CLAIMS that bad urban planning is leading to poorer health in Melbourne’s growth areas have received mixed responses in Point Cook.
A state government inquiry into the impact of urban design on health was told soaring populations in growth areas had outstripped basic necessities like public transport and medical services.
It prompted fresh speculation that residents in new suburbs were prone to weight gain, diabetes and mental health problems.
The level of incidental exercise was much higher for residents who lived in areas where there was better public transport and less dependency on cars, the inquiry heard. Point Cook’s choked arterial roads, particularly during the morning peak, have fuelled long-running frustration for residents.
More than 6500 Point Cook homes are outside a 400-metre radius of a bus stop, according to Truganina ward’s Cr Glenn Goodfellow, and there are only three exits for the thousands of cars getting onto the freeway or driving to train stations.
Point Cook resident Louise Shaw said a healthy lifestyle was difficult to maintain, as the suburb suffered from inadequate public transport and had no public swimming pool.
“To a certain extent, I find that I have to travel outside of Point Cook, and even out of Wyndham, for the whole family to enjoy a healthier lifestyle,” she said.
“I don’t believe that us not having an aquatic centre makes us obese or depressed, but I do think that having one would aid with a healthier lifestyle and reduce our stress levels.”
She said peak-hour traffic chaos caused by an insufficient road network meant she struggled to maintain a healthy work-life balance. She recently left her job in the CBD to take up a lower-paying job closer to home.
Australian Medical Solutions director Dr Laurie Williams, who runs specialist rooms at Point Cook’s Pinnacle Medical Centre, said health services often lagged behind housing booms.
“They don’t realise there’ll be a need for doctors until the buildings are built, and a couple of years have gone by, which is no good for patients who need services when they move in.”
Dr Williams said rapid housing development had brought a surge in first-home buyers facing mortgage stress, leading to mental health problems and cases of alcohol abuse.
But Point Cook Real Estate director Kay Righetti dismissed suggestions that poor planning had bred health problems. “We have a town centre with a fresh fish market, a butcher, a fresh food and produce shop … we aren’t just relying on the supermarket, and our choice of restaurants means we aren’t just limited to fatty, greasy food,” she said.
