Gentle Density: Backyard housing development that leaves room for nature & connection

24 Jan

This image is of Microlife neighbourhood in the U.S. which does gentle density and infill development.

Gentle density is a term in Australia for infill housing development in urban areas, to create more housing within existing neighbourhoods, also known as incremental development in the U.S.

In the latest Homefullness podcast episode, I interview Mark and Lynda Utting on the Sunshine Coast of Queensland Australia. They share about their way of developing housing in their backyard to give a great place to live to the future residents.

They are able to do this because their area has been rezoned to medium density, meaning they've been given permission to build up to nine units in their backyard.

A lot of people get worried when they hear "density" and infill development because downsides can include shade blocking out nearby houses, it might not match the character of the original neighbourhood, too many cars parked on the road, etc.

Yet, Mark and Lynda have come up with a land-use and housing design that I think few would have problems with. They have kept it to four new dwellings because they are prioritising quality of life for their residents and more sustainable and environmental outcomes.

This is a great interview because it showcases how density and infill development can be done better. They speak about the challenges of being lay-developers (not professional) but also the joy and opportunity of learning new skills and knowledge, of creating a sense of belonging to place, and the resources they've found helpful in their endeavour. Visit their Instagram page to see what that can look and function like.

We speak to the need for Councils to give incentives for infill development that prioritises better social, environmental, and affordability outcomes rather than the usual profit motive of conventional developers. And that councils can give assistance or support to lay developers to achieve these better outcomes.

So have a listen to this episode about what gentle density and better infill development can look like and how to do it.