In partnership with the Moreland City Council, MEFL is working with 16 local councils improve outcomes in environmentally sustainable design in land use planning.
Expanding on our experience delivering training in sustainable design assessment in the planning process (SDAPP), MEFL is developing an implementation framework and supporting councils to implement SDAPP into their planning operations through the SDAPP Roll-out Project.
Gavin Ashley joined the MEFL team in December 2010 to coordinate the SDAPP project and Matt Sullivan joined the SDAPP Rollout Project in March 2011 as the ESD Technical Officer.
The 18 month project is funded through the Victorian Local Sustainability Accord. Other partner councils include:
- City of Ballarat
- Bayside City Council
- Banyule City Council
- City of Boroondara
- Shire of Campaspe
- City of Darebin
- City of Greater Dandenong
- City of Manningham
- Maroondah City Council
- Mornington Peninsula Shire
- Nillumbik Shire Council
- City of Port Phillip
- City of Stonnington
- Swan Hill Rural City Council
- Rural City of Wangaratta
- City of Whittlesea
- City of Yarra
Project Objectives
- Improve consistency across all councils through formalising a model for incorporating sustainable design assessment into planning processes that is consistent, streamlined and effective.
- Increase integration of ESD initiatives early in the planning permit phase.
- Develop a suite of implementation options for growth, peri-urban, regional and rural councils, based on a strong understanding of the challenges and opportunities faced by each of these council types. The implementation options will be trialled through implementing relevant options in pilot councils. Preferred options for future use by councils across Victoria will also be provided.
- Build a critical mass of councils requesting streamlined and standard sustainable design information at the planning stage to create a consistent approach amongst councils and enhance industry certainty and capacity to implement.
- Build industry acceptance and capacity through engagement and training.
- Improve local government capacity to assess and engage the development industry in meeting community sustainability objectives.
- Enhance state and local government planning relationships with a common approach to achieving local and state sustainability visions, objectives and targets.
- Share knowledge amongst local governments who are involved in incorporating sustainability in the planning process. Resources developed as a result of this project will improve access for all Victorian local governments to support material.
- Provide confidence and evidence for future state government policy and regulation developments.
Methods
These objectives will be achieved through a number of methods, which include a metropolitan and non-metro rollout component as part of a strategy that provides for flexibility within the process to cater for the differing needs of all Victorian councils.
The development industry will also be engaged through dedicated information sessions and targeted communication to ensure councils and applicants can work together to facilitate more sustainable built form outcomes.
An important aspect of the project is to assist in building capacity within the partner councils (in regard to resourcing and in house knowledge) to allow for SDAPP to continue following the project's conclusion.
