Water Sensitive SA

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Review of green infrastructure and water sensitive urban design policy

2 October 2019

Water Sensitive SA¹ has now released the Perspectives on performance-based planning provisions and assessment frameworks for green infrastructure and water sensitive urban design (WSUD) report (PDF).

This paper provides:

  • detailed evidence of the need for policy reform in relation to green infrastructure and water sensitive urban design
  • a stocktake of existing policy and tools being applied locally, interstate and internationally to achieve the proposed urban greening and water management objectives
  • recommendations to support the urban green cover targets and the water sensitive urban design strategies within The 30 Year Plan for Greater Adelaide.

The Perspectives report has been created to inform comment on the recently released draft Planning and Design Code. Key aspects of the Phase 3 Urban Areas Code Policy relevant to the Perspectives report are discussed in our news article, New Planning and Design Code: Will it deliver urban greening?  With strong, clear provisions in the Planning and Design code, we can build resilience to some of the more extreme impacts of climate change and population growth, while decreasing health costs, improving water quality and enhancing urban greening and biodiversity.

The principles of water sensitive urban design and greening can be effectively applied at every scale – in open spaces with integrated stormwater wetlands; streetscapes and laneways; and residential and commercial developments. Everyone has a role to play in creating cooler, greener communities.

Stay informed

Our Cooler, greener Adelaide What’s new page will keep you informed of our formal response to the Planning and Design Code and other initiatives that support urban greening and water sensitive urban design.

Upcoming events

At our upcoming Cooler, greener Adelaide + the new Planning and Design Code community workshops you will learn how to navigate the Code and understand how the draft policies can support urban greening and smarter water management. Dates and venues to be advised.


¹ In collaboration with Department for Environment and Water, Department of Planning, Transportation and Infrastructure and our partners

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Acknowledgement of Country

Water Sensitive SA acknowledges Aboriginal people as the First Peoples and Nations of the lands and waters we live and work upon, and we pay our respects to their Elders past, present and emerging. We acknowledge and respect the deep spiritual connection and the relationship that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have to Country.