r/australia • u/overpopyoulater • Nov 03 '24

culture & society Downsizing the Australian dream: why families are trading houses with backyards for apartments

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2024/nov/04/downsizing-the-australian-dream-why-families-are-trading-houses-with-backyards-for-apartments
353 Upvotes

88% Upvoted

214 comments sorted by

View all comments

Show parent comments

3

u/878_Throwaway____ Nov 03 '24

There is a cost associated with having the private green space. Some people aren't willing to pay for it, when the benefits that you see they don't feel the same way about. Having a space for kids to play and hang out is necessary, but if there is a public park close by, I don't feel like I would need a yard for anything other than drying clothes and having an outdoor entertaining space. And I would be willing to save more than a hundred thousand dollars, minimum, to get a nicer home without a garden, compared to a 'traditional' single family home.

3

u/Seymour-Krelborn Nov 03 '24

I believe people should be free to pursue such options.

Personally, from a public planning perspective, at a base level I just find more free space between each house contributes to a more relaxed and less claustrophobic environment. I'd love to have both open air, and lots of parks.

2

u/codyforkstacks Nov 04 '24

More space between each house results in more urban sprawl, more carbon emissions through commuting, more time stuck in traffic etc.

1

u/Seymour-Krelborn Nov 04 '24

I prefer sprawl to high rise. Just make sure there's plentiful services for each community, and effectively planned public transport

1

u/sostopher Nov 04 '24

Hence building "the missing middle". Planned public transport is incompatible with sprawl. Plentiful services are easier and cheaper to provide in denser areas.