Source : the age
In what is believed to be a first for a large-scale housing development in Melbourne’s growth corridors, fake grass is set to be banned throughout a 500-home estate being built on a recently retired 18-hole golf course in the city’s south-east.
The ban on property owners installing artificial turf, which the council says will reduce urban heat in a region that has significantly less tree canopy cover than Melbourne’s average, is written in the fine print of the City of Casey’s approval of the contentious Cranbourne golf course redevelopment.
Casey’s design guidelines for the future Woodhaven estate in Cranbourne North also include the “encouragement” of lighter-coloured and non-reflective roof materials, in another condition aimed at tackling urban heat.
The decision last month to approve Brown Property Group’s $43.6 million, 499-lot subdivision of the northern half of the golf course was the first time Casey councillors had voted on a development proposal since a previous council was sacked by the state government in 2020, during an IBAC investigation into alleged corruption in development decisions.
The housing project – which faced 52 objections before the council’s yes vote – received another planning objection this week, and now faces being challenged in the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal.
The Cranbourne golf course operated for 72 years before its closure in February and is one of the largest green recreational spaces in the City of Casey – Melbourne’s largest municipality – which is home to more than 400,000 people. The project will involve clearing 3.5 hectares of native vegetation, including trees.
In a statement, the council said that in considering the development, it pushed for environmental and community outcomes beyond the minimum requirements of its planning scheme, including a ban on fake turf.
According to research published by NSW’s chief scientist and engineer Professor Hugh Durrant-Whyte in 2022, synthetic turf can reach temperatures hotter than concrete, and can shed fibres into waterways.
City of Casey mayor Stefan Koomen said the council sought to support healthier, more resilient communities as Casey grows.
“When opportunities arise through the planning process, we will continue to push for stronger design outcomes, including more open space, meeting Greening Casey targets, and design guidelines that help reduce urban heat and create cooler, greener neighbourhoods,” he said.
The development also has a target of 30 per cent tree canopy cover in the estate’s streets and public spaces, and 20 per cent overall. Casey’s tree canopy cover is 11.3 per cent, compared with a citywide average of 19.26 per cent. But that figure is bolstered by Casey’s green wedge areas.; parts of new and densely populated suburbs such as Cranbourne West, Cranbourne North, Clyde and Clyde North have just 1 to 5 per cent tree canopy cover, according to a recent council report.
Brown Property Group’s longer-term proposal for the golf course envisions an estate that will eventually include more than 1100 homes.
The company said it had never previously mandated against artificial turf in one of its developments.
“At the Cranbourne Golf Course redevelopment, and in line with our broader sustainability objectives, artificial turf will not be permitted. This approach reflects Woodhaven’s nature-focused vision and long-term commitment to creating a cooler, greener and more liveable community,” a spokesperson said.
Emma Bacon, executive director of climate advocacy group Sweltering Cities, said a ban on synthetic turf has the potential to lower local temperatures by multiple degrees.
“What a lot of people don’t know is that artificial turf can get hotter than concrete, so it’s a real contributor to the urban heat island effect,” she said.
The surface of a synthetic lawn bowls pitch in Mount Gambier, South Australia, reportedly reached 86.7 degrees on a 40-degree day in January, according to thermal imaging recorded by the State Emergency Service.
Bacon said some households might be frustrated by the ban, but it was the council’s responsibility to consider the climate impact of 500 homes, not just one home.
“It’s the council’s responsibility to plan for the future on a larger scale,” Bacon said. “The City of Casey are aware, and many local councils are aware, that they’re going to be left holding the responsibility for managing local heat impacts, both on the environment and on the community.”
Concerns about the environmental and health impacts of synthetic turf led the NSW chief scientist to complete an independent review into its impacts in public open spaces.
Durrant-Whyte’s report found that the contribution of synthetic turf to the urban heat island “is likely to be small” but could contribute through the overall depletion of cooler grass surfaces.
Victoria’s Department of Education also “strongly encourages” schools to use natural grass over synthetic turf, warning that in high heat it places children at risk of heat stress, blisters and burns.
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Adam Carey is senior city reporter (suburban). He has held previous roles including education editor, state political correspondent and transport reporter. He joined The Age in 2007.Connect via X or email.
