Kat Martindale
Contributed 18 posts
Kat Martindale is a researcher, writer, photographer, consultant and lecturer. Originally educated as an architect (Plymouth), then urban designer (Oxford Brookes), and urban geographer (St Catherine's College, Oxford) before landing in Sydney to read for a PhD in urban and regional planning policy. Kat has won nine international awards and scholarships for her work and is currently completing two books on sports stadia and community engagement.
She has worked for academic institutions, private consultancies, think tanks, charities and government offices in the UK, US and Australia. This has included working on land use policy, new town masterplans, city and town centre management, residential development policy, citizen engagement and participation, post occupancy evaluation and management, community development, heritage management, fuel poverty, environmental benchmarking, homelessness and housing for the elderly and disabled.
Kat is Academician at the Academy of Urbanism, Full Member of the Planning Institute of Australia, Collaborative Democracy Network, Sustainable Development Research Network and Urban Design Group and a volunteer community planner for Planning Aid (RTPI).
Expanding Bike Lanes a Focus of Sydney "Access Strategy"
New South Wales Government have published the "City Centre Access Strategy", their vision for transport planning in Sydney for the next two decades. Jacob Saulwick reviews the mixed responses to the long awaited plan.
British Transport Secretary Admits Current Train Commute "Drives Me Bloody Crackers"
With increasing fares, delays and an "awful" service on Sundays, the British Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin isn't the only commuter unhappy with the service and admits that the expediency of HS2 was exaggerated.
Sydney's Most Valuable Site Set for Preservation Battle
With an election looming, the fate of one of Sydney's landmarks rests with voters as current Prime MInister Kevin Rudd suggests selling Garden Island should he be re-elected. Stephen Nicholls and Antony Lawes consider the site's future.
A Battle to Protect England's Countryside as Greenfield Developments Double
Far from applying the government's policy of brownfield first, the number of new houses planned for greenfield sites has doubled since reform of the planning system in England reduced protection for greenbelt land.
Will Sydney's Commercial to Residential Conversions Create Long Term Problems?
With major new developments underway, corporate cutbacks and 'hot-desking' are driving Sydney's commercial landlords to convert surplus office space to residential apartments. Carolyn Cummins and Stephen Nicholls consider the long term implications.