Environmentally Sustainable Development Plan

The application of ESD principles can result in up to 85% reduction in energy use, 60% reduction in water use and 70% reduction in construction waste.

Whitehorse City Council strongly encourages that Environmentally Sustainable Development (ESD) is addressed as a part of planning permit applications.

The process includes demonstrating and reporting the sustainable design initiatives incorporated within proposed developments submitted to Council.

Either a Sustainable Design Assessment (SDA) Report or Sustainability Management Plan (SMP) Report, along with ancillary documentation; such as performance reports from Council supported and recognised assessment tools, are required by Council to support your planning permit application.

The requirement to submit respective reports and documentation is outlined under Whitehorse City Council’s ESD Policy which is stipulated under clause 22.10 - Environmentally Sustainable Development of the Whitehorse City Council Planning Scheme.

As a part of Sustainable Design Assessment in the Planning Process (SDAPP) framework which assists to support Council’s objectives detailed within the ESD Policy, several sustainable building categories articulating design considerations are specified.

Development must demonstrate that the objectives within the ESD Policy are ascertained using the SDAPP Framework as a guide.

Council ESD Objectives SDAPP Framework
Energy Performance Energy Efficiency ( PDF 300.62KB)
Sun shading ( PDF 472.46KB)
Water Resources Water Efficiency ( PDF 233.09KB)
Indoor Environment Quality Indoor Environmental Quality ( PDF 204.08KB)
Stormwater Management Stormwater Management ( PDF 572.73KB)
Site Permeability ( PDF 1.64MB)
Transport Transport ( PDF 430.07KB)
Waste Management Waste Management ( PDF 289.16KB)
Urban Ecology Urban Ecology
Green Roofs, Walls and Facades ( PDF 544.48KB)
  Innovation ( PDF 214.56KB)
  Construction and Building Management ( PDF 143.45KB)

Additional ESD provisions may be drawn upon and referenced within several other clauses and objectives, a part of Whitehorse City Council’s Planning Scheme.  Such provisions include, and are not limited to:

Clause 21.05 – Environment regarding the overarching strategy towards Environmentally Sustainable Development;
Clause 22.04 – Tree Conservation regarding retention and protection of trees including vegetation loss and urban ecology
Clause 52.34 – Bicycle Facilities pertaining to the Victorian State Government’s provision of bicycle facilities and onsite amenities. 
Clause 55.03 - Site Layout and Building Masses which applies to Two or More Dwellings on a Lot and Residential Buildings pertaining to the Victorian State Government’s approach towards site coverage, permeability and stormwater management, energy efficiency, and indoor environment quality; and 
Clauses 55.07 and Clause 58 – Apartment Developments which encapsulates the Victorian State Government’s Better Apartments Design Standards (BADS) and the Apartment Design Guidelines promoting ESD within apartment developments. 
Relevant objectives from the Planning Policy Framework (PPF) clauses.
ESD Fact Sheets

Environmental Sustainable Design (ESD) Fact Sheets

Whitehorse City Council supports a series of fact sheets that provide additional information regarding the key sustainable building categories.

Sustainable Design

Sustainable Design Assessment

A Sustainable Design Assessment (SDA) is a simple sustainability assessment of a proposed building at the planning stage that demonstrates best practice in ESD performance.

Sustainability Management Plan

Sustainability Management Plan

An ESD Management Plan is the result of a comprehensive investigation and review of the ways in which a development addresses key environmental criteria within its design

Box Hill

Green Travel Plan

A Green Travel Plan outlines a collection of strategies, targets and actions designed to encourage the use of more sustainable methods of transport