Abstract

The rapid increase in urban expansion that is currently occurring around the world creates huge expanses of contested space on the fringes of cities and towns. Urban planners are on the frontline in trying to balance the social and economic pressures of providing affordable housing and accommodating increasing human populations, with the important challenge of meeting expectations around biodiversity conservation, a healthy environment, and a safe place to live. While there are a wide range of tools and expertise available to investigate the trade-offs between potentially competing land-uses and their spatial arrangements, there are few examples of how to draw upon these existing tools and incorporate them into the planning process.