WSP's Waste Management & Circular Economy team led a multidisciplinary team together with Bree Architects, to work with the City of Greater Bendigo in delivering ‘Circular Master Planning’ works across three sites.
The project included the design of Australia's first Circular Economy Commercial Precinct which focuses on receiving, separating and distributing materials to corresponding businesses for reuse, upcycling and remanufacturing or recycling.
It also included the transformation of two existing transfer stations into small scale Circular Economy Hubs for the local community that will offer initiatives such as repair cafes, tool libraries, training facilities, workshops and large-scale resale shops.
This pioneering project is driven by City of Greater Bendigo’s commitment to ‘Building a Circular Greater Bendigo’ as reflected in the City’s Climate Change and Environment Strategy 2021-2026. This commitment will explore the development of circular economy solutions within the region to shift how Greater Bendigo consumes resources, moving from a linear approach to a circular approach where the value of resources is retained for as long as possible at their highest value.
Pivotal for this project is WSP’s holistic approach to master planning which includes a detailed review of existing and forecasted waste and materials volumes to identify key requirements for the transfer stations, along with emerging opportunities for the Circular Economy Precinct and the Hubs.
Engaging the community for greater collaboration
WSP’s proactive stakeholders’ engagement and co-design sessions with the established CoGB working group were also key to the successful delivery of this complex project, ensuring that on the ground knowledge and community expectations were reflected into the proposed design.
Our approach to support the transformation of these circular economy hubs embedded within the community includes:
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A detailed review of existing and forecasted waste and material volumes to identify key spatial requirements for the Circular Economy Commercial Precinct and associated transfer stations, including the preparation of waste flow diagrams
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Stakeholders’ engagement to understand current waste management practices at the existing sites, as well as key challenges and opportunities for improvements.
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Stakeholder consultation to identity targeted customers with a focus on Small-Medium Enterprise (SME) local businesses for the Circular Economy Commercial Precinct
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Collaborative design sessions with the established working group to ensure that on-the-ground knowledge and community expectations are reflected into the proposed design
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A review of Australian and international case studies to identify various opportunities for circular economy initiatives and landfill rehabilitation, and to assess their relevance to the local Bendigo context
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Development of vision boards and graphics to present the Circular Economy Commercial Precinct and Hub concepts to the working group. Eight focus areas were explored: Interactive Centre Activities, Resource Recovery Features, Sustainable and Circular Building Design, Sustainable and Circular Materials, Passive Recreation and Uses, Landscaping, Road Access and Vehicles and Smart Technology
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Preparation of master plan drawings in collaboration with Bree Architects and WSP Traffic, Civil and Sustainability teams. The proposed layout considered key operational elements such as traffic flows and movement safety, optimised materials separation, opportunities for industrial symbiosis as well as consideration for the surrounding built areas and site contours
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Preparation of preliminary cost estimates in collaboration with a Quantity Surveyor and investigation of potential funding opportunities
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Presentation of the final package (master plan drawings and cost estimates) to the working group to inform the next stages of the design, and supports the grant application process.
The presentation of the final master planning package to the working group informed the next stages of the design and supported the grant application process.
This innovative project will facilitate City of Greater Bendigo's transition towards a circular economy where waste is valued as a local resource, waste to landfill is minimised, carbon emissions are reduced, and new employment opportunities are optimised.
Leading the circular economy conversation
WSP draws upon our local and international expertise where we have successfully delivered several projects with Circular Economy principles at their core.
Leading the way in the transition to a circular economy through design choices, WSP also collaborated with NSW Office of Energy and Climate Change in unleashing the circular potential of the construction industry using a Future Ready™ approach.
Future Ready is WSP’s innovative approach to thinking beyond the conventional so that we can plan, design and deliver infrastructure that’s ready for today’s code and tomorrow’s challenges.
For the Arden Precinct project, we analysed future ready trends through four lenses: Climate, Society, Technology and Resources.
Download and explore the Arden Precinct case study through a Future Ready lens.
