Great Places Toolkit

The Great Places Toolkit helps bring the principles of the NSW Public Spaces Charter to life through a collection of free resources to support local government, state agencies, industry and the community. The department is developing tools that anyone can use to support planning, managing and creating better and more vibrant cities, towns and neighbourhoods.

Guides

Guidance and other evidence to support more, better and activated public spaces.

Tools

Practical tools to support evaluation of public space and public life.

Case Studies and Research

Best practice examples when creating great public spaces across NSW.

New draft resources for the Great Places Toolkit

As part of the Safer Cities program, Transport for NSW has developed draft tools and resources to support anyone who is involved and interested in planning, managing and creating safe and welcoming places for all, regardless of their gender.

Five draft tools and resources were on exhibition from 6 March 2024 until 3 April 2024.

Feedback from the public exhibition will be reviewed and incorporated into the final tools and resources, planned for release in 2024. A summary of feedback will be included with the release of the final tools and resources.

Until the tools and resources are finalised, you can access the draft documents here:

For more information, download our frequently asked questions (PDF, 109.91 KB).

New ways forward: Creating safer journeys for women, girls and gender diverse people

Transport for NSW hosted a webinar on 6 March to launch the draft tools and resources for public exhibition.  The webinar featured Juma Assiago – Global Coordinator Safer Cities Programme at the UN-HABITAT and Dr. Hannah Tonkin – inaugural NSW Women’s Safety Commissioner as well as program partners.

View a recording of the webinar

Evaluation tool for public space and public life

Hear from Dr. Caroline Butler-Bowdon, Transport for NSW’s Acting Deputy Secretary, Cities and Active Transport, along with representatives from the City of Sydney and Wagga Wagga City Council about their experiences using the Evaluation Tool.

How to stay in touch

For more information about the Great Places Toolkit, please email us at:  PublicSpace@planning.nsw.gov.au

Please note that since the 1 April 2022 the Public Spaces branch from the Department of Planning and Environment was transitioned to TfNSW and renamed Cities Revitalisation and Place. The ‘Contact us’ mailboxes PublicSpace@planning.nsw.gov.au and SaferCities@dpie.nsw.gov.au are managed by the Cities Revitalisation and Place team.