Experience talks: the views of planners regarding the ability of the New South Wales planning system to implement ecologically sustainable development (ESD)

Abstract

This paper locates Ecologically Sustainable Development (ESD) as the only credible overarching policy objective for contemporary planning systems and presents six key policy and governance areas where a planning system's ability to implement ESD is determined. Through the analysis of face-to-face interviews, the paper provides a snapshot of the issues and concerns of local government planners regarding the ability of the NSW planning system to implement ESD. It is found that, despite the content of aspirational documents and in the context of reform agendas that prioritise economic growth, the NSW planning system is currently not well placed to implement ESD. A degree of consensus is found regarding the particular legislative, structural and cultural factors that work to impede the implementation of ESD in NSW: an overly narrow view of the role of planning; a focus on development assessment at the expense of strategic planning; insufficient statutory weight given to ESD; and a lack of policy integration at State government level. Perhaps most significantly, given the review of planning legislation currently being undertaken in NSW, this paper identifies a package of policy and governance reform directions that together will promote more effective implementation of ESD in the future.

Comparative Study of Sustainable Development Planning in Southeast Asia Countries

“…However, many countries have experienced practical difficulties in integrating the three dimensions and putting the concept into operation [6]. Some scholars such as Roberts et al [7], Moles et al [8], Taylor and Hamnett in William [9], Nolon and Salkin [10] advocate the role of planning to achieve sustainable development.…”

“…Sustainable development planning is an aspect of strategic management that countries have significant experience with and are quite good at [12]. Furthermore, Williams [9] proposes strategic planning as the most appropriate place to integrate Ecologically Sustainable Development (ESD) into the planning system. More importantly, Roughley [13] proposes framework of sustainable development planning as the basis value for ecologically sustainable planning with its eco-centric philosophy and social justice principles.…”

Sustainable housing at a neighbourhood scale

“…Other institutional barriers for urban sustainability have also been identified. In the context of neoliberalism, a lack of appropriate resourcing for planning in general, and especially at the local government level, is an impediment to the implementation of ESD (Williams 2013). The staffing and resources of local governments matter for their ability to develop visionary policy frameworks and achieve sustainable neighbourhood outcomes in negotiations with property developers and consultants.…”

“…Ecologically Sustainable Development (ESD) has been a goal for urban and regional planning in Australia since the 1990s (Williams 2013). It is pursued through two approaches: sustainable patterns of urban growth, and improvements in built environment performance.…”

“…1. Introduction: sustainable housing at a neighbourhood scale Nevertheless, local governments can be important actors for achieving higher standards through local planning processes (Collia and March 2012;Williams 2013). There are examples, such as in Victoria, where local councils implemented more stringent requirements for sustainability assessments and affected state policy changes.…”