PRECINCT GC3PRIVATE DOMAIN

COMPONENTS AND DESIGN OBJECTIVES

DESIGN RESPONSES AVOID diamond creek north/west

GUIDELINES cont. PRECINCT GC3

LOCATION MAP

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KEY CHARACTERISTICS

• Rolling to hilly topography.

• Curvilinear street layout with many culs de sac as well as some

grid streets.

• Generally sealed roads, a range of kerb and footpath treatments.

• 1970s -1990s dwellings predominate with dwellings from the

1950s in the old town area:

- large site coverage in new areas

- mixed styles and materials.

• Quite highly vegetated in some areas, semi-rural feel around

river and parkland in old town area, limited mature tree canopy in

new estates.

• Significant native vegetation and some exotics in gardens and in

public domain, which are concentrated in certain locations.

• Occasional high canopy native trees combine with substantial

exotic trees occurring at a density of one to every 200m2.

• Some front fences, side fences usually present.

The Precinct Guidelines contained over the page will be used in the assessment of planning applications in residential areas. A separate document,the Shire of Nillumbik Residential Design Guidelines, provides more detail on appropriate methods to achieve the Precinct Guidelines.

Refer to the planning scheme for policies, overlays, and particular provisions which may affect the use and development of land. Check all zoneoverlay and particular provisions in the scheme.

For best results, employ an architect or designer familiar with the particular requirements of building design and siting in the Shire of Nillumbik.

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(7) VEHICLE ACCESS AND STORAGE

To minimise excavation for car access, loss offront garden space and dominance of accessdriveway and car storage facilities.

(8) FRONT BOUNDARY TREATMENT AND FENCING

To maintain and enhance the continuous flowof the garden settings and the openness of thefront boundary treatment.

(9) SUSTAINABILITY AND ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS

To site and design buildings which maximisethe potential for energy conservation and onsite water collection.

(11) CONSTRUCTION AND SITE MANAGEMENT

To minimise site disturbance and containbuilding material, construction waste and dust.

PUBLIC DOMAIN COMPONENTSAND DESIGN OBJECTIVES

(12) STREET TREE PLANTING

To continue the native tree canopy as part of aflowing tree dominated landscape.

(13) FOOTPATHS / VERGES

To retain the garden landscape to the edge ofthe roadway.

To provide separate sealed pedestrian

footpaths along key routes.

(14) ROADWAY TREATMENTS

To retain the sealed roadways with roll overkerb or upstand kerb.

To reduce traffic speed on some collectorroads.

• Locate carports and garages behind the lineof the dwelling or in the rear yard unless thiswould require significant excavation.

• Access drives should follow the contours ofthe site.

• Locate cars in front of the dwelling onlywhere excavation would be required otherwise.

• Provide no front fencing or side fencing visible from the street.

• Provide sufficient space in front for theretention and/or planting of large trees andto retain the garden setting.

• Use timber and rock for retaining walls.

• Orientate buildings to the north.• Building forms should maximise the

potential for solar heating, solar panel installation and rain water harvesting.

• Prepare site works plan showing areas ofdisturbance, storage of materials and theproposed construction zone.

• Contain all building materials and site waste.• Minimise disturbance to existing vegetation

and topsoil with construction, storage ofmaterials and overburden.

• Protect trees by fencing to the drip line.Work vehicles should not be placed onnature strips.

DESIGN RESPONSES

• Retain and replant Australian native canopytrees within the street space in informalavenue layouts.

• Retain and enhance the garden landscape tothe road or footpath edge.

• Continue paved footpaths on all key routes.• In new areas encourage informal layouts of

footpaths to follow contours and respectexisting stands of trees.

• Some traffic calming may be appropriate insome locations.

- Carports and garages forward of thedwelling.

- Large areas of hard paving in the frontyard.

- Long, straight driveways and exposed sidefences.

- Significant excavation works.

- Solid front fences and high retainingwalls.

- Solid side fencing, particularly forward ofthe dwelling.

- Large areas of hard paving in the frontgarden area.

- Absence of trees or large shrubs in thefront garden area.

- Constructed gateways and major retainingwalls.

- Large west facing windows.- Large rainwater collection tanks on small

sites that may be visually intrusive.

- Accumulation of large quantities of building waste on site.

- Stockpiling of materials adjacent to or upagainst existing trees.

- Excavation for underground servicesthrough remnant bush areas or within thedrip line of mature trees.

- Damage to or compaction around allroadside vegetation.

AVOID

- Removal of canopy trees.- New plantings that are not the dominant

species of the area.

- Long straight footpaths.

NEIGHBOURHOOD CHARACTER PRECINCT BROCHURE GC3

THE CHARACTER CONCEPT © AND JOHN CURTIS PTY LTD

* NOTE: The fire risk of each property should be assessed and these guidelines applied appropriately.

PRIVATE DOMAIN COMPONENTS AND

DESIGN OBJECTIVESDESIGN RESPONSES AVOID

GUIDELINES PRECINCT GC3PREFERRED FUTURECHARACTER STATEMENT

Development is sited so that it nestles intothe landform and vegetation, or appears tofloat above the landform (but still within thetree canopy). Buildings maintain thepattern of orientations and setbacks ofadjoining properties and the streetscape.Building forms respond to topographic andvegetation contexts. Some variation occurswhere innovative higher density housinghas and will develop. Driveways and carstorage areas occupy the minimumfunctional area, and excavation and otherearthworks are minimal.

Residential development is generally setamong indigenous trees, although thereare some locations where nativedominates and exotic trees are present.Hillsides of residential development viewedfrom a distance appear to be lushlyvegetated. In typical streetscapes,substantial native trees dominate theskyline and are common in gardens.Garden planting flows uninterrupted to theedge of the roadway.

There is little physical evidence of theboundary between private and publicproperty at the front of the house, and nosolid front fence. Solid side fences mayreach the front property boundary. The‘public’ space between the garden and theroadway is not delineated as a separatespace, and includes informal nativeplantings with some substantial nativetrees. Many footpaths and verges areinformally aligned, but formal footpath-plus-standard-suburban nature striplayouts are common. Sealed roadways,some with roll over kerbs, some withupstand kerbs.

THREATS TO PREFERREDFUTURE CHARACTER

Large, bulky dwellings that dominate thelandscape and penetrate the tree canopy.

Loss of canopy trees.

Introduction of front fences where no frontfences is the dominant pattern.

Dominance of large paved areas (eg.driveways) and bulky garages at front

of site.

Preferred future character:WHAT WE ARE AIMING TO ACHIEVE

Vegetation dominates long distance views, the skyline of streetscape views, and frontgardens.

RELEVANT PRECINCT GUIDELINES

(1) Vegetation retention and landscaping

(4) Position on the site

(5) Height and building form

(8) Front boundary treatment and fencing

(12) Street tree planting

(13) Footpaths / verges

Buildings and structures, which are clearly visible from the street, are sited so as tominimise disruption to landform and vegetation, and maintain the pattern of

orientations and setbacks found in the streetscape.

RELEVANT PRECINCT GUIDELINES

(1) Vegetation retention and landscaping

(2) Footings / touching the ground

(3) Building on sloping sites

(4) Position on the site

(5) Height and building form

(7) Vehicle access and storage

Exterior finishes that blend with existing dwellings.

RELEVANT PRECINCT GUIDELINES

(6) Design detail and building materials

Minimal delineation between public and private spaces is evident from the street.

RELEVANT PRECINCT GUIDELINES

(8) Front boundary treatment and fencing

(12) Street tree planting

(13) Footpaths / verges

(14) Roadway treatments

Site works, landscaping, paths and roadways are informal in style.

RELEVANT PRECINCT GUIDELINES

(1) Vegetation retention and landscaping

(7) Vehicle access and storage

(8) Front boundary treatment and fencing

(12) Street tree planting

(13) Footpaths / verges

(1) VEGETATION RETENTION AND LANDSCAPING*

To maintain the existing mix of native andexotic vegetation including canopy trees andunderstorey.

(2) FOOTINGS / TOUCHING THE GROUND

To minimise site disturbance and impact onthe landscape.

(3) BUILDING ON SLOPING SITES*

(a) To minimise site erosion, the detrimental effects of excavation and the landscape

impact of development.

(b) To minimise the use and visual intrusion

of retaining walls and batters.

(4) POSITION ON THE SITE

To maintain consistency of current front andside setbacks.

(5) HEIGHT AND BUILDING FORM

To ensure that new buildings and extensions donot dominate the streetscape.

(6) DESIGN DETAIL AND BUILDING MATERIALS

To use materials and building details thatcomplement the dominant pattern within thestreetscape.

• Retain existing high canopy trees whereverpossible.

• Retain any remnant indigenous understoreyvegetation and replant where appropriate.

• Removal of existing trees or developmentadjacent to existing indigenous canopy treesmay require an arboricultural report on theeffects on existing vegetation.

• The footings of buildings should minimisethe impact of the building on existing trees.

• Buildings and other development shouldminimise the impact on the natural slope ofthe site by following the topography of thesite.

• Retain existing vegetation and plant groundcovers and plants with substantial root systems, especially on steeply sloping sites.

• Minimise the height of retaining walls.• Minimise the use of retaining walls within

the side and front setback areas.• Minimise the area and angle of any batter.• Use material in walls and batters that are

compatible with the bushland setting.

• The front and side setbacks should matchthe predominant setback and orientation tothe street of nearby dwellings

• Design new buildings and extensions so asnot to exceed the predominant tree canopyheight.

• Site buildings away from the ridge tops toavoid them being visible on the skyline. (Moveto a more appropriate position on the site).

• Buildings near ridge tops should be posi-tioned and designed so as not to protrudeabove the ridgeline, when viewed fromlower areas.

• Use simple elevational treatments whichcomplement rather than dominate the land-scape setting.

• In areas with fewer trees, respect the domi-nant height within the street. Where there isa dominance of single storey dwellings, theheight of the front of the dwelling shouldmatch nearby single storey wall heights.

• Use earthy toned finishes and paint colours.

- Removal of high canopy trees.- Introducing visually dominant exotic

vegetation.

- Extensive excavation for footings adjacentto existing trees.

- Major excavation works to accommodatedwellings or appurtenances.

- Large sealed areas (eg. tennis courts) onsteeply sloping sites or where vegetationremoval is required.

- Use of a mixture of materials.- Batters that exceed a slope of 4 to 1.

- Dwellings or other buildings set furtherforward of the predominant setback.

- High retaining walls along the side setback.

- Insufficient side setbacks that inhibitappropriate landscaping.

- Buildings that penetrate the tree canopy.- Buildings that protrude above the

ridgeline.- Building heights which are out of scale

with the neighbouring buildings.

- Expanses of highly reflective colour ormaterial.