The proposed 140 residential home development at Gracetown is being designed to set new benchmarks in sustainable living.
The concept for the proposed development seeks to implement new thinking and new designs to influence changes in the way we develop communities.
Not only does the concept plan design follow the natural topography of the land, with lot orientation designed to provide maximum northern exposure and passive solar access, it takes sustainability to a new level.
The development will help provide the town with a self-sufficient and sustainable water supply and wastewater treatment plant, which will help to restore the quality of ground water and improve surface water quality.
Renewable energies will provide the energy needed to power existing homes and the new residential development – ultimately reducing traditional household energy consumption by 50 per cent.
Importantly, community input has played a vital role in building the vision for a low-impact design, incorporating sustainability principles, which maintains and incorporates the character of the existing townsite.
Key features of the concept plan for the residential development include:
Preservation of up to 40 per cent of the natural environment within the development site
Provision of a self-sufficient water supply and wastewater treatment plant – improving ground and surface water for the townsite
The use of renewable energy sources including individually roof-mounted 1.5kW photovoltaic cells for solar power generation, with excess power being diverted back into the grid as power credits; solar hot water systems; wind power to operate the wastewater treatment plant; and the use of Synergy’s ‘Green Power’
Reduced reliance on motor vehicles through the creation of pedestrian oriented community and public space areas
Maximised north-south lot orientation to take advantage of sunlight and sea breezes
The 14.42ha proposed sustainable residential development site is located on adjoining land south east of the townsite and is bounded by Langley Crescent, Salter Street, the former tip site and the Cape Leeuwin-Naturaliste National Park.
After listening to community concerns, we have withdrawn Town Planning Scheme Amendment 198 from the Shire of Augusta Margaret River, which proposed a limited low rise eco-style tourist accommodation facility at Gracetown.
We have also withdrawn any reference to a tourist facility from the draft structure plan which will shortly be submitted to the Shire for consideration and community comment prior to any approval being granted.
We will not pursue investigation into the potential for a tourist facility in any form unless requested to in the future by State Cabinet.
Existing recreational facilities, including the oval, community hall and tennis courts,
which were not impacted by the proposed amendment, will remain zoned as parks and recreation for continuing community use (subject to any future changes that the
Shire may propose).
A detailed traffic management plan has been prepared, as part of the of the structure plan to quantify the expected traffic movements generated by the new development.
The traffic management plan also reviews Gracetown’s current traffic levels, pedestrian networks and parking nodes and includes strategies to support the proposed new developments.
The concept plan for the proposed new residential development has been designed to reduce traffic flow within the site – with ring roads surrounding the development and pedestrian pathways to encourage walking within the town.
The structure plan outlines the actions proposed to manage traffic as a result of the proposed development.
Roads and pedestrian pathways for the existing townsite will be reviewed with the Shire for upgrading as part of this.
The State Government has committed to transferring approximately 240 hectares of crown land, which was gazetted townsite, back into the Leeuwin Naturaliste National Park.
Planning for the proposed developments is also underpinned by strong sustainability principles and indicators (such as reducing building footprints, solar passive design and retention of 40 per cent of the natural vegetation in the developable area) to minimise any negative impact on Cowaramup Bay.
This transfer of land will be managed through State Land Services which is part of the Department or Regional Development and Lands.
United Utilities Australia has been identified as the preferred water service provider to build, own and operate the recycled water treatment plant.
LandCorp will now work with United Utilities Australia to design the recycled water infrastructure and seek a license from the Economic Regulatory Authority (ERA).
The cost to retrofit homes will vary depending on the construction of the home. Connection costs are estimated to be approximately $2,500-$4,000 to connect to the recycled water supply and $3,700-$6,000 to connect to the sewer system. A site survey and quote from a qualified plumber will be the best way to determine the cost to the individual landowner, with costs also reduced when multiple households are connected.
The locations of the sewers and non-drinking system would be under the existing road/verge areas within the town where possible. Due to the topography of Gracetown, some connections for the sewer will need to be either at the back of lots or through a low-pressure system.
The connection of the non–drinking system will be dependent on each individual house. As the toilets and laundry and the associated plumbing, of most homes, are located on external walls, the connection of the sewer would likely occur at the point of current disposal (septic tank). This would make it a simple diversion of the existing connection to the septic tank.
Further information on the locations of any sewer or non-drinking network will become available during the preliminary and detailed design stages.
There should be little need to disturb concrete or paved areas.
By using water-efficient appliances and providing a separate non-drinking water supply, a 45,000L tank should be sufficient to supply sustainable drinking water needs (kitchen, showers, basins etc) 99 per cent of the time, which is the reliability recommended by the Commonwealth Government. The tank size has been calculated using 30 years of rainfall records and assuming a typical roof area of 230sqm.
By adopting the recommended water efficiency measures, the annual household demand on a drinking water supply will be reduced from 160.2kL/house/year (439L/house/day) to 99.3kL/house/year (272L/house/day).
A standard 45,000L tank occupies an area of approximately 20-25sqm, which can be accommodated on a 300sqm block. Traditional-style tanks come in a variety of sizes and colours, with companies stocking many different sizes, ranging from 450 litres to 13,500 litres in a range of colours to suit any environment.
Tanks suitable for those short on space, for example slimline and modular tanks, can be attached to a wall on the side of the house, allowing the tank to blend in seamlessly with the outdoor environment. An innovative under-house water storage system is also available. Incorporating a large bladder style rainwater tank, pump, pressure control unit and plumbing connections, it gives residents the freedom to store their rainwater out of sight under the house or deck, regardless of property size.
Photovoltaic cells will be required for each new dwelling. At this stage it is anticipated that existing householders will need to pay to install the solar option for their homes. Existing households will be encouraged to adopt sustainability initiatives, but take up will be the choice of individual owners.
The capital cost of incorporating a 1.5kW household photovoltaic (solar) system and gas boosted solar hot water system would be roughly $6,500-$8,000 (with the opportunity to reduce costs if householders determine to purchase as a group to achieve a bulk discount.) However, over a 15-year lifetime, using these options would be a more economic way of supplying energy than using either conventional energy or Synergy’s Natural Power scheme.
As electricity prices rise the payback period will be even less and the economic benefits greater.
LandCorp could also assist householders in the new development with assistance by:
Organising for bulk discount with suppliers
Organising for the installation companies to assist householders with receiving the Government rebates
No, electricity credits would be paid as credits against the amount of electricity used, not income credits.
Synergy operates a net metering system for residential customers using photovoltaic systems to supplement their power. In the case where more power is generated than is used, a credit is given to use against future electricity consumption. This in turn would lead to a significant reduction in the cost of electricity for the household.
The plan proposes that all of the power in the new development will be underground. The option of sinking power services in the existing townsite was raised at the Community Information Day. LandCorp will explore the opportunities to do this and report back to property owners in due course.
The expected energy requirements for the preferred wastewater treatment plant are an average of 403kWh/ per day - about 24 times the average Australian home, which uses about 16.8kWh/ per day and 6000kWh/ per year.
Apart from using one of the ‘GreenPower’ schemes to supply the power for this system, two alternative renewable options have been analysed – a small grid connected small wind turbine system and a grid connected solar system.
Lifecycle economic analysis has shown that due to the reliable wind resource at Gracetown, the grid connected small wind turbine system is not only the most sustainable method of providing power to meet the energy requirements of the preferred wastewater treatment plan but is also the most economical – more economical than the traditional electricity grid.
Two or three small (20kW) wind turbines could be installed on the former tip site, behind the new townsite, below the ridgeline, and therefore not visible from Caves Road. This system would be connected to the grid via underground cables.
You can register your interest by either visiting www.landcorp.com.au, use the project finder to select Gracetown and filling in the register your interest section of the website or by contacting LandCorp’s South West Information line on 1300 730 594.
No specific commercial site is being planned as part of the proposed development. It is anticipated the existing commercial area of the townsite will continue to meet Gracetown’s needs.
