City considers gas ban to new developments

THE City of Greater Geelong is yet to decide if it will join more than a dozen Victorian local governments in pushing for changes to the state’s planning laws that would ban gas connections to new homes.

Led by the Council Alliance for a Sustainable Built Environment (CASBE), of which the city and 30 other Victorian councils are a member, the campaign seeks to overturn existing regulations making it mandatory to pipe gas to new buildings.

“CASBE councils represent a significant portion of the local government sector working towards new buildings that protects the natural environment, reduces resource consumption and supports the health and wellbeing of future occupants,” Cr David Clark said, president of the Municipal Association of Victoria, which houses CASBE.

“Thirty-one of CASBE’s member councils have led this project and undertaken innovative research to support a net zero carbon future … 13 councils have agreed to move onto the next stage of this project, which is focused on seeking a planning amendment,” he said.

Collectively, CASBE represents 39 per cent of Victoria’s local governments.

“They strongly support the recent state government parliamentary committee that recommended a review of laws that require gas connections,”
Cr Clark said.

CASBE has prepared a draft letter for member councils to sign and send to Planning Minister Richard Wynne and Energy Minister Lily D’Ambrosio, urging them to amend planning laws and elevate Environmentally Sustainable Designs (ESD) standards.

“Council has not formed a position on whether it will move on to the next stage of the project,” the city’s director of city planning and economy Gareth Smith said regarding the letter.

“As part of our Climate Change Response Plan 2021-2030, we are actively working to reduce greenhouse gas emissions across the municipality and make our region more resilient to the impacts of climate change.”

The Victorian Property Council is supportive of the change. Speaking on radio last week, its executive director Danni Hunter said developers were already marketing gas-free new builds.

“There are electric options in the market and as the market evolves they’ll become more and more available and more affordable.

“The property industry has known for a long time that there are a huge amount of opportunities in addressing emissions from buildings that will get us towards net zero.

“This journey towards net zero simply can’t happen without moving away from fossil fuels like gas, the property industry is already leading the way on that.”