The City of Cockburn's response to The Urbanista Magazine (UDIA WA) on 13 September 2021 about climate actions towards net zero
The City of Cockburn has been mitigating and adapting to climate change since 1999. Via the Climate Change Strategy (2020-2030), the City has set ambitious organisational targets to achieve net zero emissions, zero (non-hazardous) waste to landfill, and 100 per cent renewable energy by 2030.
Council also endorsed a community emissions reduction target for net zero emissions by 2050. This goal recognises the shared responsibility for action on climate change and aligns with the State Government’s emission reduction target. Governments at all levels, businesses, communities and individuals all have important roles to play in reducing emissions.
As such, developments today must be planned in the context of a net zero emissions future.
The City’s role is to encourage an understanding of what sustainable outcomes can be achieved, and what innovations demonstrate a good business case for sustainability, rather than developing regulations to mandate certain outcomes.
The City works early on with developers to identify hidden opportunities and explore how we can approach developments differently for a better outcome both for the future community that will live there, and the project developers.
We work in partnership with small and large developers to help them navigate regulations to help them reduce waste, encourage the uptake of renewable energy, facilitate transport planning, promote ecologically sustainable design and improve lot orientation to facilitate solar passive design.
Council has also endorsed an Economic Development Framework that includes a focus area on strengthening resilience to ensure our communities are responsive, strong, adaptive and capable.
One of its outcomes aims to support newer suburbs to develop resident groups, community organisations and events to build connection.
This is one great opportunity for partnerships with leaders in the local development industry to facilitate longer term sustainability benefits for community.
Please see examples of City partnerships that aim to achieve sustainable climate change actions:
- A great example of Water Sensitive Urban Design is the use of non-circular profile pipe (ovoid pipe) in Stockland’s Calleya estate in Treeby
- While an unusual choice for residential developments, ovoid pipe has many benefits, such as improved low flow velocity. It can be laid at flatter gradients than an equivalent circular pipe and still achieve the required minimum flow rate required for pipes to be self-cleansing. This was also the most cost-efficient solution as less filling and earth moving was required
- Recognising the need for behaviour change, the City runs the Your Move program with the Department of Transport that promotes walking, cycling and public transport in Cockburn. The program offers support and advice to help our communities find other ways to get to and from school, workplaces and around the local area. The City has also produced TravelSmart Guides with information and maps of Cockburn’s walking and cycle paths
- The City has worked together with Development WA on the Cockburn Coast project for nearly 15 years, this development seeks to facilitate a rapid public transit route from Fremantle to North Coogee and ultimately allow for extension through to Cockburn Central
- Council recently requested the State Government establish a joint steering group to guide redevelopment of the South Fremantle Power Station and adjacent substation site. We are actively advocating for an investigation into upgrading this infrastructure to a smart substation and mega battery
- The City has facilitated Development WA’s redevelopment of the OneOneFive Hamilton Hill project on the former Hamilton Senior High School site. This project has recovered more than 10,000 tonnes of material – a staggering 96 per cent of the project’s demolition waste. Of this, 86 per cent was reused on site, leading to further savings in truck movements and carbon emissions. Development WA was named 2021 Waste Initiative of the Year joint winner in the Waste Sorted Awards
- The City is working with developer Monument at Atop Beeliar to embrace the unique characteristics of this property. As a former quarry site, the topography has enabled a reduced need for imported fill. We also sought to preserve as many of the mature Tuart trees surrounding the edges of the site. The City applied flexibility in terms of the ‘ideal’ parks locations to encourage the developer to keep these trees which now feature strongly in their estate identity and marketing
- The City has also made a commitment in its climate change strategy to explore community ownership models for large-scale renewable energy infrastructure and would welcome partnerships with developers and industry for micro grids, renewable hydrogen generation for transport and similar initiatives.