Since the 1920s, shack-owners have been given access to crown land at Fishermans Bay, a pristine coastal point near Port Broughton on the Yorke Peninsula. In 1973, the land was placed on the market for sale. A concerned group of shack-owners formed a company, Fishermans Bay Management Pty Ltd (FBM), to purchase the land. Since then, shack-owners have been licensed by FBM to develop blocks and build dwellings, and there are now 380 dwellings on the site.

FBM is now seeking development approval for freehold titling. Due to the size of the development, the South Australian State Government’s Human Services Department has also insisted on a formal sewerage collection and treatment system.

PB was engaged to design and cost an efficient and environmentally-appropriate sewerage collection, treatment and disposal scheme. Concept designs have been completed based on a vacuum collection system contained in road reserves and fed by property connections. This system requires shallow trenching, unlike other conventional collection systems, and suits the site, which is soft sand, because it reduces the degree of soil disturbance.

The vacuum system has several catchment zones and operates by sucking sewerage into storage bunkers in each zone. Sewerage will then be piped to a treatment plant constructed at the southern extremity of the site. The plant’s operation is based on aeration of the sewerage (to destroy bacteria), settling and final distribution of treated wastewater to a nearby woodlot.

The vacuum process has been used in a number of locations to overcome difficult sewerage collection circumstances where sewerage has needed to travel uphill. Shallow trenching also overcame extensive interference from rock formations. The same scheme has been operating successfully at Marina Hindmarsh Island for several years; a project that PB also worked on. The cost of the installation at Fishermans Bay is currently estimated at $4.5 million.

Ben Norman, a civil engineer, has been with PB since 1998.

Innovative Approaches To Water-Sensitive Urban Design At Officer
By Don Pollock, Melbourne, Australia +61(3) 9861-1111, pollockD@pbworld.com

The Victorian Government’s Melbourne 2030 strategy for sustainable urban growth aims to reduce urban sprawl and the need for expensive infrastructure to service it. VicUrban's new development in Officer, located 50 km (30 miles) southeast of Melbourne’s central business district, forms part of this strategy. The development will be master planned and designed with sustainability principles in mind. The estate will incorporate water quality measures, re-use opportunities, energy-efficient housing and waste minimisation.

PB has been engaged to design the major infrastructure at the development. We are responsible for water sensitive urban design (WSUD concepts), dual reticulation system design, and waterway and floodplain rehabilitation.

The site is in the Westernport Bay catchment, which is currently adversely affected by high nutrient and suspended solid levels in run-off. The site also has a high water table and groundwater with high salinity. As such, a major component of designing sustainable infrastructure at the site involves the integrated planning of water resources. In response to this, PB has adopted innovative approaches to WSUD. These approaches limit infiltration, while still delivering water quality improvements and minimising flooding impacts across the generally flat site.

Our knowledge of strategic plans for sewerage and potable water services in the area allowed the incorporation of dual reticulation servicing options into the strategic planning of the development. The integration of each of these elements has resulted in a total water-cycle management approach that has the potential to deliver the following benefits:

• A “new look” development that showcases sustainability principles
• Improvement of waterway features through the site and downstream receiving environments
• A reduction in potable water consumption
• An increase in the use of recycled water.

Don Pollock is a principal planner in PB’s Melbourne office.

Sustainable Development Study : Forrestdale
By John Brosnan, Subiaco, Australia +61(8) 9489 9739, BrosnanJ@pbworld.com

The Department of Housing and Works’ Landstart Division is proposing to create a sustainable land development on a 30-hectare (74-acre) site in Forrestdale, 19 km (30 miles) southeast of Perth. The site’s location is within close proximity to a range of services and is adjoined by existing urban development, parks and recreation reserves.

Earlier phases of work dentified ideas to create a sustainable development and the best possible means to achieve this. Some of these ideas included:

• Careful integration of the development with a proposed neighbourhood centre
• Incorporation of quality urban space supporting community development and recreation
• Increased density where appropriate
• A diverse range of housing, including more sustainable house and land packages
• Disposal of stormwater through infiltration via roadside tank swales
• Provision of a secondary nonpotable water supply
• Retention of significant bushland
• Further development of the concept of an integrated, more sustainable urban village.

A triple bottom line assessment was also undertaken to compare the sustainable development against traditional development in terms of benefit and cost. The results of this study verified significant overall societal benefits for a sustainable development.

PB has been retained as part of a multi-disciplinary team to undertake three additional phases of the project. This work includes:

• Stakeholder engagement
• Review of the previously identified sustainability measures
• Preparation of various guidelines including those for water cycle, porous pavement, and site management
• A detailed water management plan including a water balance model
• Detailed design, documentation and contract administration of the subdivision.

Preliminary layouts suggest the development will comprise a mixture of housing and the creating of around 400 lots.

John Bosnan, senior civil engineer, specializes in urban and land use planning.

Basix (Did You Know?)
By Stephen Taylor, Rhodes, Australia +61(2) 9743 0333, TaylorSt@pbworld.com

The rapid rate of development that is being experienced in many parts of Australia has placed increasing pressure on energy, water and other natural resources. On 18 September 2003, the New South Wales government announced new water- and energy-use targets for all new residential developments in the state. To ensure compliance with these targets, the Department of Infrastructure, Planning and Natural Resources has developed the Building Sustainability Index (BASIX). The index provides a systematic assessment of sustainability components of residential development, and allows for regional sensitivity where appropriate.

From July 2004, the BASIX assessment will become a mandatory part of the development approval process for all housing stock in New South Wales. No development approvals will be granted without this assessment having been satisfied. BASIX is a Web-based application that will assess the potential performance of residential developments against a range of sustainability indices. This will include stormwater, water, energy and indoor amenity.

The assessment will form part of the development application submitted to Council and the implementation of the proposed initiatives within the BASIX assessment will be the responsibility of the Assessment Officer at final inspection.

Steve Taylor has a background in civil engineering with a focus on drainage facilities, environmental engineering and sustainable development.

Related Web Sites:
• Building Sustainability Index (BASIX ) : http://www.planning.nsw.gov.au/settingthedirection/baxis.html