Background and aims
The City of Port Phillip (CoPP), Victoria, Australia is developing a Public Space Strategy to create a vision and blueprint for the future of public space. A draft Strategy document was prepared, outlining the challenges, outcomes and actions required to realise the full potential of the network of parks, gardens, streets, foreshore, and urban plazas. The Port Phillip community was asked to rank outcomes and projects outlined in the draft Strategy, justify their choices, and offer further suggestions for the improvement of the Strategy.
Our role
Global Research was engaged to analyse and present the community’s feedback to CoPP. Working closely with CoPP, Global Research analysts delivered a comprehensive analysis of both qualitative and quantitative data supplied by the 152 survey respondents and the small number of respondents who engaged in other ways. A highly tailored report was delivered which offered insights and recommendations based on respondents’ comments to ensure that the Public Space Strategy reflected the aspirations of the Port Phillip community.
Design and method
After initial community engagement in March 2020 to inform the draft Strategy, CoPP embarked upon a comprehensive engagement through August and September encompassing neighbourhood pop-ups, the online survey with interactive map, online question and answer sessions, and workshops with stakeholders and targeted groups.
During the analysis, all submissions, survey responses, and comments from pop-up sessions, emails, and social media comments were read and sorted by Global Research data analysts into relevant themes and categories within one analysis framework. This informed the final report where quantitative data was presented in accessible tables and charts while qualitative data from the open-ended questions was synthesised under questions and topics to give a clear and accurate representation of community views and opinions.
Result
The report offered key insights and recommendations as well as detailed presentation of quantitative and qualitative in two main sections. Qualitative data was presented according to the question it pertained to and highlighted the key themes and topics that arose throughout respondents’ answers. An additional summary report offered a streamlined view of the results and essential points. View the Global Research Summary Report here.
The clear presentation of data enabled CoPP to understand their community’s aspirations and concerns and see the weight of opinion on each topic, as well as how views differed between the inhabitants of various neighbourhoods within the City of Port Phillip. This detailed understanding of community views allowed CoPP to develop the Public Space Strategy with a clear grasp of the community’s needs and desires for the future of their city.
Outcome
City of Port Phillips Public Space strategy was adopted by Council at its Ordinary Council Meeting on 8 December 2021.
The Places for People: Public Space Strategy 2022-32 sets the vision and blueprint for the future of our public spaces in the City of Port Phillip. It is one of Council's core strategies and delivers on the Liveable Strategic Direction of the Council Plan 2021-31.
The Strategy outlines the challenges, outcomes and actions required to realise the full potential of our already enviable public space network of parks, gardens, streets, the foreshore, and urban spaces. The strategy comprises three volumes and includes an Action Plan to guide Council’s investment in public spaces across the City of Port Phillip over the next 10 years.
View the project page here.