Jennifer Howe, Digital Content Manager
Morphum Environmental and Landcare Research have recently collaborated to deliver a guidance document to Nelson City Council and Tasman District Council, which addresses the application of low impact design (LID) in the Tasman and Nelson regions. The LID review has been funded via a grant from the Government operated Envirolink funding scheme, and will inform the development of a new and joined Land Development Manual for the Nelson and Tasman regions.
The scope of Morphum Environmental’s involvement in the LID review included a detailed look into the existing land development manuals, interviews with council staff, an assessment of a number of sites that had LID treatment devices installed in the past and a presentation of the project’s progress to the joint Council LDM Steering Group which incorporated a site visit. Principal Water Resources Strategist Jan Heijs was the primary Morphum Environmental representative for this project. Jan’s wealth of technical expertise, his background working with government bodies and his strong stakeholder engagement skills drove the successful delivery of this project.
What is low impact design?
LID – synonymous to water sensitive design – seeks to reduce negative impacts to the environment arising from land development activities, and to enhance ecological values amid land development and stormwater management initiatives. LID can be best achieved in the early planning stages of a project by seeking to leverage off of existing natural systems where possible, and focussing on issue prevention rather than waiting for problems to arise. The LID review expands upon this view in greater detail by mentioning such things as the installation of swales and rain tanks in place of pipes where possible, soil compaction minimisation and consideration of the use of building materials which are less likely to deposit contaminants onto overland flow paths.