StreetCo
Urban planning, walkable urbanism
StreetCo is an urban planning consultancy specialising in walkable urbanism/20-minute neighbourhoods and strategic planning worldwide.
StreetCo
2b/29 Queens Road
Melbourne Vic 3004
Australia
+61(0)434905671
Vision
To work worldwide to create walkable, and accessible neighborhoods, anchored by high-quality, timeless design. We are dedicated to enabling the development of beautiful places that promote community engagement, sustainability, and well-being—places where people not only live but thrive and feel a sense of belonging.Our Commitment to You
Lean In: Embrace creativity, innovation, and fresh ideas. We believe that open-mindedness drives progress.
Listen First: We prioritise understanding by starting with active listening, ensuring we approach every conversation without preconceived notions.
Show Respect: We value every individual and commit to treating everyone with dignity and respect, fostering an inclusive environment.
Be Honest: Transparency is key. We promise to provide honest advice and maintain openness in all our interactions.
More info
Meet James Mant, founder of StreetCo, he is an urbanist and town planner whose expertise spans 25 years across the UK, Ireland, and predominantly Victoria in Australia. James founded StreetCo in early 2024, he is also Managing Editor of Planning News, the Planning Institute of Australia (Vic) Industry Magazine, is a PIA (Vic) Committee Member and previously worked as Director of Places and Precincts in the Victorian State Government. James has been described as Australia's foremost expert on 20-minute neighbourhoods.James has collaborated with diverse stakeholders including all levels of government, charities, industry leaders, peak bodies, and community groups.At the forefront of innovative planning strategies, James spearheaded the development of Victoria's renowned 20-minute neighbourhood policy, a globally acclaimed initiative shaping planning policies worldwide. His co-authorship of Plan Melbourne, the metropolitan strategy driving Melbourne's sustainable growth, underscores his leadership in urban planning.Through his consultancy, StreetCo, James offers a comprehensive suite of services ranging from public speaking engagements to strategic planning advice, fostering robust stakeholder relations, and providing specialised expertise on 20-minute neighbourhoods, Future Homes, and metropolitan planning.James's passion and specialism lies in creating vibrant, walkable, and healthy communities characterised by dense, well-designed spaces. James champions the 20-minute neighbourhood approach, advocating for its widespread adoption as a transformative model for sustainable urban development.
Public speaking
James is available to speak at events and conferences on a range of subjects, including 20-minute neighbourhoods, Future Homes, metropolitan planning and many other urban topics, some of which are listed below.James has spoken at countless conferences and events in Australia and Internationally as well as been on panels and workshopsSome speaking topics:
• 20-minute neighbourhoods – living locally and walkable neighbourhoods
• A State Government perspective – lessons and challenges
• Future Homes – Victorian Government Initiative
• Future Cities
• Metropolitan planning lessons
• Challenges facing urban planning
• Importance of ‘place-based’ planning
• Importance of timeless design and attention to detail in public realm
• Importance of accessibility and active transport
James has featured with
20-minute neighbourhoods,
Walkable Urbanism,
Living Locally
| Services | Details |
|---|---|
| Scorecard/health check | Understand how your centre is performing against StreetCo's 8 keys to 20-minute neighbouhoods, developed through research and aligned with government policy. |
| Community partnership | Through a co-design process ensure plans get the required social license or community buy in. Non-negotiables are constructively made clear up front. This approach focuses attention onto things that matter and can be influenced. |
| Place Activations | Ensure change and improvements that immediately respond to the community are put in place, gaining trust that people are being listened to and making quick improvements to the neighbourhood. |
| Place Plans | Tailored and cost-effective Place Plans for centres, that are developed to either be comprehensive or focusing on areas of greatest need. The plans will outline housing capacity, focus on building and street design, enabling gentle density. These plans are cost effective as they can be applied to multiple centres and are much cheaper than traditional structure plans. |
| Investment and cost plans | These plans outline the needs for the community (such as infrastructure and services) that are required to be provided with housing growth. This is developed in a format that can be used to advocate for investment from the public and private sector. |
| Councillor and Officer training | Presentations and workshops tailored for different places, to upskill in applying 20-minute neighbourhoods/living locally/walkable urbanism |
| Community workshops/presentations | These will aim to educate the community in issues to do with design, visioning, understanding current growth pressures, how they can play an active role, and carefully building community buy in for population growth and change. |
BackgroundJames Mant has spent years immersed in trying to create great, walkable places—something we’ve seen done beautifully throughout history. While tackling 20-minute neighborhoods he confronted unexpected challenges, barriers and problems. James realised he needed practical, clear, simple strategies, which he developed.Over the 6 years leading this work, he learned so much, so he's excited to share his experiences and insights to help you apply this work locally.James started this off by writing the policy for 20-minute neighbourhoods in Plan Melbourne and then he led the implementation of it for the Victorian Government in Australia. He did this working in partnership with councils and other organisations.James has become well known for this work and he has shared his knowledge and experience at many conferences and events and with a range of organisations worldwide, such as the Scottish Government and C40.The work in Melbourne, has been internationally and nationally recognised as leading practice, notably by the Planning Institute of Australia in 2020.StreetCo can provide specialist advice on how to achieve 20-minute neighbourhoods, walkable urbanism and living locally in different contexts around the world.
Strategic Planning
| Services | Details |
|---|---|
| Activity Centre Plans | Strategic planning for all types of centres, drawing on the expertise developed implementing 20-minute neighbourhoods |
| Place Plans | Tailored plans for specific places that go beyond just planning, putting the community and design outcomes up front. |
| Planning Implementation | Strategic plans need effective implementation and a detailed understanding of challenges and opportunities for implementation, a range of tools can be provided, such as infrastructure plans, costing plans, and participatory budgeting. |
| Alignment with government policy - strategic planning advice and review | Drawing on 15 years of experience in developing and implementing strategic policy for State Government and providing advice to Ministers. Services can be provided on the direction of new/existing plans, strategic municipal or city-wide strategic directions to align and deliver government policy. |
Sample of previous strategic work below
City People - The People that Build Cities Podcast
Why a podcast about people who build cities?
James Mant: I have spent many years pondering, ruminating and stressing about how we actually build great walkable places again, I say ‘again’ pointedly, as it has been done before (we can all think of places we love).
This has become a passion and a bit of an obsession for me.
My turning point came when I was working to deliver 20-minute neighbourhoods in government and was unexpectedly (maybe naively) facing many barriers, complex challenges. It made me realise that I had to develop practical solutions and a clear, simple strategy to make it work.
So, I wanted to share and discuss this with leaders and experts as well as those with practical experience in delivering beautiful, walkable, dense, vibrant and great places. Talking with them to help me, and others know what we can do individually and together to get better design as cities grow.
I also wanted to talk to leaders about their own journey, the ups, downs, highlights and career tips.
This podcast is covering a subject which many will be able to relate to, as most of us have somewhere to call home, and we all have (often strong) opinions about how it could be better. But we ALL want better, more beautiful places.
Join me on this journey and we might end up making some great places at the end of it all.
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