What are amenity values?

The Welsh poet W. H. Davies first published the rhyming couplet poem Leisure in 1911, which begins with the famous pair of lines:

"What is this life if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare." (Palmer, 1982, p. 82)

Davies was a great believer in a 'natural' outdoor life, which was somewhat unconventional at the time: perhaps his stance was in part a reaction to industrialisation, and in part because of the influence of Wordsworth in his early education.

I think what Davies was really referring to - outside of nostalgia for old ways which were disappearing - was/were amenity values. These are the qualities and characteristics of a place which contribute to our appreciation of the area's pleasantness, cultural, and recreational qualities. This is the "aesthetic coherence" (Brown, 2020, p. 1) of the place we find ourselves in. However, amenity values go further than simply the view, as portrayed by Davies: encompassing "factors as noise, lighting, smells and awareness of activity and movement[; ... including] the full spectrum of sensory factors that contribute to perception and appreciation of an area’s character, pleasantness, aesthetic coherence and identity" (Brown, 2020, p. 1).

So amenity values are the benefits or pleasurable qualities that we get from our natural or 'built' environment, including scenic beauty (like mountain views or waterfronts), the opportunity we have for recreation (such as national parks or tracks), places of cultural or historical significance, and those environmental qualities of clean air, quiet, and uninterrupted enjoyment. 

(NB: our rural landscapes are also a built environment; as are those rolling English hills, hedges and lanes so beloved of the British. Ancient forest is natural; farms are built).

Amenity values need to be factored into zoning and planning rules, and how we implement public policy in our societies. When governments and local bodies want to make changes, meaningful community consultation needs to take place to discuss how or whether the amenity values may be impacted, and how those impacts may be mitigated. But often our organisations seem to not consider how the community may see amenity values, and that perception gap leads to disharmony.

We need to consider amenity values when we want to make change, because we may not see what amenity values our change of use may be damaging for others. If we communicate what we are trying to do, and why, we can have meaningful consultation with all stakeholders. 

Things tend to go much more smoothly with a good korero.

Sam

References:

Brown, S. (2020, October 4). The Assessment and Management of Amenity. New Zealand Association for Impact Assessment Association [NZAIA]. https://www.nzaia.org.nz/uploads/1/2/3/3/12339018/impact_connector_6_-_landscapes_-_stephen_brown.pdf

Palmer, B. J. (Ed.). (1982). The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Quotations (2nd ed.). Oxford University Press.