The potential of local planning instruments to unlock blue-green solutions for decentralised stormwater management. Driving practice towards a Water Sensitive City

Abstract

Blue - Green (BG) Infrastructure provides a promising solution to create water sensitive cities in the future. This decentralised stormwater management approach mimics nature and delivers multiple benefits for the urban environment, including resilience to climate change effects, stormwater quality as well as urban greening and cooling. Despite known benefits, the uptake of the approach is slow. This thesis investigates the influence of local planning instruments in realising BG Infrastructure in Melbourne, Australia. This city is recognised as a pioneer in Water Sensitive Urban Design (WSUD). Interviews and an online questionnaire with local WSUD practitioners seek to identify influential factors and their role in driving or creating barriers for the approach in local government planning. The results suggest a need for efforts that strengthen institutional and environmental aspects, to ensure that BG Infrastructure is not only physically realised, but also designed optimally, so that ecosystems are protected and measures function over the long term.