The creation of a subdivision is the creation of a community. It commences with a relatively blank canvas, setting up the life of the community that will extend over hundreds of years. The initial subdivision design presents an enormous opportunity to get the fundamentals right.
The long-term nature of subdivision planning is set against the backdrop of our climate fundamentally changing. By 2070, for example, temperature increases of between 1.5 and 3 degrees are expected. It is therefore critical to take a long-term view and consider the impact of climate change over the entire life of the subdivision.
Sustainable subdivisions are carefully planned to achieve improved quality of life, protect and use resources efficiently and improve the health of the environment and people. Crucially, sustainability needs to be embedded from the beginning of the subdivision process.
The Sustainable Subdivisions Framework (SSF) is a framework that seeks to provide statutory planners with a basis for measuring and achieving stronger sustainability outcomes in residential subdivisions, while also providing information on how sustainability interventions can be integrated into residential subdivisions.
The SSF identifies seven categories that can assist in creating sustainable subdivisions:
For more information of each category, please visit: Sustainable Design Fact Sheets.
The Sustainable Subdivisions Framework (SSF) is supported by a number of resources.
These sample plans visually communicate information requirements for submission to council.
Our Glossary and Key Terms provide a list of relevant framework terminology.
For more information about the SSF can be applied in your project, please contact your council planner.
For general information about the SSF, contact the CASBE team at casbe@mav.asn.au.
In 2019, 16 partner councils, the VPA and CASBE partnered to develop a Sustainable Subdivisions Framework focusing on improving the long-term community benefits delivered by a subdivision through the planning process.
From October 2020, 31 councils across Victoria participated in a 24-month voluntary trial of the Sustainable Subdivisions Framework (SSF).
The SSF was trialled by councils to monitor its impact in delivering sustainable communities through the planning process.
For more information, refer to the Key Findings and Recommendations documents from the SSF Trial.
Phase 2 of the trial commenced in November 2022, involving 21 councils supported by dedicated human resources.
The original project was supported by the Victorian Government’s Collaborative Council Sustainability Fund Partnership Program. HIP V. HYPE and Spiire were engaged to develop the SSF Version 1 and support materials. Mesh and LID consulting were engaged to develop the SSF Version 2.