Urban design guidelines for places with restorative values

This paper evolved from a case study of three Gold Coast beach precincts that examined the complex relationships between the urban design attributes and spatial arrangement of beach precincts and their effect on public access to activity, amenity and facility.Australian and overseas urban design guidelines were examined along with the requirements of restorative places. The focus of the scrutiny of the guidelines was to identify the nature of urban design principles that enhance egalitarian, walkable access to the restorative values found in beach precincts.The intended goal was to produce urban design guidelines for walkable places with restorative values,where their design, planning and governance would reduce conflict amongst different groups.This paper proposes an urban design model for the governance of accessibility to the inviting, secure and comfortable places associated with the values found in restorative environments. This model is a synthesis of the requirements of restorative environments and the urban design principles developed in the course of the research.