Eliza Kane

For the Ecology City: Quarry Futures studio, my proposal for our focus site - the Austral Bricks Wollert quarry - is a strategy for the delivery of a sustainable industrial precinct. The overarching objective for the industrial precinct is that it be sustainably integrated with, as well as support, the natural landscape and biodiversity surrounding the quarry site. Drawing on my experience and interests in decarbonising the built environment, the strategy includes changes to the planning controls, as well as more ambitious carbon impact assessment frameworks and design strategies, to promote net-zero carbon emissions and biodiversity sensitive outcomes for the industrial precinct.

Austral Bricks Wollert Quarry - Zoning Map

The map depicts the current zones which apply to the Austral Bricks Wollert quarry site. The current planning controls recognise and facilitate both the use and development of the land for extractive and quarrying activity, and the protection of the surrounding natural environment (including the nearby Merri Creek and the indigenous flora and fauna).

Austral Bricks Wollert Quarry – Proposed Planning Controls Map

The rezoning strategy for the Austral Bricks Wollert quarry uses the standard tools available under the Victorian Planning Provisions, as well as those utilised for the development of growth areas. The proposed changes to the current planning controls – being the preparation of a Precinct Structure Plan, rezoning the area to Urban Growth Zone and applying a Design and Development Overlay - are intended to align the planning controls for the site more strongly with the overarching sustainability objectives, and to facilitate the development of the industrial precinct.

Re-imagined Austral Bricks Wollert Quarry – industrial precinct strategies

The strategy for the industrial precinct also involves adopting alternative carbon impact assessment tools for the design and construction of built form (i.e. Whole Lifecycle Carbon Assessments) and implementing biodiversity sensitive urban design strategies. These strategies are motivated by limitations of standard planning tools to achieve low-carbon and biodiversity sensitive outcomes in the built environment. The proposal for the industrial precinct imposes more ambitious carbon impact assessment and environmentally sensitive design obligations – to ensure the development of the industrial precinct aligns with the vision for the re-imagined Austral Bricks Wollert quarry.

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