What Councils Commonly Require in an Environmental Management Plan (VIC)
Environmental Management Plans (EMPs) are routinely requested by Victorian councils during planning or building permit processes. These documents help demonstrate that environmental impacts during construction will be managed in a practical and consistent way.
This guide outlines what councils commonly expect to see in an EMP, to help designers, planners and builders understand the typical structure and documentation requirements. This article is informational only and does not constitute engineering or certified environmental advice.
Why Councils Request EMPs
Councils use EMPs to assess whether a project has considered and documented:
Environmental impacts during construction
Proposed mitigation measures
How site activities will be controlled
Roles and responsibilities on the project
Compliance with relevant local policies
The goal is clarity, not technical modelling. Most Victorian councils expect the document to summarise risks and controls in a clean, structured format.
Basic Structure Councils Commonly Expect
While formats differ between councils, most EMPs include:
Site description
Location
Surrounding context
Any known environmental sensitivities
Project overview
Type of construction
Expected duration
Key on-site activities
Environmental risks
Councils typically expect coverage of:
Sediment and erosion risks (documentation only)
Waste generation
Dust and air quality impacts
Noise and vibration
Site access issues
Potential impacts on vegetation or drainage
Mitigation measures
This is where the EMP outlines practical controls such as:
Sediment control notes
Dust suppression practices
Waste handling arrangements
Noise/time-of-day management
Spill response procedures
Roles and responsibilities
Councils often ask for:
Who manages site compliance
Who monitors controls
Reporting expectations
Monitoring and housekeeping
EMPs normally include:
Inspection frequency
General housekeeping standards
Record keeping
Common Council Comments When EMPs Are Insufficient
Across Victoria, councils frequently request revisions for the following reasons:
Insufficient detail about sediment controls
Lack of practical mitigation measures
Missing site access information
No description of construction methodology
No mention of waste handling or storage
Generic, copy-paste controls not aligned to the site
Most feedback relates to clarity rather than technical deficiencies.
What EMPs Do Not Cover
To prevent misunderstandings, it is important to note what EMPs do not provide:
No hydrological design
No engineered ESC modelling
No contamination assessment
No ecological surveys
No certification of compliance
No technical engineering analysis
The EMP is a practical documentation tool, not a technical design document.
Who Typically Prepares EMPs
In Victoria, EMPs are commonly prepared by:
Building designers
Planning consultants
Builders
Specialist documentation providers
Most small to mid-size residential projects rely on clear, document-focused EMPs rather than engineering reports.
How Builders and Designers Can Streamline EMP Submission
To reduce council turnaround times:
Confirm any specific council guidance notes
Clearly describe site activities
Avoid generic text that does not reflect the project
Provide clear, simple lists rather than long narrative sections
Maintain a consistent structure across documents
Conclusion
EMPs play a practical role in demonstrating construction-phase environmental management. Councils primarily want clarity, consistency and relevant detail, rather than technical modelling or engineering design.
For more information on EMP preparation, see Attera’s service page:
Environmental Management Plans (EMP)
