Today's episode is a deep dive into urban and housing development with Nicola Smith, an accomplished urban and regional planner and director of Niche Planning Studio. Expertly navigating the current rental crisis and mortgage stress, she unveils the key factors that have steered us to our current housing crisis. Nicola breaks down terms like green field and brown field, highlighting their significant role in housing development. Together we strategise on how to generate more housing in established areas, promoting affordability, and diversifying our housing types.

Steering the conversation towards government policies, Nicola and I scrutinise their town planning and housing development strategies. We dissect the implications of the policy that earmarks 70% of growth for the inner city and the remaining 30% for the green fields. How will this affect the citizens of established areas? We further delve into the complexities of rejuvenating inner city areas, the potential for overlooking amenity impacts, and the advantages of home-building in green field regions. 

Nicola then shares her valuable insights on challenges surrounding housing affordability and service accessibility in Melbourne. We mull over the government's strategic planning efforts and the use of developer contributions in the face of a pressing need for affordable housing. We also explore the cost of apartment living, the possibility of converting offices into residences, and the often overlooked factor of embodied carbon in building construction. 

Join us as we unravel the convolutions of Australia's housing market, the struggle for affordable housing, and the impact of 'NIMBYism' (Not in my backyard) on planning and development.

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