Greg Vann

Australian planning director @Ethos_Urban. Co-author ShapingSEQ, Next Generation Planning. cohost @CitySpeakAust podcast. Been around for yonks!

[Greg Vann @GregVann]

In case you didn’t know, @StephenYarwood and I have a podcast called @CitySpeakAust which is up to 19 episodes so far, covering features on particular cities & aspects of cities. We love cities and would like you to learn to love your city too! See here: https://t.co/lM1C0cnPDx

[Greg Vann @GregVann]

This is my final tweet. No longer support what this platform stands for.

I am now over on Blue Sky under my own name with the official address @gregvann.bsky.social

Would love as many of my 5k+ followers here to follow me there to access similar content I’ve posted here.

[Greg Vann @GregVann]

Visited one of Brisbane’s latest new buildings downtown. Created some interesting spaces at the ground level and a new mid block pedestrian link called Heritage Lane

[Greg Vann @GregVann]

Just caught up with this area under an overpass in Brisbane city centre. Used to be a few car parking spaces, now a multipurpose sport court and people space.

[Greg Vann @GregVann]

@MarkBaileyMP @couriermail Disgraceful but not surprising, Mark. I haven’t read Murdoch papers for over 15 years and my life is the better for it. I’m bemused by people I know who read them and think that their content is news, rather than propaganda.

[Greg Vann @GregVann]

And a follow up for the return flight from Hobart, which for convenience of timing, I’m doing via Melbourne. Took off early from Hobart, and looks likely to happen now from Melbourne too.

[Greg Vann @GregVann]

Well @Qantas is copping lots of stick lately and I understand why, but my Brisbane to Hobart flight is landing 15 minutes early and I got upgraded to business. So they get a thumbs up from me for today.

[Greg Vann @GregVann]

@CityByrne Such a simple way to start re-greening the inner city, which is quite a hardstand jungle at present.

[Greg Vann @GregVann]

@StuartBDonovan So good. Have me a good giggle too!

[Greg Vann @GregVann]

The Advocate is bang on once again. https://t.co/5vOdPr1TrA

[Greg Vann @GregVann]

@ScootFoundation

[Greg Vann @GregVann]

Tasmania does nature pretty well. 😁👏

[Greg Vann @GregVann]

@61Bananas @Qantas Thanks. It’s nice to be out the Brisbane humidity for a few days. Sat outside in a tee shirt yesterday evening here, and as the sun set had to put on a sweater!

[Greg Vann @GregVann]

@CityByrne @Qantas Thanks cobber!

[Greg Vann @GregVann]

@StuartBDonovan @Qantas It’s quite a place. Sense of nature and history follows one around!

[Greg Vann @GregVann]

@PhilipThalis @Qantas I’ve been platinum for the last few years, so guess that helps… anyway, they do it at the gate so it’s a nice surprise

[Greg Vann @GregVann]

Indeed. Advocating for safer biking and walking is, apparently, anti-car. Really, people?

It’s similar with housing: advocating for more diversity apparently means no one can live in a detached house anymore. 🤷🏼‍♂️

[Yon Kikkert @KikkertYon]

@Ryan_Posselt My 18 year old daughter moved to Melbourne when she won a place at Unimelb. As an added bonus, rents were cheaper than Hobart, part time work paid better, and she didn't need a car. Cash strapped young people vote with their feet. We need larger supply of affordable housing here

[Greg Vann @GregVann]

@lindinger greetings, hope you’re well. I have a planning friend from Melbourne visiting Vienna later this year. Can I DM you for ideas of what he could see plus maybe a meet up? Cheers!

[Greg Vann @GregVann]

3/3 the other main strategy is to remove the dominance of “single family housing” zones, as is happening in jurisdictions across North America & New Zealand. In NZ it has significantly rebalanced housing costs via well
Located additional supply.

[Greg Vann @GregVann]

1/3. Gentrification:
The well off recolonising inner city areas shows the attractiveness of a lifestyle built on accessibility, mixed use & walkability. But makes that less accessible to less well off people. Cities operate better and more fairly if we find ways to address that.

[Greg Vann @GregVann]

2/3 An obvious way to rebalance this is for government to move back into social & affordable housing in the inner city both directly as it did for decades before the 1980s, & indirectly as we’re seeing now via funding community housing providers and low interest loans.