Expert opinion from Victoria University Wellington - Te Herenga Waka
Opinion: Wellington recently passed a new ambitious district plan, which paves the way for increased housing density in the city. But as Wellington embraces opportunities for urban intensification, it also needs to consider how this shift will affect residents’ lives.
Key to ensuring urban development does not adversely affect health and wellbeing is learning about how residents’ neighbourhoods contribute to their health and wellbeing. In a recent study, we delved into this topic, exploring the experiences of one important group in the capital city—new parents.
New parents have much to gain or lose from developments in their neighbourhoods. Becoming a parent is a life-changing experience that reshapes priorities and lifestyle. New parents often become more homebound after their baby’s arrival and their neighbourhood takes on increasing importance in their day-to-day lives.
Central to their wellbeing is a sense of belonging – a sense of being connected to people and the environment. Parenthood destabilises an individual’s sense of belonging and redefines their relationships with their surroundings, emphasising the importance of fostering supportive communities.
For many of the 59 new parents in our study, getting out of the house and going for walks in their neighbourhood was a key part in nurturing a sense of belonging. Playgrounds, local green spaces, and the beach were common places to go, although many local outings didn’t have a specific destination.
However, a sense of belonging extended far beyond parents’ connections with the obvious physical spaces in the neighbourhood. A diverse range of relationships and interactions with people and places also played a role.
Parents told us that walking in their neighbourhood was a fundamental aspect of their everyday lives, and increased connections with the environment and people. As one parent commented, “having a baby is quite an icebreaker for neighbours and other people to stop and talk to you”. Walking fostered a sense of attachment and reciprocity.
The slow pace of walking with children also encouraged an appreciation of local landscapes and seemingly mundane spaces. Children’s perspectives and curiosity often led to the discovery of hidden gems and overlooked details, enriching the experience for both parent and child.
For many, stepping outside the confines of home was also a much-needed reprieve from daily chores, emotions attached to their homes, and ‘cabin fever’. Despite the effort sometimes needed to leave the house, parents said they found solace in the simple act of being seen and connecting with others when going for walks.
One study participant put it like this: “Our street is full of caring, friendly neighbours. Some we know well, others just a greeting, but it makes me feel like we are safe and belong. It eases my anxiety and makes mental health easier to deal with … When, on occasion, something bad happens, we are not alone … and have a sense of security.”
The opportunities afforded through their urban environment thus appeared to hold a significant role in parental wellbeing. This sense of belonging evolved as connections and familiarity with the neighbourhood developed over time.
However, neighbourhood walks could also be a stressful experience. Some expressed concerns about walking with a toddler near busy roads and having to be on high alert. Another noted their walks had to be confined to “pram-friendly paths”.
While some parents were full of praise for their local parks and playgrounds, others noted the lack of these areas within easy walking distance. Several commented about factors such as traffic and parked cars that limited their children’s ability to explore the neighbourhood more independently.
So as Wellington follows the trend of increasing housing densification seen in other cities, how can it ensure parent-centred urban planning?
Prioritising the creation of walkable, engaging, and supportive local spaces can empower parents, enabling them to explore their environments with confidence and ease. But this doesn’t just mean providing a playground or two.
Characteristics of the immediate surroundings play a role in supporting new parents to venture out. Urban planners need to turn their eye to things such as pavement design, street ‘furniture’ – places to sit, rest, and chat – and attractive features at children’s eye level, but most importantly, to creating walkable and caring everyday neighbourhood spaces, which invite residents to engage with people and the environment.
Planning for ‘parenting on foot’ may run counter to conventional approaches and the prioritisation of spending on roads. But by acknowledging the importance of walking and cycling, as well as affordable public transport, we can create urban communities where new parents – and others – can feel supported and connected.
At a time of increasing inequities, developing (sub)urban environments that support health and wellbeing will deliver benefits for everyone.
Not just parents. You try taking a wheelchair around a Wellington streetscape. Even a mobility scooter would need 4 wheel drive, caterpillar tracks and a bulldozer blade (all those wheelie bins, cars and cones on the footpath). With the absence of off-street parking, streets are clogged down to one-way with parked cars and there is nowhere for children to play. Australian planners are in many towns required to build in shops and parks with real trees – Even in cities like Paris the green spaces exist, to be found by pedestrians – but not in Wellington – we just do nightclubs.