Draft Fishermans Bend Framework released

The Victorian Government has released the draft Fishermans Bend Framework.

Romilly Madew, the CEO of the Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA), has congratulated the Victorian Government, Minister for Planning Richard Wynne and the Fishermans Bend Taskforce for their vision and leadership.

The Fishermans Bend Framework delivers the vision for the area to 2050 so that it becomes a global benchmark for smart, sustainable development where people want to live, work, learn and invest.

The project will be Australia’s largest Green Star – Community, and sustainability goals will drive the overall social, environmental and economic planning for the precinct. The early stage of the area’s development is an advantage to introducing mass-scale efficiencies in water, energy, construction and services.

“The draft framework demonstrates how sustainability can act as a multiplier for better economic and social outcomes across the community,” Madew said.

“Victorians rightly expect that Fishermans Bend will deliver a city for the next generation — one that provides a livable and prosperous community for the 80,000 workers and 80,000 residents who will call it home.

“But importantly, the jobs, growth and housing will be achieved in parallel with a high-quality, resilient built environment. And it will be supported by long-term infrastructure planning that builds connections, fosters diversity and respects local heritage.”

The framework embeds the GBCA’s Green Star – Communities principles and credits. Madew said, “This demonstrates the value of a Green Star Communities-led approach to large-scale urban renewal.”

The Victorian Government’s framework requires “new developments to meet 4 Star Green Star Standards or equivalent now, and clearly indicate future increases to performance requirements”.

“Given the complexity and breadth of the site, we applaud the Victorian Government’s decision to benchmark each new development on the site against the 4 Star Green Star rating requirements,” Madew said.

“The exploration of precinct-wide sustainable energy generation and distribution reflects a 21st-century vision for energy security that meets our international commitments,” she said.

“The Green Building Council of Australia looks forward to working with the government to supports its zero emissions strategy, and its transition plan to improve the energy performance of the state’s buildings,” Madew said.