A Regenerative Strategy for Civic Precinct, Newcastle, NSW, Australia

The purpose of this paper is to report on a study that investigates a traditional, but fragmenting part of a city centre. It demonstrates the challenges for the postindustrial city and proposes a strategy to help regenerate it as an enjoyable, culturally meaningful, and productive place. The theoretical standpoint reflects the literature on Linear, Compact and Sustainable City models, together with types of placemaking tools. It critiques the Australian interpretation of the Compact City and highlights its flaws as a regenerative process. The research design is a qualitative methodology. It involves three methods ie semi-structured interviews with leaders of organisations active in the city centre, observational data from international placemaking events, and scrutiny of planning documents. Key findings are that the strategy requires interaction between the environmental, social, economic, political, and cultural sustainability perspectives, through standard, strategic, infrastructure, tactical, and creative placemaking; and the uniting regenerative placemaking. This study presents a comprehensive analysis of the factors involved in the regeneration of a symbolic part of a city centre and serves as a touchstone for others to assess their own city centres.