Resident contestation to urban densification: The role of place and place attachment in Geelong, Australia

NIMBYism is often used in a pejorative way to describe resident opposition to development intensification yet fails to consider the multiple socio-psychological factors that potentially influence resident responses. This research follows two contemporary urban intensification case studies in Geelong, Australia. The study draws on the concepts of place and place attachment to consider how tangible and intangible qualities of the built and natural environment contribute to residents’ interest and opposition to densification underpinned by a sense of protection and care for their neighborhoods. The paper considers the limitations of negative associations with NIMBYism and the usefulness of a psycho-social lens to explain community interest in densification proposals.