Precinct change evaluation: Transport and land integration

The FILTER: Framework for evaluation of precincts project, undertaken by the Department of Transport and Planning Victoria and RMIT University to develop a prototype framework for evaluating the Fishermans Bend precinct, has been completed.

The Framework for Integrated Land and Transport Evaluation for Renewal Precincts (FILTER) was developed to address key research gaps in urban renewal precincts, focusing on the monitoring, evaluating and benchmarking of projects.

The project developed a demonstrator prototype to support monitoring and evaluation of the progress of urban renewal strategies in achieving the defined objectives and goals.

The goal was to provide a robust and scalable precinct monitoring tool for potential use at Fishermans Bend and beyond.

Project objectives

The three key objectives of this project were to:

1. Establish a robust methodology incorporating clear metrics and benchmarks for evaluating precinct goals, targets, and objectives;
2. Connect evaluation benchmarks and criteria to usable, accessible data sets and digital tools and platforms, such as Digital Twin Victoria; and
3. Identify best practices, with a focus on Fishermans Bend.

Project overview

The FILTER Framework uses a set of indicators to demonstrate current development and changes across a precinct against precinct policy goals.
The Framework was developed through a comprehensive review of best practices, plus methodologies for indicator development metrics and other key indicators relevant to the outlined goals of the precinct.

The framework report, which summarises the work undertaken to develop the FILTER Framework, addresses several key challenges in indicator monitoring – data quality, compatibility and accessibility.

The report synthesised eight assessment domains from strategic planning documents for the Fishermans Bend precinct.

The assessment domains for this project included:

• Economic activity;
• Innovation and attractiveness;
• Affordable, accessible housing;
• Social cohesion, inclusion and prosperity;
• Healthy and liveable community;
• Environmental resilience;
• Ecological health and impacts; and
• Active and sustainable transport.

To increase specificity and flexibility for monitoring and assessment, a two-level indicator development method was devised and implemented, along with a comprehensive set of indicators aligned with other common considerations for urban precincts in transition.

FILTER demonstration functionality

To illustrate functionality and effectiveness of the Framework in practice, researchers developed a working prototype interactive map as a demonstrator to visualise the indicators spatially.
Developed as a web application, the prototype introduced new functionality including tools [KW3.1][SF3.2]designed to enhance the user experience and facilitate accurate monitoring, assessment and reporting.

The enhanced suite of tools in the FILTER demonstrator included:

• AI-powered indicator selection tools that allow users to search for topic areas, a map to visualise indicators and present data in a geographical context, plus a narrative section with integrated AI to provide indicator descriptions.
• Enhanced back-end system with indicator computation capabilities, with a report generation tool to facilitate consistent and transparent reporting.
• Front-end features to support decision making, including a dynamic and interactive interface that allows users to view and compare data in a variety of visual and statistical forms.
• Features to assist in communications, specifically a report generation tool for consistent and transparent reporting.
• Potential for integration with Government digital systems as a function of the reusable, open-source code used in the FILTER Framework.

Insights gained from Fishermans Bend

The demonstrator used for Fishermans Bend example shows how the Framework and the web application can be used for evaluation and monitoring in an urban renewal precinct.
The demonstrator presents a selection of the Framework indicators to test and shows usability, which can be expanded to the whole suite of indicators for use as a monitoring tool for the Fishermans Bend precinct.

The demonstrator showed how indicator results can be translated into digital maps and text.

However, it also highlighted the challenge and limitation of existing data and data sources. Data for indicators are available at different spatial scales, which are often not congruent with the precinct and sub-precinct boundaries.

In addition, for some sources, the spatial boundaries of the data also change over time. The demonstrator addressed the challenge by presenting data in their original boundaries on the map, overlaid with the sub-precincts of Fishermans Bend.

The FILTER Framework provides support and enhances evaluation and decision-making by ensuring FILTER indicators are measurable and clearly linked to specific precinct goals.
For example, by presenting the development of indicator results in the Fishermans Bend precinct over time, the tool highlighted trends and patterns and areas where progress was made or where more work might be needed to improve progress.

The demonstrator for Fishermans Bend is an important first step.

However, for scalability and when applying the Framework to other precincts, indicators will need to be adapted to the distinct objectives, goals and benchmarks of the precinct in question. This will respond to local contexts and ensure outcomes are measured accurately and meaningfully.

Potential for future applications and scalability

Once the demonstrator framework used for the Fishermans Bend precinct is fully translated and integrated into existing digital systems, it will offer enormous potential for broader use.
Most of the indicator domains used in the Fishermans Bend precinct aligned with the goals and objectives of other Victorian Government Priority Precincts.

The indicator framework developed for this work balances the necessary specificity and generality for future application across different precincts.

The ‘baseline indicator’ collections in the framework are most relevant – particularly in the context of Fishermans Bend – as well as transferable and scalable.

The ‘extended collection’ of indicators comprises the most common indicators in literature and in practice and can be used in addition to the baseline indicators.

The AI tools developed for the project offer enhanced functionality and can support any number of indicators to ensure outcomes are measured accurately.

The enhanced back-end system incorporates indicator computation, which works for simple, well-structured datasets and can be expanded to handle more computationally intensive indicators.
Overall, the FILTER demonstrator prototype has shown itself to be a reproducible, scalable and viable framework for future implementation.

The Framework offers many benefits, including the potential to increase public and government understanding of key development issues and aid in gaining consensus on requirements for precinct development.

Expected project impacts

The FILTER project showed how technical and conceptual advances can come together for real planning innovation. New uses of AI sit alongside our carefully designed indicator framework, all shaped through close partnership that ensured practical, transparent and usable results.

Professor Matt Duckham, Director, Information in Society EIP (Enabling Impact Platform) Research and Innovation, RMIT University