Water Smart: Model Planning Provisions for Water

Outlines the significance of the urban water cycle and the case for changing traditional approaches to urban water management.

The document provides a succinct comprehensive overview of the nexus between urban water, environmental sustainability, and ecologically sustainable development policy frameworks.

The Model Planning Provisions directly relate to the NSW state and local government context. Plain speak summaries of the critical elements of the NSW planning context are provided, including: Part 3A of the EP&A Act 1979, the State Environmental Planning Policy (SEPP)- Major Projects, 2005; the standard LEP template, BASIX, the NSW State Plan 2006, Development Control Plans, and Development Contribution plans under section 94 of the EP&A Act.

Sample provisions and policy content are then provided for three key ‘development phases’ where water smart approaches can be included.

Part 1 covers the strategic phase and provides sample visions, goals, objectives, principles and overviews key issues for LEPs, the urban release/rezoning process, contributions plans, DCPs and Master Planning.
Part 2 covers the sub-division phase for developments of various sizes. Sample performance based provisions that can be used to assess development proposals are provided for a number of elements including soil and water management, drainage system design and construction, master planning and street layout, landscaping measures.
Part 3 outlines provisions that can be used to assess development proposals at the site level – for residential, commercial, industrial or special use development. These are suited to include in LGA waide development control plans (DCPs); site specific DCPs; or conditions of consent. This section details particular stormwater source control measures such as the site discharge index, rainwater tanks, on-site retention, landscaping measures, wastewater reuse systems and water efficient fixtures and appliances.
Both Parts cover construction phase issues such as runoff, sediment and erosion control. Sample development application requirements for site plans, sediment and erosion control plans and soil and water plans are included.
It is not intended for councils to adopt this document. Rather, it gives sample provisions that councils are encouraged to develop and incorporate into local planning documents to encourage water sensitive urban design (WSUD) and a more holistic approach to and application of integrated urban water cycle management (IWCM).