Sustainable Community - People Centric

Last week I was invited to a forum organised by ASLI to share my thought on the creation of sustainable community through proper town planning under the platform of Local Agenda 21. While I agree that many planners and developers have come out with great idea of developing a township with good living environment, safety measurement, incorporating the natural environment features and of course accessibility and top tip infrastructure provision. To me, essentially these are features for getting premium pricing and first step of creating a sustainable neighbourhood area. A fine environment does not necessary mean a sustainable environment if the carbon footprint, food consumption, waste generation and others are rather high. In other words, we are talking about preparing the hardware for sustainability.

Sustainable community can only be achieved if the stakeholders especially the residents are practicing sustainable lifestyle. No point of providing recycling bin in the neighbourhood if the residents are not practicing 3R principle. Similarly no point of having solar energy supply if the residents do not see the need for saving energy. Ultimately, people at the centric of development is the one to decide whether we are creating a sustainable community or not.

So the question is how to create a sustainable community? To me, first of all, community must have a vision that agreed and shared by all. Followed by a strategic action plan and next of course to DO it. Without a common vision, it is difficult for all stakeholders come together and champion for a common good cause. The business sector might look for profit as bottom line, the residents would like to see more green and harmony rather than business activities. All these differences can only solve with a platform to thrash it out. Local Agenda 21 provides the necessary ingredient. As a platform for partnership, participation to achieve sustainable development, Local Agenda 21 will be able to cater to the need and desires of various stakeholders.

While the players in construction and property sector are providing the hardware for creating sustainable community, it is the PEOPLE who will decide its objectives be met.