A Sustainability Management Plan (SMP) is the result of a comprehensive investigation and plan for the development to address key environmental criteria within its design. It is expected that a suitably qualified Environmentally Sustainable Development/Design (ESD) consultant prepare an SMP to the required level of detail.

The SMP constitutes a stand-alone report which provides information indicating how each of the performance outcomes, outlined pursuant to Clause 22.10 of Whitehorse City Council’s Planning Scheme (Council’s ESD Policy), will be achieved.  The SMP Report is supported by ancillary documentation including tools constituting weighted metric assessments and models demonstrating performance.  An SMP requires additional information beyond the requirements expected for an SDA which generally constitute a lesser development impact.  

Reporting expectations, requirements and example tools for an applicant to address and utilise are specified within Council’s ESD Policy.  Such tools include BESS, Green Star Design & As Built, STORM and MUSIC.  Council’s expectations are not limited to the example tools specified and may request Preliminary NatHERS reports, Preliminary Section J / JV3 energy efficiency assessments or indicative specifications to ensure thermal performance and comfort values, as well as, Daylighting Modelling and Green Travel Plans to inform a decision.  It is favourable that such documentation is provided to ensure an efficient process.

It must be noted that passing each of the minimum thresholds or requirements articulated within certain tools may not constitute satisfying Council’s ESD Policy.  An assessment shall be made against the ‘Objectives’ and ‘Decision Guidelines’ set out within Council’s ESD Policy cognisant of the development and building typology on a case-by-case basis.

Applicants should also be cognisant of ESD requirements and expectations introduced via the Apartment Design Guidelines for Victoria (Better Apartments Design Standards [BADS]) (Clauses 55.07 and 58), as well as, via VC154 in relation to integrated water management (Clauses 53.18, 55.03-4, 55.07-5, 56.07 and 58.03-8).  Planning Reports must demonstrate that the standards and decision guidelines are accurately addressed with transparent and consistent information provided so that Council may exercise a decision.

Council requires that with respect to all documentation submitted, including Development, Landscape and Civil/Drainage Plans, the principles of transparency, consistency, completeness, and accuracy are upheld.  The applicant or project manager is required to review all documentation, in accordance with such principles, prior to submission which shall ensure a streamlined and efficient process from Council.

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, such as walking and cycling for short trips, or public transport and carpooling for longer trips. The aim is to reduce the frequency of single-occupancy car trips where possible. Environmental objectives are to create an improved local air quality with less noise, dirt and fumes as well as reducing the impact on other national and global issues such as photochemical smog and global warming.