Save Our State (SOS), formerly known as Save Our Suburbs, was a community group concerned about the impact of contemporary development on established low-density residential suburbs in Australian cities. It was established in

Melbourne Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a met ...

Victoria Victoria most commonly refers to: * Victoria (Australia), a state of the Commonwealth of Australia * Victoria, British Columbia, provincial capital of British Columbia, Canada * Victoria (mythology), Roman goddess of Victory * Victoria, Seychelle ...

in the mid-1990s and now has bases in

New South Wales ) , nickname = , image_map = New South Wales in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of New South Wales in AustraliaCoordinates: , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , es ...

South Australia South Australia (commonly abbreviated as SA) is a state in the southern central part of Australia. It covers some of the most arid parts of the country. With a total land area of , it is the fourth-largest of Australia's states and territories ...

, the

Australian Capital Territory The Australian Capital Territory (commonly abbreviated as ACT), known as the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) until 1938, is a landlocked federal territory of Australia containing the national capital Canberra and some surrounding townships. I ...

and

Queensland ) , nickname = Sunshine State , image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , establishe ...

. In Victoria, SOS has had significant influence on residential planning policy, most notably on the importance of

neighbourhood character Neighbourhood character refers to the 'look and feel of an area', in particular a residential area. It also includes the activities that occur there. In everyday usage, it can often be synonymous with local character, residential character, urban ch ...

within the state's planning scheme and its delineation in the residential design code, ' ResCode', implemented in 2001. SOS's influence can also be seen in some of the key components of the Metropolitan Strategy,

Melbourne 2030 The Metropolitan Strategy Melbourne 2030 is a Victorian Government strategic planning policy framework for the metropolitan area of Greater Melbourne, intended to cover the period 2001–2030. During this period the population of the metropolita ...

regarding the focus on intensification of '

activity centre Activity centre is a term used in urban planning and design for a mixed-use urban area where there is a concentration of commercial and other land uses. For example, the central business districts of cities (CBD) are also known as “Central Activ ...

s' in line with

Transit-oriented development In urban planning, transit-oriented development (TOD) is a type of urban development that maximizes the amount of residential, business and leisure space within walking distance of public transport. It promotes a symbiotic relationship between ...

(TOD) principles and on aiming to protect existing residential areas. SOS formation and rapid growth was a reaction to the planning policies of the Kennett government in Victoria during the 1990s, in particular the planning code known as 'The Good Design Guide for Medium Density Housing'. A measure of the significance of the issues that SOS campaigns about and the profile thus gained is indicated by SOS securing registered political party status in New South Wales and fielding candidates in the 2007

state election. The party changed its name to "Save Our State" in 2010.

References

* Lewis, M. (1999) Suburban backlash : the battle for the world's most liveable city, Hawthorn, Vic. : Bloomings Books, ()

External links

Save Our Suburbs (Vic)

Save Our Suburbs (NSW) Inc

Evonne Moore * (Transcript of interview with Tony Recsei, from Save Our Suburbs, Sydney) {{Authority control Urban planning in Australia Political advocacy groups in Australia Organisations based in Melbourne Defunct political parties in Australia

See also

References

External links