IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/sae/urbstu/v61y2024i6p1013-1030.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Character contradiction: The exclusionary nature of preservationist planning restrictions

Author

Listed:
  • Rachel Gallagher

    (The University of Queensland, Australia)

  • Thomas Jason Sigler

    (The University of Queensland, Australia)

  • Yan Liu

    (The University of Queensland, Australia)

Abstract

Preservationist planning broadly describes planning instruments that purport to preserve physical qualities of neighbourhoods by preventing demolition of historic dwellings. Here, we analyse land use conversion of almost 6000 lots in Brisbane, Australia, to understand if, and how, preservationist planning impacts the built environment. Results demonstrate that preservationist planning suppresses multi-family housing construction, even where increased density is encouraged by the planning scheme. We suggest that preservationist planning is exclusionary in nature and not solely focused on built heritage, particularly as substantial modifications to existing dwellings are allowed. These findings run counter to the purported aim of built heritage protection and suggest that the preservationist planning framework should be revised.

Suggested Citation

  • Rachel Gallagher & Thomas Jason Sigler & Yan Liu, 2024. "Character contradiction: The exclusionary nature of preservationist planning restrictions," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 61(6), pages 1013-1030, May.
  • Handle: RePEc:sae:urbstu:v:61:y:2024:i:6:p:1013-1030
    DOI: 10.1177/00420980231195218
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/00420980231195218
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1177/00420980231195218?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Erica Avrami, 2016. "Making Historic Preservation Sustainable," Journal of the American Planning Association, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 82(2), pages 104-112, April.
    2. Zabel, Jeffrey & Dalton, Maurice, 2011. "The impact of minimum lot size regulations on house prices in Eastern Massachusetts," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 41(6), pages 571-583.
    3. Andrés Rodríguez-Pose & Michael Storper, 2020. "Housing, urban growth and inequalities: The limits to deregulation and upzoning in reducing economic and spatial inequality," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 57(2), pages 223-248, February.
    4. repec:eme:ijhma0:ijhma-02-2018-0016 is not listed on IDEAS
    5. Keith R. Ihlanfeldt, 2004. "Exclusionary Land-use Regulations within Suburban Communities: A Review of the Evidence and Policy Prescriptions," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 41(2), pages 261-283, February.
    6. Been, Vicki & Ellen, Ingrid Gould & Gedal, Michael & Glaeser, Edward & McCabe, Brian J., 2016. "Preserving history or restricting development? The heterogeneous effects of historic districts on local housing markets in New York City," Journal of Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 92(C), pages 16-30.
    7. Hans R.A. Koster & Jan Rouwendal, 2017. "Historic Amenities and Housing Externalities: Evidence from the Netherlands," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 127(605), pages 396-420, October.
    8. Magnus Andersson & Fredrik Kopsch & Peter Palm, 2019. "How cultural values are reflected on the housing market – direct effects and the cultural spillover," International Journal of Housing Markets and Analysis, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 12(3), pages 405-423, January.
    9. Mario A. Fernandez & Shane L. Martin, 2020. "What’s so special about character?," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 57(16), pages 3236-3251, December.
    10. G A Jones & A Varley, 1999. "The Reconquest of the Historic Centre: Urban Conservation and Gentrification in Puebla, Mexico," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 31(9), pages 1547-1566, September.
    11. Arnab Chakraborty, 2020. "Calls to End All Single-Family Zoning Need More Scrutiny," Journal of the American Planning Association, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 86(1), pages 123-124, January.
    12. Gottlieb, Paul D. & O’Donnell, Anthony & Rudel, Thomas & O’Neill, Karen & McDermott, Melanie, 2012. "Determinants of local housing growth in a multi-jurisdictional region, along with a test for nonmarket zoning," Journal of Housing Economics, Elsevier, vol. 21(4), pages 296-309.
    13. Tan, Shin Bin & Ti, Edward S.W., 2020. "What is the value of built heritage conservation? Assessing spillover effects of conserving historic sites in Singapore," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 91(C).
    14. Brian J. McCabe & Ingrid Gould Ellen, 2016. "Does Preservation Accelerate Neighborhood Change? Examining the Impact of Historic Preservation in New York City," Journal of the American Planning Association, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 82(2), pages 134-146, April.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Mario A. Fernandez & Shane L. Martin, 2020. "What’s so special about character?," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 57(16), pages 3236-3251, December.
    2. Tetsuharu Oba & Douglas Simpson Noonan, 2020. "The Price of Preserving Neighborhoods: The Unequal Impacts of Historic District Designation," Economic Development Quarterly, , vol. 34(4), pages 343-355, November.
    3. Jamie Bologna Pavlik & Yang Zhou, 2023. "Are historic districts a backdoor for segregation? Yes and no," Contemporary Economic Policy, Western Economic Association International, vol. 41(3), pages 415-434, July.
    4. Magliocca, Nicholas & McConnell, Virginia & Walls, Margaret & Safirova, Elena, 2012. "Zoning on the urban fringe: Results from a new approach to modeling land and housing markets," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 42(1-2), pages 198-210.
    5. Zhou, Yang, 2021. "The political economy of historic districts: The private, the public, and the collective," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 86(C).
    6. Ryan Greenaway-McGrevy & Gail Pacheco & Kade Sorensen, 2021. "The effect of upzoning on house prices and redevelopment premiums in Auckland, New Zealand," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 58(5), pages 959-976, April.
    7. Michael Manville & Michael Lens & Paavo Monkkonen, 2022. "Zoning and affordability: A reply to Rodríguez-Pose and Storper," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 59(1), pages 36-58, January.
    8. Hilber, Christian A.L. & Palmer, Charles & Pinchbeck, Edward W., 2019. "The energy costs of historic preservation," Journal of Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 114(C).
    9. Portillo, Javier E. & Wagner, Gary A., 2021. "Do cultural districts spur urban revitalization: Evidence from Louisiana," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 188(C), pages 651-673.
    10. Lu, Jiaxuan, 2023. "The economics of China’s between-city height competition: A regression discontinuity approach," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 100(C).
    11. van Duijn, Mark & Rouwendal, Jan, 2021. "Sorting based on urban heritage and income: Evidence from the Amsterdam metropolitan area," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 90(C).
    12. Greenaway-McGrevy, Ryan & Phillips, Peter C.B., 2023. "The impact of upzoning on housing construction in Auckland," Journal of Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 136(C).
    13. Song Zhang & Mark van Duijn & Arno J. van der Vlist, 2020. "The external effects of inner‐city shopping centers: Evidence from the Netherlands," Journal of Regional Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 60(4), pages 583-611, September.
    14. Jackson, Kristoffer, 2016. "Do land use regulations stifle residential development? Evidence from California cities," Journal of Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 91(C), pages 45-56.
    15. Bade, David & Castillo, Jose Gabriel & Fernandez, Mario Andres & Aguilar-Bohorquez, Joseph, 2020. "The price premium of heritage in the housing market: evidence from Auckland, New Zealand," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 99(C).
    16. Lydia Cheung & Mario Andres Fernandez, 2021. "Changes in Amenity Values after COVID‐19 Lockdowns in Auckland, New Zealand," Economic Papers, The Economic Society of Australia, vol. 40(4), pages 331-350, December.
    17. Morgan Ubeda, 2020. "Local Amenities, Commuting Costs and Income Disparities Within Cities," Working Papers halshs-03082448, HAL.
    18. Carl Gaigné & Jacques-François Thisse, 2013. "New Economic Geography and the City," Working Papers SMART 13-02, INRAE UMR SMART.
    19. Gyourko, Joseph & Hartley, Jonathan S. & Krimmel, Jacob, 2021. "The local residential land use regulatory environment across U.S. housing markets: Evidence from a new Wharton index," Journal of Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 124(C).
    20. Roberto Ganau & Andrés Rodríguez-Pose, 2022. "Does urban concentration matter for changes in country economic performance?," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 59(6), pages 1275-1299, May.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:sae:urbstu:v:61:y:2024:i:6:p:1013-1030. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: SAGE Publications (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.gla.ac.uk/departments/urbanstudiesjournal .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.