BAYSIDE City Council’s plan to reduce the stormwater run-off from residental properties to Port Phillip Bay is close to reality.

Bayside Mayor Councillor James Long said an amendment (C44) to the Bayside Planning Scheme was likely to be approved by the Planning Minister by June this year.

“This means that new planning applications will need to incorporate water sensitive urban design features, such as rain gardens, filtration systems, porous pavements and water tanks, etc into the design.

Cr Long said he encouraged people who were currently designing a development to contact Council to find out whether water sensitive design features would be required in their design. “Although the amendment won’t come into affect until later in the year, incorporating water urban sensitive design features now will avoid any potential delays at the approval stage,” Cr Long said.

“Bayside is the first municipality in Victoria to take this important step and is leading the way in incorporating stormwater management into the planning system in the state.

“Precious rain that is currently washed through the stormwater system will be retained, reused and recycled in toilets, laundries and gardens,” Cr Long said.

Council will be holding two information sessions about Amendment C44 and the implications for people wanting to develop in Bayside.

Sessions will run on Monday 11 May from 1pm to 2.30pm and 6.30pm to 8pm at Bayside City Council’s Corporate Centre (76 Royal Avenue, Sandringham). To register your interest contact Council on 9599 4444.

Bayside’s stormwater plan is supported by Melbourne Water, the Municipal Association of Victoria and the Association of Bayside Municipalities.