NEW SUBURBAN CENTERS - AN AUSTRALIAN PERSPECTIVE

Suburban ''edge cities'' are an international phenomenon registering t he impacts of a growing global economy, the increasing footlooseness o f capital, advances in communication technology, the growth of hi-tech industry, and the forces of decentralisation. Yet they do assume cult urally specific forms. Using the case study of North Ryde in the Sydne y metropolitan area, differences between Australia and the United Stat es in terms of the dynamism and scale of their respective edge-city en vironments are highlighted. Four explanatory factors are identified: t he comparative nature of the Australian economy, the differential stre ngth of planning controls, contrasting central city-suburban relations hips, and a lesser degree of freeway dependence. (C) 1997 Elsevier Sci ence B.V. All rights reserved.