The Sustainable Subdivisions Framework responds to the need in Local Government Areas with high proportions of residential subdivision to promote environmental sustainability outcomes through the subdivision process. This includes opportunities with the treatment of land within the subdivision such as integrated water management and ecology, but also setting up the preconditions for dwellings to perform well environmentally through lot orientation and scales that support passive design.

Client

Council Alliance for a Sustainable Built Environment (CASBE) 16 partner councils

Type

Sustainable Planning & Policy

Location

Victoria

Collaborators

Spiire

Photography

Cape Patterson

Context

The Framework responds to opportunities to improve sustainability outcomes across different scales and focuses on the role of the Council planner in assessing residential subdivisions.

Together with Spiire, HV.H Sustainability has developed a Framework for Sustainable Subdivisions which seeks to assess the sustainability outcomes of subdivisions through the planning process. Our approach consisted of:

  • Review existing planning provisions, best practice case studies and tools that assess the sustainability merits of subdivisions to develop the background for a sustainability framework
  • Engaging with internal and external stakeholders to ensure the framework is robust and widely supported for the 18-month trial
  • Developing the resources to support the successful implementation of the trial

The 16 partner Councils will commence an 18-month trial in late 2020 to collect data on the metrics within the Framework and develop an evidence base to support future planning scheme amendments.