Public Understanding of Water‐Sensitive Urban Design and Implications for Land Use Planning: Insights From Aotearoa New Zealand

ABSTRACT

Water‐sensitive urban design offers an alternative to traditional stormwater management by integrating blue‐green spaces and nature‐based solutions into cities. Wider uptake requires shifts in practice supported by public understanding and engagement. Drawing on a national survey of 501 respondents, this study investigates water‐sensitive urban design literacy in Aotearoa New Zealand. Findings demonstrate strong public support even in the absence of technical understanding. Overall, despite understanding gaps, participants supported legislation requiring nature‐based solutions and welcomed constructed wetlands in their neighbourhood. Furthermore, over half of them indicated willingness to contribute financially to protect urban waterways. Our findings contrast with the assumption that limited technical understanding constitutes a barrier to the implementation of water‐sensitive urban design and associated technologies. The paper discusses implications for land use planning, emphasising that engagement strategies leveraging environmental values and multiple co‐benefits may prove more effective than technical education alone in accelerating water‐sensitive urban design implementation.