Opportunities for a Water Sensitive Greater Sydney The importance of water in our city's future There is currently an exciting conversation Att ending were representatives from Overview occurring about the future of planning in Greater Department of Planning and Environment, Sydney. A Plan for Growing Sydney and the Offi ce of Environment and Heritage, Sydney formation of the Greater Sydney Commission sets Water, Department of Primary Industries Water, the direction for a more liveable, sustainable and Environment Protection Authority and Roads and prosperous city. Maritime Services. Water managers and key stakeholders across This document represents the outputs from that the city are discussing the importance of workshop. It contains: integrating water management in the city's • a rationale for the adoption of water future. Collaboratively, they have identifi ed that sensitivity in planning, including principles for adoption of innovative urban water management adoption practice presents a signifi cant opportunity to best achieve many of the directions in A Plan • risks associated with current approaches for Growing Sydney. to urban development and the benefi ts of a water sensitive approach Already, several government initiatives are progressing such outcomes. Clear strategic • a demonstration of the alignment between direction and high-level coordination is necessary water sensitive outcomes and the to support this work and facilitate the adoption of Commission’s objectives integrated water planning to deliver the benefi ts • opportunities on how to facilitate global best of a water sensitive approach through urban practice and deliver a Water Sensitive Greater renewal and greenfi eld development. Sydney. The Greater Sydney Commission is uniquely The objective of this document is to encourage placed to provide the leadership and coordination further conversation about the great outcomes to achieve a Water Sensitive Greater Sydney and that water focused planning can contribute deliver on communities’ social, environmental to a more sustainable, resilient, productive and economic expectations. and liveable Sydney for stakeholders and The Cooperative Research Centre for Water communities. Sensitive Cities was invited to facilitate a workshop in November 2015 to prepare best practice advice and information.

Key Messages

To remain internationally ▶ Current approaches to urban development risk not delivering competitive in a knowledge the social, environmental and economic outcomes that communities economy, cities like Sydney now expect. must provide exceptional ▶ A water sensitive approach to urban planning supports more urban places to att ract sustainable, resilient, productive and liveable cities. and sustain investment, ▶ The Greater Sydney Commission is uniquely placed to provide and support productive, leadership and coordination of water and urban planning to achieve vibrant communities. these outcomes.

This document contains four opportunities on how the Commission could facilitate global best practice and deliver a Water Sensitive Greater Sydney.

4 | Opportunities for a Water Sensitive Greater Sydney GREATER SYDNEY COMMISSION

Strategic Infrastructure Finance & Government Planning Committee Delivery Committee Committee and Sydney Planning Panel

OPPORTUNITIES FOR WATER SENSITIVE PLANNING

Lead the reform Strengthen the Improve inter-agency Embed water of finance and implementation of cooperation and sensitive principles governance district and local alignment for water into District Plans and arrangements for plans to facilitate infrastructure planning instruments delivery of blue and improved water planning and delivery green infrastructure sensitive outcomes

PLANS + INSTRUMENTS

Local Environmental A Plan for Planning for District Plans Plans & Development Growing Sydney Major Projects Control Plans

The importance of water in our city's future | 5 A water sensitive approach to urban water However, there are barriers to more widespread Why Plan for a planning and management is emerging as adoption of water sensitive urban design and global best practice. Water sensitive cities are integrated water management in Sydney. Recent sustainable, resilient, productive and liveable. research into how water sensitive urban design Water Sensitive They effi ciently use the diversity of water is enabled across Australia shows NSW is the resources available within them to enhance least progressed in providing the planning, policy and protect the health of urban waterways and and guidance required2. This suggests that Greater Sydney? mitigate fl ood risk. They provide enhanced urban unless governance and regulatory barriers are amenity through att ractive public spaces that also addressed, it is unlikely that urban growth areas harvest, clean and recycle water, increase urban will be water sensitive, negatively impacting on biodiversity and reduce urban heat island eff ects1. private investment and liveability. Current approaches to urban planning and Communities are becoming more water literate development in Greater Sydney typically do not and engaged. Parramatt a River and Cooks River deliver the social, environmental and economic communities are advocating for their river outcomes that communities now expect. A lack to provide swimming opportunities. There is of coordination and integration of urban and increased demand for the incorporation of water water planning limits opportunities for eff ective into urban developments, with riverside living and and effi cient delivery of water assets and lifestyle becoming a focus of urban developments services. Many communities also face increased along the Georges, Cooks and Parramatt a Rivers. vulnerability to economic and climatic risks that Western Sydney is expanding into the South impact on liveability. Creek catchment, supported by a new Western Several inner Sydney precincts already utilise and major investment in road and recycled water and water harvesting to create rail infrastructure. NSW Government agencies are high quality irrigated open spaces including exploring the benefi ts a water sensitive approach green walls and green roofs. Integrating water to urban planning could deliver for this region. management into the urban landscape through urban planning and design creates more vibrant and liveable places that support higher population density.

1 CRCWSC 2014. Strategic Plan 2014/15 – 2016/17. Cooperative Research Centre for Water Sensitive Cities. 2 Choi & McIlrath (2015) Policy Framework for WSUD in Five Australian Cities. Project B5.1, CRC for Water Sensitive Cities.

6 | Opportunities for a Water Sensitive Greater Sydney In greenfi eld areas, uncoordinated and reactive The following vision for a Water Sensitive Greater Sydney has been developed. water infrastructure planning leads to less Embedding these water sensitive principles into district and local planning for Greater effi cient and more expensive outcomes for future communities through continued reliance Sydney provides a mechanism for delivering ecologically sustainable development from on extending large centralised systems, a an urban water perspective. narrow focus on water and wastewater, and poor integration with urban form. Water infrastructure has the ability to provide multiple benefi ts to A WATER VISION FOR GREATER SYDNEY: communities. However, the current governance and fi nancing arrangement of service providers, Sydney’s residents, business and visitors have access to high quality councils and utilities do not encourage such landscapes, safe water and healthy waterways. investment. Sydney will transform to A Water Sensitive City collects and recycles all sources of water and The District Plan process provides an opportunity a Water Sensitive City to incorporates a green grid of parks, bushland and other vegetated for embedding a clear strategic direction ensure a resilient, liveable areas to cool, clean and beautify urban spaces and surrounding landscapes. It empowers communities to make their own decisions on water sensitive cities supported by high- and sustainable future level coordination to deliver healthy water about water and creates social connections around urban environments, greenspaces and ecologically waterways and water features. sustainable growth across Greater Sydney. WATER SENSITIVE PLANNING PRINCIPLES FOR GREATER SYDNEY: The Commission has a unique opportunity to position Sydney as a leader in the global 1 2 3 movement towards water sensitive cities. This will support the sustained economic success of Promote development Promote integrated water Promote development that that protects, maintains cycle management that fosters the relationship the city in an international knowledge economy or restores waterway holistically considers between water, landscapes and off er communities of every district a more health and the community’s and drives investment in and urban living, to enhance sustainable, resilient, productive and liveable environmental values and sustainable water supply, human and social wellbeing place to live and work. uses of waterways. reuse, wastewater, and and promote community stormwater infrastructure. co-design and governance in urban water strategies.

The importance of water in our city's future | 7 Opportunities for Water Sensitive Planning

Adopting the water sensitive planning IMPORTANT OPPORTUNITIES: principles at a range of scales in metropolitan planning for Greater Sydney 1. Embed water sensitive principles into district plans and planning instruments. provides opportunities to deliver more This provides clear and overarching direction for the protection and enhancement of urban sustainable, resilient, productive and waterways. It also supports strategic and innovative water infrastructure planning and delivery liveable urban developments. This needs through local planning. Waterway health and integrated water management outcomes articulated in district plans can be adopted, tailored, and expressed locally for eff ective on ground outcomes and to be supported by strategic direction local community values. and interagency coordination, as well as mechanisms for eff ective implementation. 2. Improve interagency cooperation and alignment for water infrastructure planning and delivery. This enables early consideration of options during the masterplanning of growth areas, and allows alternative servicing arrangements to be explored where they are economically effi cient.

3. Lead the reform of fi nance and governance arrangements for delivery of green and blue infrastructure. Resolving how green and blue infrastructure is fi nanced and coordinated between local councils, , State Government agencies and developers is critical. Whilst water infrastructure can provide a broad range of community benefi ts, reform is required to ensure appropriate fi nancing models and value capture encourage this outcome.

4. Strengthen the implementation of District and Local Plans to facilitate improved water sensitive outcomes. The GSC Sydney Planning Panel is important in ensuring the intent of the planning development controls and planning policies have an impact on the ground and are supported by regulation.

8 | Opportunities for a Water Sensitive Greater Sydney Risks associated with current approaches to urban development in Greater Sydney

Current approaches to urban development CURRENT APPROACHES TO URBAN DEVELOPMENT IN GREATER SYDNEY typically do not deliver the social, RESULT IN: environmental and economic outcomes that communities now expect. A lack of • increased risk of expensive water infrastructure augmentation which impacts on aff ordability and social equity coordination and integration of urban and • increased fl ood vulnerability which negatively impacts people and property water planning limits opportunities for eff ective and effi cient delivery of water • degraded and stressed urban streams and receiving waterways that provide limited ecosystem function and opportunities for human recreation assets and services. Risks associated with • increased exposure of communities to urban heat and associated heat-health risks current approaches to urban development in Greater Sydney are identifi ed here. • competing demands for limited open space, increasing pressure on green infrastructure and associated amenity • increased vulnerability of irrigated green spaces such as parks gardens and sports fi elds to drought.

Urban heat

Limited $ open space Flood vulnerability Low investment

Degraded waterway

Stressed existing Degraded urban stream infrastructure Infrastructure upgrades likely

The importance of water in our city's future | 9 Benefits of a water sensitive approach to urban planning

A water sensitive approach to urban IN A WATER SENSITIVE GREATER SYDNEY: planning supports more sustainable, resilient, productive and liveable cities. • existing water systems are optimised for • irrigated, green open space is allocated greater productivity by using locally sourced strategically to maximize environmental and This is achieved in-part by more eff ectively water in the city thereby delaying or avoiding social outcomes at the lowest cost integrating a broad range of urban water major infrastructure costs associated with • Sydney’s urban streams, rivers, bays and infi ll growth considerations into strategic planning beaches are protected, restored and and masterplanning, and by identifying • delivery of green and blue infrastructure is rediscovered as valued public assets. how water can enhance environmental, aligned with urban development to manage Costly future restoration is avoided future water demand and reduce risk of fl ood • strategically located and sized open space is social and economic outcomes. Benefi ts damage and insurance burdens incorporated into the urban form to provide of adopting a water sensitive approach to • new and diverse water supply options provide habitat and biodiversity, maintain safety from planning for Greater Sydney are identifi ed resilience to natural hazards in a changing fl ood fl ows as well as providing places for below, and linked to the Commission’s climate and make the city’s growth more communities to connect sustainable objectives on the following page. • urban heat impacts are mitigated through green infrastructure to enhance community health and liveability, particularly in the west.

Urban heat reduced

Diversity of water supply Human health provides resilience and social wellbeing enhanced

Waterways Create public asset rediscovered $

Green and blue infrastructure Uncertainty of future demand more manageable Existing infastructure optimised

10 | Opportunities for a Water Sensitive Greater Sydney ALIGNMENT OF BENEFITS WITH COMMISSION OBJECTIVES

Existing Urban streams and Open space is infrastructure Diverse supply their receiving waters allocated strategically to Investment and A compelling and is optimised for options increase are protected and enhanced maximize environmental budget allocations proactive narrative greater productivity resilience to natural as valued and social outcomes at are leveraged for provides a shared thereby delaying hazards in a public assets and the lowest cost maximum benefit future vision or avoiding changing climate avoid costly future restoration

To lead To promote To promote To promote To encourage To support To provide metropolitan B orderly C the alignment D the supply E development F ongoing G increased planning development of Government of housing, that is resilient improvement opportunity for the Greater in the infrastructure including and takes into in productivity, for public Sydney Region Greater Sydney decision-making affordable account natural liveability and involvement and Region, with land use housing hazards environmental participation in integrating social, planning quality environmental economic and planning and environmental assessment considerations in the Greater Sydney Region COMMISSION OBJECTIVES

Healthy natural Approaches Urban heat Delivery of green Policy objectives impacts are environments are and expectations and blue infrastructure is are aligned with incorporated into the are consistent across mitigated through aligned with urban development delivery responsibilities green and blue urban form to provide boundaries, which to manage future water and funding habitat and biodiversity, reduces transaction infrastructure to demand and reduce risk arrangements across enhance community as well as places for costs and of flood damage and organisations communities to uncertainty health and insurance burdens liveability connect and be active

The importance of water in our city's future | 11 The Influence of Local Context

The water sensitive principles articulated in this document are EXAMPLE 1 relevant to all urban development in Greater Sydney. However, High-density urban development adjacent to a major waterway the practical expression of the principles will diff er according to (eg Parramatt a) the regional and local context. • High quality public realm and urban waterway edge encourages people Three examples of how local context could inform diff erent urban to engage with and celebrate water. responses and associated water sensitive benefi ts are provided. • Diversity of water supply options enables open space to be irrigated with non-potable water, (eg stormwater harvesting or recycled water). This demonstrates the need for fl exibility in application of the principles while ensuring the desired outcome is achieved. • Trees and green walls mitigate urban heat creating a healthy and att ractive environment. Open spaces are designed to also att enuate Improved inter-agency collaboration for water infrastructure the impact of major fl ood events. planning and delivery, stronger links between State and local government planning processes, and eff ective planning policies would support this.

Image: McGregor Coxall

12 | Opportunities for a Water Sensitive Greater Sydney EXAMPLE 2 EXAMPLE 3 Open space adjacent to a local waterway Suburban development in an upper-catchment area

• Integration of green and blue infrastructure early in the planning process • Green infrastructure (including vegetated open spaces and street trees) maximises environmental and social outcomes at the lowest cost. assist in mitigating urban heat, encourage healthy lifestyles and enhance biodiversity. • Integrated water management initiatives (addressing quality and quantity management) protect and enhance the local waterway and • Access to diversity of water supply options enables non-potable water receiving waters. (rainwater, regional stormwater harvesting or recycled water) to be used for gardens, toilets and laundry. • Waterway corridors provide a healthy and biodiverse natural environment as well as opportunities for recreation. • Stormwater runoff (quantity and quality) is managed through lot and street-scale initiatives before it enters the local waterway.

Image: McGregor Coxall Image: Bligh Tanner / Onecollective

The importance of water in our city's future | 13 Current Initiatives

Many agencies are already working toward water sensitive planning for Greater Sydney.

CURRENT INITIATIVES INCLUDE:

Risk-based decision framework for managing Metropolitan Water Plan 2016 (DPI Water) It provides a robust, evidence-based framework waterway health (Offi ce of Environment to assist organisations in understanding their role The 2016 Metropolitan Water Plan provides water & Heritage) in delivering a water sensitive city, communicating security to the Greater Sydney Region. It defi nes this with their partners and stakeholders, and The framework provides an alternate approach an optimal portfolio of measures such as dams, actively managing their activities and outcomes for managing waterway health within the strategic restrictions, desalination, water effi ciency and to deliver on the identifi ed water sensitive vision. planning process based on a more rigorous, recycling. transparent and inclusive risk assessment for These measures work together to reduce Parramatt a River Masterplan (Parramatt a River waterway health. costs and maximise available drinking water Catchment Group) This process integrates community uses and for a 50 year period. The plan addresses key This masterplan is currently being developed values of waterways and allows practitioners to challenges to water security, including drought, by a consortium of local and state government assess the performance of various combinations population growth, and climate change. It also organisations to identify opportunities for the of land use, stormwater and wastewater seeks to enhance the liveability and resilience vision to “Make the Parramatt a River Swimmable management scenarios against community of communities and help protect river health. again by 2025”. expectations for waterways. Water Sensitive Cities Index (CRC for Water The masterplan will integrate water quality Outcomes from application of the framework are Sensitive Cities) modelling, ecosystem assessment, urban translated into management actions and targets form, community perceptions and an economic in planning instruments. This provides State The index is a decision support tool for assessment to understand options for the and local authorities with a clear and consistent organisations with urban water responsibilities River fl owing through Sydney’s second central strategy for assessing the impacts of proposed to benchmark their performance, set targets and business district. developments and a platform for discussing the track progress towards their identifi ed vision for design of neighbourhoods and precincts with a water sensitive city. developers.

14 | Opportunities for a Water Sensitive Greater Sydney Conclusion SOUTH CREEK

Much of the forecast 900,000 population Despite this, it is estimated around $3B in growth for Western Sydney will occur within the stormwater and fl ooding infrastructure and land The environmental, social and economic South Creek catchment, the longest freshwater purchase will be required to support the growth creek in Sydney. The transformation of the areas. More will be spent on the delivery of benefi ts to Greater Sydney of 630 km2 catchment from predominantly peri- water supply and wastewater infrastructure and transitioning towards a water sensitive urban, pasture and market gardens to an urban ongoing maintenance. landscape will radically change the form and city are signifi cant. However they can There is an opportunity for the South Creek ecology of this waterway. only be achieved through improved corridor to be a destination and identity for leadership and coordination of water Currently, there is no overarching strategy for Western Sydney residents and a waterway the waterway and planning of infrastructure corridor that provides amenity, recreation and and urban planning. Current activities in is not coordinated with specifi c ecological or other ecosystem services, such as urban cooling, NSW demonstrate the willingness and social outcomes. to those who are not able to easily travel to the desire of government organisations and coast. the community to move in this direction. With the support of the Greater Sydney Commission, these activities can form part of the formal growth strategy for Greater Sydney and accelerate the achievement of its objectives.

The importance of water in our city's future | 15 Opportunities for a Water Sensitive Greater Sydney The importance of water in our city's future

Prepared by the Cooperative Research Centre for Water Sensitive Cities together with LindseyB and representatives from a number of NSW State Government agencies. Graphics by Container Creative and McGregor Coxall. This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Att ribution 4.0 International Licence. To view a copy of this licence, visit htt p://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/. Please give att ribution to: © Water Sensitive Greater Sydney. All Images © McGregor Coxall and Bligh Tanner / Onecollective as annotated. Cover image: McGregor Coxal The Cooperative Research Centre (CRC) for Water Sensitive Cities brings together inter-disciplinary research expertise LindseyB and thought-leadership to revolutionise water management Translating technical ideas in Australia and overseas. In collaboration with over 80 into policy and practice research, industry and government partners, it delivers the socio-technical urban water management solutions, education and training programs, and industry engagement required to make towns, cities and regions water sensitive. The NSW agencies that contributed to this document include: Greater Sydney Local Land Service, Department of Planning & Environment, Environment Protection Authority, DPI Water, Offi ce of Environment & Heritage, Roads and Maritime Services and Sydney Water. 23 Mar 2016

16 | Opportunities for a Water Sensitive Greater Sydney watersensitivecities.org.au

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