Background

Council has a strong commitment to achieving improved Environmentally Sustainable Development (ESD) outcomes as identified in Hume Horizons 2040, the Pathways to Sustainability Framework, and the Sustainable Places Action Plan.

Council has been an active member in the Council Alliance for a Sustainable Built Environment (CASBE) and adopted the voluntary implementation of a framework for a the ’Sustainable Design Assessment in the Planning Process’ (SDAPP) framework, developed by CASBE.

The SDAPP framework sets out a range of Environmentally Sustainable Development principles and associated measures which assess the environmental performance of planning permit applications. To date, Council has only been using the SDAPP framework in the planning process on a voluntary basis.

What does C251 propose?

The amendment proposes a new Environmentally Sustainable Development (ESD) local planning policy that will provide statutory weight to what is currently a voluntary approach in the planning process. This policy will require those developments that need a planning permit to achieve best practice environmental objectives.

The proposed ESD policy will ensure that development achieves best practice in environmental sustainability from its design stage through to construction and operation. This change will be supported by refinements to Clause 21.04 of the Municipal Strategic Statement (MSS).

The amendment will bring Hume into alignment with 21 other councils who have an equivalent local policy. The proposed local policy provides for the following objectives, when applicable, to be achieved:

  • Energy performance
  • Integrated water management
  • Indoor environment quality
  • Stormwater management
  • Transport
  • Waste management
  • Urban ecology

The proposed local policy also sets out application requirements. Depending on the scale of development, an application will be required to show how the applicable objectives will be achieved by completing a Sustainable Design Assessment (SDA) or a Sustainability Management Plan (SMP).


Submissions could be sent via email or post and had to be received by Monday 22 March 2021.


Email:contactus@hume.vic.gov.au
Post:

Hume City Council


Strategic Planning Department


PO Box 119


Dallas VIC 3047