masterplanning process for Renwick prior to the first land release in 2011, Landcom incorporated principles of the Heart Foundation’s ‘Healthy by Design’ guidelines to create opportunities for residents to be active and improve their health. ‘Active Living’ initiatives incorporated into the planning of Renwick included dedicated cycling and walking paths, a village centre, public transport, well-connected grid-pattern streets that encourage walking as opposed to ‘spaghetti’ roads and the dedication of one third of the site for open space, parks and playgrounds.
“Incorporating guidelines from the Heart Foundation in the planning of Renwick was part of a deliberate bid to inspire residents to be active and to create a healthy, functional and cohesive community in the Southern Highlands,” said the Head of Retail Development for UrbanGrowth NSW, Robert Sullivan.
“We are proud Renwick has been included in the UNSW’s healthy living study which will help ensure other new communities also embrace the same principles,” Mr Sullivan said.
The Renwick Sales Centre, located on Renwick Drive in Mittagong, is open Friday to Monday from 10am to 5pm. Seven display homes are open for viewing.
Renwick is a 600-lot residential development in the NSW Southern Highlands 130km from Sydney. The fully serviced development offers wide, tree-lined streets and underground gas and electric wires. When completed, it will feature a village centre and walking and cycling paths, with a third of the 115-hectare site retained as open space and parks.
