Home-based work in cities: In search of an appropriate urban planning response

Home-based work is becoming an increasingly popular form of work in cities, fuelled by technological advances, lifestyle preferences, demographical change and rapid evolution of the knowledge economy. In many cities, particularly those planned and developed with intentional separation of land uses, this return of economic activities to residential neighbourhoods brings along both lifestyle opportunities and spatial challenges. Attempts to formulate appropriate urban planning responses are hindered by the limited understanding of home-based workers’ needs and aspirations, as well as their impacts on the built environment. Responding to this knowledge gap, this paper presents the results of a survey focused on urban planning implications of home-based work within the City of Gold Coast (Queensland, Australia). The findings provide strong evidence of home-based workers’ preferences for neighbourhoods that integrate residential amenities with place-making initiatives to enhance economic performance, networking and collaboration. Several urban planning recommendations are provided in three separate scenarios to facilitate the formulation of strategies prompting a gradual evolution of residential neighbourhoods towards live/work urban environments.