Strategic Planning for Employment Self-Containment in Metropolitan Sub-Regions. Issue 1 (2nd January 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Martinus, Kirsten; Biermann, Sharon
• Is Part Of: Urban policy and research. Volume 36:Issue 1(2018)
• Page Start: 35
• Page End: 47
• Publication Date: 2018-01-02
• Subjects: Self-sufficiency -- self-containment -- job-housing balance -- commuting -- employment decentralisation -- urban policy; City planning -- Australia -- Periodicals; City planning -- New Zealand -- Periodicals; City planning -- Pacific Area -- Periodicals; Urban policy -- Australia -- Periodicals; Urban policy -- New Zealand -- Periodicals; Urban policy -- Pacific Area -- Periodicals; 307.7609905
• DOI: 10.1080/08111146.2017.1294539
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0811-1146

Abstract

Abstract: Metropolitan strategic plans often focus on strengthening local employment opportunities to address the congestion and commuting issues threatening city sustainability. The success of such strategies relies on a more equitable distribution of jobs between sub-regions and can be comparatively benchmarked through one of the three related measures of employment self-sufficiency, self-containment or jobs-housing balance. However, in practice, planning policy implementation to meet these targets seldom reduces automobile commuting. This paper investigates self-containment across a range of occupation and industry types to highlight large differences in commuting and employment patterns through a case study of Perth's Northwest sub-region, Western Australia. Its findings suggest the application of current sub-regional policy and targets within Perth may reinforce the wage and skill disadvantage of outer metropolitan sub-regions over the inner core. It recommends a more nuanced understanding of these measures taking into account the complex dynamics of both employment opportunities and commuting patterns across sub-regions of a city.