GEELONG council has endorsed a local planning policy in a bid to ensure new developments in the municipality are sustainably designed.<\/p>\n
Multi-unit, mixed use and commercial developments will undergo \u201cEnvironmentally Sustainable Development\u201d (ESD) assessment as part of the planning permit process, checking off seven areas, including energy performance, water resources, indoor environmental quality, stormwater management, transport, waste management and urban ecology.<\/p>\n
City of Greater Geelong sustainable development portfolio chair Cr Jim Mason said the planning policy would deliver many environmental benefits such as a reduction in waste and commercial heating and cooling costs.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m excited by council\u2019s adoption of the Environmentally Sustainable Development program, which will significantly improve the environmental performance of new developments and increase the number of residential and commercial buildings achieving above mandatory standards,\u201d Cr Mason said.<\/p>\n
The policy will see more developments in the region achieve compliance above the required building standards for sustainability, from design to construction and operation.<\/p>\n
An 18-month \u201cpilot program\u201d where an ESD officer was on call to offer free advice to developers acted as a catalyst for the policy\u2019s development.<\/p>\n
A draft of the policy was released to key stakeholder agencies for feedback in November last year, resulting in two changes to permit triggers and the inclusion of an e-waste disposal.<\/p>\n
Geelong mayor Bruce Harwood said the voluntary pilot program was successful in helping \u201cdevelopers consider these types of design changes, so we\u2019re pleased to have now made this a formal policy\u201d.<\/p>\n
The policy will now be sent to the Minister for Planning for approval.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
GEELONG council has endorsed a local planning policy in a bid to ensure new developments in the municipality are sustainably designed. Multi-unit, mixed use and commercial developments will undergo \u201cEnvironmentally Sustainable Development\u201d (ESD) assessment as part of the planning permit process, checking off seven areas, including energy performance, water resources, indoor environmental quality, stormwater management, […]<\/p>\n