Sustainable design requirements for planning applications

We're committed to creating an environmentally sustainable and liveable city.

Incorporating Environmentally Sustainable Design

Incorporating environmentally sustainable design into new development is now a requirement under the Hobsons Bay Planning Scheme. Clause 22.13 Environmentally Sustainable Development was introduced in October 2018. The overarching objective is that development should achieve best practice in environmentally sustainable development from the design stage through to construction and operation.

The policy provides objectives and application requirements for residential, mixed use and non-residential development. It recognises the importance of considering environmentally sustainable design at the time of planning approval for new development.

If you are applying for a planning permit to construct a new building, you will need to provide information with your planning permit application across the following areas:

• energy
• water resources
• indoor environmental quality
• stormwater management
• transport
• waste management
• urban ecology

If you are preparing a planning application, we encourage you to come in for a pre-application meeting or speak to Council's Sustainability Unit on 1300 179 944 to discuss your application.

Application requirements

The information to be submitted with a planning application is proportionate to the scale and complexity of the proposed development. 

Type of development	Application requirements	Example tools
Accommodation / Mixed Use with residential component of:
- 2-9 dwellings, or - Development of a building for accommodation (other than dwelling) with a gross floor area between 50m2 and 1000m2	Sustainable Design Assessment (SDA)	BESS STORM
- 10 or more dwellings, or - Development of a building for accommodation (other than dwellings) with a gross floor area of more than 1000m2	Sustainability Management Plan (SMP)	Green Star BESS MUSIC InSite STORM
Non-residential
- Development of a non-residential building with a gross floor area between100m2 and 1000m2, or - Alterations and additions of between 100m2 and 1000m2	Sustainable Design Assessment (SDA)	BESS MUSIC InSite STORM
- Development of a non-residential building with a gross floor area of more than 1000m2, or - Alterations and additions greater than 1000m2	Sustainability Management Plan (SMP) Green Travel Plan (GTP)	Green Star BESS MUSIC Insite STORM

Sustainable Design Assessment (SDA) for small scale development

A Sustainable Design Assessment (SDA) is a document that sets out the sustainable design features of a proposed development.

The Built Environment Sustainability Scorecard (BESS) can be used to undertake a Sustainable Design Assessment. Submit the BESS report with your planning application to satisfy the requirements under Clause 22.13 for an SDA.

It is important that all relevant initiatives are clearly annotated on architectural drawings.

Typically, it should not be necessary to engage a sustainability consultant to prepare a Sustainable Design Assessment.

Sustainability Management Plan (SMP) for large scale development

A Sustainability Management Plan (SMP) is more detail than an SDA. It sets out the sustainable design features of large developments as defined in the above table, and it provides more information about how the performance outcomes will be achieved (including implementation schedules).

A BESS report alone will not satisfy the requirements under Clause 22.13 of the Hobsons Bay Planning Scheme for a Sustainability Management Plan.

The nature of larger developments provides the opportunity for increased environmental benefits and major resource savings. Hence, greater rigour in investigation is justified.

Preparation of a Sustainability Management Plan will generally require the engagement of a sustainability consultant.

SDA and SMP Templates

Council has created templates to assist in developing a SDA and SMP, these can be accessed below.

Sustainable Design Assessment (SDA) - Report Template(DOCX, 206KB)

Sustainability Management Plan (SMP) Guidelines(DOCX, 202KB)

 

Environmentally Sustainable Design (ESD) tools

• BESS is a free, online sustainability assessment tool purpose-built for the planning application stage. It can assess single dwellings, multi-dwellings, non-residential and mixed use developments of any size

• STORM is a free, online calculator for testing whether a site achieves best practice water quality objectives. STORM is managed by Melbourne Water

• MUSIC is a detailed stormwater modelling software that is available for purchase from eWater

• InSite(PDF, 965KB) is a simple free online tool for integrated water management design (stormwater, water efficiency & engineering design) producing one report for both Council Planning and Building Legal Point of discharge submissions. The InSite tool can be accessed here.

• Green Star is a green building certification system administered by the Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA). The Green Star Rating System is suitable for use by large developments that register and commit to obtaining a Green Star certification with the GBCA.”

  More information on ESD Tools.(PDF, 425KB)