Metro North-West JDAP - Agenda - Meeting No 23 ... - City of Stirling

Landscaping
The City’s Local Planning Policy No. 6.6 - Landscaping (ATTACHMENT 6) requires
that:
- “In the Balcatta Precinct and the Mixed Business zone, a minimum of onesixth
of the gross site area shall be landscaped. Landscaping should be
provided primarily as buffers to adjacent properties, and along the street
boundary;
- A minimum of 1 tree per 6 bays (Minimum 45 litre for exotics and 11 litre for
natives) is required in open parking areas;
- In the Balcatta Precinct and the Mixed Business zone, a minimum
landscaping strip of 6m wide along a primary road and 1.5m wide along a
secondary road shall be provided, primarily as planting bed.”
In relation to the requirement for one tree every 6 bays for open parking areas, the
applicant has advised that they will be provided 26 trees over 3.0m in height in the
landscaped areas. 55 of the bays will be under cover, leaving 92 bays open to the
sun. If we were to consider that 92 unroofed bays would equate to approximately 15
trees (at a ratio of one tree every six (6) bays), the actual number of trees provided
on site which is 26, is more than the required amount. The variation is considered to
be acceptable given that more trees are being provided on site as a whole when
compared to the compliant requirements. Although the trees will not shade and
provide visual relief between all the bays, a sufficient number of the bays will benefit
from the location of the trees. This variation is considered to be acceptable.
In relation to the proposed percentage of landscaping, the proposed landscaping is
approximately half of what is required by the City’s Landscaping Policy. Any
variations to this policy need to be considered against the objective of the policy
which state:
- To promote improved landscaping provision and design;
- To improve the visual appeal of development, screen service areas and
provide a buffer to boundaries;
- To provide shade and ‘green relief’ in built up areas; and
- To promote more environmentally sustainable landscaping.
In considering the landscaping plan provided, the primary landscaped area is
adjacent to the property boundary, facing Balcatta Road. Given that a large amount
of trees are proposed, it is considered that as viewed from Balcatta Road, the
proposed landscaping would provide shade and green relief in a built up area. The
use of larger trees within the street setbacks will also improve the visual appeal of the
development and provide a buffer between the street and the development. The
landscaped areas included grass, shrubs and trees which will provide for varied and
attractive landscaped areas. This variation is considered to be acceptable.
Building setback
The Mixed Business Design Guidelines state that a minimum 20.0m setback is
required to the building on all primary setback frontages and that the setback area is
only to be used for parking and landscaping areas. In this instance the buildings are
maintained at the required setback, however the basement car park is setback 6.0m
from the street, with an open car parking area over the top. The basement parking
area will only be partially visible from the street. As viewed from the street, the 20.0m
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