A NEW comprehensive plan will ensure Docklands development is guided by best practice urban design principles, creating high quality public spaces for Melbourne's growing waterfront community, according to the City of Melbourne.

The Docklands Public Realm Plan (DPRP), which was released last week for public consultation, aims to set out a strategic vision for the streets and places that the public use in Docklands.

THE West Australian Government will allocate $28 million to improve cycling infrastructure in its upcoming 2012-13 State Budget

Transport Minister Troy Buswell and Treasurer Christian Porter last week announced the additional funding would be used to improve Perth's principal shared path network within a 15 kilometre radius of the Perth CBD and increase bicycle network grants across the State.

INDEPENDENT bike counts for the City of Sydney reveal bike trips have increased by more than 80 per cent over the past two years.

The study shows an increase of 83 per cent in the morning peak (6am-9am) and 82 per cent in the afternoon peak (4pm-7pm) during the period March 2010 to March 2012.

ADELAIDE City Council said it remains committed to rejuvenating Victoria Square/Tarndanyangga and called for community feedback as part of its 2012-13 draft Business Plan and Budget process.

The plan for Victoria Square, released last week, shows how the full vision can begin through Council's proposed $20 million funding for the initial Victoria Square Masterplan works.

HINDLEY Street West will be rejuvenated in a $4 million upgrade of the University of South Australia's precinct, in the first of a series of measures to improve the city's public spaces.

It is expected that more than $12 million will be invested by the State and Federal Governments, Adelaide City Council and the private sector to rejuvenate the CBD to encourage more people to move into the city.

ENVIRONMENT and Sustainable Development Minister Simon Corbell last week shared the ACT Government's vision for active and healthy living in Canberra, outlining the ACT Government's transport, planning and environmental initiatives to realise these goals

During his keynote address at the Heart Foundation's Active Living Forum, Mr Corbell said the government was committed to supporting Canberrans to lead fitter, healthier lives by ensuring the strategic planning, transport policies and projects are in place to create the right environments.

VICTORIAN Planning Minister Matthew Guy last week encouraged Victorians to have their say on metropolitan planning, to ensure that Melbourne's next metropolitan strategy is informed by a diverse range of possibilities.

Mr Guy said the new strategy needs to be built on the best of past planning strategies and requires fresh thinking to manage and address the challenges that the city faces.

A NUMBER of projects across Australia have been awarded funding as part of the Australian Government's $20 million Liveable Cities program, which aims to improve the quality of life in capital cities and major regional cities.

The rollout of funding for the projects was applauded by the Planning Institute of Australia (PIA), who called it a welcome start to a program aimed at creating better communities.

THE Australian Government last week released its Budget for 2012-13, which includes $5 billion in new payments to households, funding for the first stage of a National Disability Insurance Scheme, a strengthened aged care system and increases in dental services funding.

The Budget predicts growth in real GDP of 3.25 per cent in 2012-13 and 3 per cent in 2013-14, while unemployment is forecast to remain low at 5.5 per cent in the next two years.

RETAIL land prices in Melbourne's growth areas have not recorded any growth for 15 months, according to Oliver Hume's latest Melbourne growth area land market report.

The report says the impacts of slowing population growth, falling consumer confidence, a soft established housing market, rising retail land supply and purchasers' ability to secure finance all appear to be mounting.