Cardinia Shire to join 27 other councils to advance environmental sustainability with new Planning S…

At its Ordinary Meeting last night, Council moved to endorse and submit Amendment C278card for Ministerial approval and incorporation into the Cardinia Planning Scheme.

The Amendment will introduce a new local Environmentally Sustainable Development (ESD) Planning Policy and updates the Municipal Strategic Statement (MSS). The decision highlights Council’s dedication to promoting environmentally sustainable development (ESD) in the community.

Once approved by the Minister for Planning, the Cardinia Planning Scheme will ensure, through the Statutory Planning process, that certain developments meet best practice environmental standards from design to construction and operation.

Cardinia Shire Mayor Councillor Jack Kowarzik emphasised the significant step underscores Council’s commitment to fostering environmentally sustainable development (ESD) within the community.

"This amendment aligns with several Council-adopted documents, all shaped by community input and our vision for a sustainable built environment in Cardinia.

“We’re proud to be joining 27 other councils with similar ESD policies, reinforcing our collective commitment to sustainable development,” Mayor Kowarzik said.

In 2021, Cardinia Shire Council joined the Council Alliance for a Sustainable Built Environment (CASBE); a group of councils dedicated to creating healthy, resilient, and liveable urban areas. The South East Council’s Climate Change Alliance (SECCCA) also supports CASBE’s push for environmentally sustainable design.

The ESD Policy will use CASBE’s Sustainable Design Assessment in its Planning Process Framework.

The ESD assessment is proportional to the development scale, ensuring reasonable limits while maximising environmental benefits; a simple Sustainable Design Assessment (SDA) or a more detailed Sustainability Management Plan (SMP) may be required as part of the Planning Permit process.

The policy will apply to new residential and non-residential planning permit applications that are required by the Cardinia Planning Scheme. The policy will not increase the number of planning permits or affect single dwellings, outbuildings, or subdivisions.

This policy also gives legal weight to what was previously a voluntary approach, requiring developments needing a planning permit to meet best practice environmental goals. It is also a key tool to help communities become more resilient and safer by adopting best practice ESD to better prepare for and respond to climate change impacts.

Mayor Kowarzik added, “On 16 September 2019, Council declared a climate emergency. We are committed to prioritising policies and actions for both mitigating and adapting to global warming and climate change.”

Amendment C278card was open for community consultation earlier this year, and an independent planning panel reviewed the submissions received.

While submissions raised concerns about possible increased costs and longer permit application timelines, the independent panel considered that any delays will not be significant, and the potential for increased development costs is uncertain because each project is unique.

The Panel Report, received by Council in September 2024, supported Amendment C278card with minor formatting and administrative changes.

Council will now submit the adopted Amendment C278card to the Minister for Planning for approval under Section 31 of the Planning and Environment Act 1987.