Councils engage shared Sustainable Subdivision Advisor resource
Warrnambool City Council has joined forces with 6 Victorian Councils to push for more sustainable development outcomes in greenfield subdivisions by employing a Sustainable Subdivisions Advisor to work across the 7 Councils. Participating Councils include City of Greater Bendigo (lead Council), Ballarat City Council, City of Greater Geelong, Horsham Rural City Council, Mildura Rural City Council, Moorabool Shire Council and Warrnambool City Council.
The dedicated 12 month shared Sustainable Subdivisions Advisor resource will be hosted by the City of Greater Bendigo but will support planning staff assessing subdivision applications to utilise the Sustainable Subdivisions Framework (SSF) resources whilst at the same time assist developers to increase sustainable development outcomes including encouraging a move towards all electric suburbs.
If you are in the preliminary stages of preparing a subdivision plan or ready to lodge an application, please contact our Planning Support team to arrange a meeting (no fee) with the Sustainable Subdivisions Advisor who is available to assist developers with delivering sustainable subdivision outcomes.
Resources to support planning applicants to self-assess their subdivision and case studies are available at the links below.
Information for subdivision applicants
Are you submitting a subdivision planning permit application? See below to download the relevant applicant kit and template below with instructions on how you can participate in the Sustainable Subdivisions Framework (SSF) Trial. For additional information on the SSF and application process, visit the CASBE website or contact the Sustainable Subdivisions Advisor at s.francis@bendigo.vic.gov.au for further information.
Medium Subdivisions 16 – 59 lots
• Applicant Kit for Medium Subdivisions
Large Subdivisions 60 – 249 lots
• Applicant Kit for Large Subdivisions
Very Large Subdivisions 250+ lots
• Applicant Kit for Very Large Subdivisions
About the Sustainable Subdivisions Framework
How does the trial work?
For subdivision greater than 16 lots, Council planning staff will work with applicants to assess their subdivision applications against the Sustainable Subdivisions Framework (SSF). There is no additional application fee for developers to utilise the Sustainable Subdivision Advisor and resources.
We invite you to talk to us about opportunities to apply the SSF to your subdivision application. We acknowledge implementing any recommendations within the SSF is voluntary, we do however strongly encourage developers to utilise the SSF to frame your thinking when preparing the initial concept subdivision design and then implement opportunities identified during the detailed design process. We welcome all feedback on the SSF and welcome collaboration with the development community so we can improve the SSF and deliver beneficial outcomes for our community.
Why is a Framework important?
The creation of a subdivision is the creation of a community. A subdivision is an opportunity to set up community life that will extend over many decades. The initial subdivision design represents an enormous opportunity to create fundamental conditions, for a sustainable and resilient community.
Despite clear objectives in existing planning policy seeking to influence sustainable design outcomes in the built environment, there is limited information regarding requirements and standards to support robust evaluation of subdivisions from a sustainability perspective.
The long-term nature of subdivision planning is now set against a backdrop where our climate is fundamentally changing. Many councils are planning population growth for the next 20-30 years, in some cases via Precinct Structure Plans, and are currently considering how these communities might contribute to achieving the 2050 net zero emissions target identified in the Victorian Climate Change Act.
What will the Framework achieve?
The SSF seeks to mitigate the impact of future climate projection scenarios, by creating sustainable and liveable subdivisions that can adapt to the changing climate. The SSF identifies seven categories that can assist in creating environmentally sustainable subdivisions.
These are:
• Site Layout and Liveability
• Streets and Public Realm
• Energy
• Ecology
• Integrated Water Management (IWM)
• Urban Heat
• Circular Economy (Materials and Waste)
The seven SSF categories each include objectives and measurable standards to facilitate stronger sustainability outcomes and apply innovation and implementation considerations to all categories.
For further detailed information about the Sustainable Subdivisions Framework, please visit the Council Alliance for a Sustainable Built Environment (CASBE) websiteFrom the website you can access an extensive array of resources to support the SSF, including a copy of the SSF itself and sample submission requirements. A series of case studies are also available from the website.