INFRASTRUCTURE GUIDELINES SA

Benefits

A set of common guidelines for civil infrastructure: 

• enables clarity and consistency in design standards within and across Councils, regardless of the creator or manager of the infrastructure. This assists Councils as well as developers and others who work across Council boundaries, all of whom can operate from the same set of guidelines;

• assists in standardising development submissions and expediting Council engineering approvals;

• ensures that new and upgraded infrastructure is of a consistent minimum standard that meets legislative requirements and achieves sustainability objectives;

• provides considerable cost savings for both Councils and developers through the sharing of financial and human resources to develop and maintain a single comprehensive resource; 

• supports innovation and the sharing of best practice learning across the group of member Councils;

• contributes to good governance in local government. By documenting and publishing clear infrastructure standards, a Council demonstrates openness, transparency and accountability in its business;

• provides a training document for all relevant staff.

 

The guidelines are flexible enough to meet specific situations and can be adapted to suit a Council’s needs. 

The guidelines can be applied to a Council's own infrastructure as well as that which is developed by others (statutory authorities, community and developers) but will ultimately be under a Council's care and control.

 

All South Australian Councils are encouraged to formally adopt these guidelines with the overall aim of reducing costs through efficiencies, good design, good construction and consideration of whole of life factors.

 

Its primary objectives are to:

• clearly document Council requirements for the design and development of infrastructure that is, or will become, the responsibility of the Council;

• standardise development submissions as much as possible and expedite Council’s engineering approvals;

• ensure that minimum design criteria are met in the design and construction of infrastructure within the Council area;

• Recognise and address issues currently impacting on land development, in particular sustainability, integrated water cycle management, timeliness and affordability.