If we are to deliver the type of cities that we talk about in our growth and development strategies – cities that are liveable, inclusive, sustainable and resilient – then we need to take a step back and take a critical look at the current form of spatial planning and infrastructure provision we are perpetuating.

If we are to juxtapose the envisaged outcomes of our growth and development strategies with the guaranteed outcomes of the current land use patterns and infrastructure provision that we so heavily rely on and continually invest in, the picture that emerges is one of stark contrasts and contradictions that cannot be ignored, or rather ignored at our peril...