All about 20-minute neighbourhoods

Why are Neighbourhood Activity Centres important?

The role and function of Neighbourhood Activity Centres (NACs)

Plan Melbourne 2017-2050 uses the land-use terms Metropolitan and Major Activity Centres for our larger commercial and retail centres. The development of these centres is guided by state government policy and significant resources are spent on their planning and development.

Neighbourhood Activity Centres (NACs) is the land-use term used to describe smaller, local centres. They are usually planned and managed by the local government.

Why does the 20-minute neighbourhood program currently focus on NACs?

In the past, both state and local governments have concentrated support on the larger centres, as they served the largest populations. They often have a concentration of services, uses and activities that attract people beyond the immediate walkable catchment. The smaller neighbourhood and local centres usually service local residents and provide a variety of daily living needs. These include;

• retail services and goods (newsagent, bakery, supermarket),
• local entertainment facilities (cafes and restaurants) and
• local health services and facilities.

For a healthy, walkable Neighbourhood Activity Centre to survive and thrive in order to enable people to ‘Live Locally’ they need enough people living within the walkable catchment to support them.

What is the network of 20-minute neighbourhoods? And why is it important?

There are hundreds of Neighbourhood Activity Centres (NACs) scattered throughout Melbourne. While individually these places may only serve a local community’s needs, the network of these places across the city plays a significant role in creating a sustainable, equitable, and accessible city. Revitalising and enabling Neighbourhood Activity Centres to accommodate the necessary supporting populations is key to ‘creating a city of 20-minute neighbourhoods’. This is a long-term aspirational city shaping ambition which will evolve over time.

Sustainable development goals

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development calls on countries to begin efforts to achieve the 17 Sustainable Development Goals within the next ten years. The goals address the needs of people in both developed and developing countries, emphasizing that no one should be left behind. Creating a city of 20-minute neighbourhoods aligns with Sustainable Development Goals:

• 3 - Good helath and well-being
• 10 -  Reduced  Inequalities
• 11 - Sustainable cities and communities
• 16 -  Peace Justice and strong institutions
• 17 - Partnerships for the goals