heidelberg - kinglake road (main road) precinct · web viewuse a mix of materials, textures and...

Hurstbridge Design GuidelinesHeidelberg - Kinglake Road (Main Road) PrecinctFinal - March 2013

Nillumbik Shire Council - Design Guidelines - Hurstbridge (Heidelberg Kinglake Road) Precinct

Hurstbridge (Heidelberg-Kinglake Road) Design Guidelines

1.1 Heidelberg-Kinglake Road Precinct

The Heidelberg-Kinglake Road Precinct is the key corridor that intersects the Hurstbridge Township and serves principally as the Town Centre. The precinct accommodates a range of activities including commercial, retail, residential, industrial developments and community/ public transport services.

These Design Guidelines have been prepared to guide the future development of land within this main street setting and build upon the recommendations of Council’s Neighbourhood Character Policy, relevant studies and residential guidelines. The map indicates the extent of the Hurstbridge Heidelberg-Kinglake Road Precinct and the affected properties.

The purpose of this document is to inform anyone who is interested or involved in the planning and development process (landowners, designers, developers, community, Council etc) to better understand how to suitably respond to local planning policies, in particular Clause 22.12 – Neighbourhood Character Policy. Key objectives of this policy include:

To ensure that development is responsive to the preferred character of the area.

To retain and enhance the identified elements that contribute to the character of the area.

To recognise the potential for change as a result of new social and economic conditions, changing housing preferences and State and local housing policies

While the Neighbourhood Character Study and Residential Design Guidelines identifies land within the study area as Bush Garden and Semi Bush Character Types. For the purpose of these Design Guidelines, common place values and design objectives have been taken into consideration to ensure the Hurstbridge Heidelberg-Kinglake Road Precinct is unified in its presentation and supports development that is sympathetic to its landscape and heritage context.

Use this design guideline document to assist in the design phases for all new development within the Heidelberg-Kinglake Road Precinct to ensure the preferred character of the area is realised.


1.2 The Hurstbridge Township Existing Characteristics

The Hurstbridge Township has a strong sense of a ‘rural village’ atmosphere, attributed by its confined township boundary, main street format and low building scale. The Township’s ‘rural village’ image is reinforced with historic buildings, informal layout of streets, significant native vegetation cover and panoramic views towards the hills from the town centre.

1.2.1 Existing Quality and Tones

The following provides a summary and illustration of key existing textural qualities available within the Heidelberg-Kinglake Road Precinct :

Dense Bushland Garden Setting

Earthy Colours and Muted Tones

Traditional Residential Materials (i.e. brick, timber and corrugated iron)

Natural and Textured Materials

1.2.2 Existing Form and Pattern

The following provides a summary and illustration of key typical building and landscape features within the Precinct:

Rolling Topography with Extensive Native Vegetation Cover


Low Scaled Buildings and Varied Front Setbacks

Pitched, Gabled and Angled Roof Forms

Strong Presence of Heritage Buildings

Open Streetscapes and Low Fencing

1.3 The Preferred Character

Development responds to topographic, vegetation and historical context. Buildings maintain the pattern of orientations and setbacks of adjoining properties of the streetscape. Driveways, car parking and storage areas do not dominate the developments’ presentation from the street and minimises the extent of excavation and earth works.

Development provides ample opportunities for canopy landscaping to thrive and maintain a silhouette of substantial indigenous / native canopy trees to dominate the skyline. Landscaping will define front boundaries and front fencing (if required) will be discrete in profile and in scale.

The ‘public’ space between front boundaries and the roadway includes an avenue of native canopy trees and informal planting of shrubs/plants within the verges. Footpaths will be formal and include a special paving treatment to signify a unified pedestrian zone.

1.4 The Design Guidelines Structure

These design guidelines are intended to ensure that new development provides an appropriate response to the preferred character of the Hurstbridge Heidelberg-Kinglake Road Precinct.

The Hurstbridge Heidelberg-Kinglake Road Precinct Design Guidelines is structured around 4 themes including the following:

1. Site Design (SD): Covers aspects which relate to the existing qualities of the land such as vegetation, topography and land form, streetscape character and pattern and development configuration.

2. Building Design (BD): Focuses on the design on the building. It provides guidance on the desired scale, building form, appearance, and material treatments.

3. Building Context (BC): Pays attention to the landscape and access areas around the development. It also provides guidance on ancillary features including signage and lighting.

4. Public Domain (PD): Provides information on how public places such as streets and civic spaces should be designed to enhance the local character of the area.


Within each theme, a set of objectives, guidelines and design directions provide advice on good design measures that should be considered in all new developments within the Hurstbridge Heidelberg-Kinglake Road Precinct.


Site Design Guidelines

SD01: Site Analysis

Objective:

Ensure the building design is site and context responsive.

Design Guidelines and Directions:

New applications should provide statements/ detail in regards to:

Site location, orientation and key views to and from the site

Proximity to services and open space

Existing vegetation

Existing heritage attributes or if abutting any heritage buildings

Response to the design guidelines

SD02: Vegetation

Objective:

Protect, retain and enhance significant vegetation and landscape that contributes to the character and integrity of the corridor.


a. Lots affected by a Significant Landscape Overlay 2 & 3 (shown on the planning scheme map) must comply with the Landscape Character Objectives and Permit Requirements as stated in the schedule.

b. Minimise the removal of vegetation, particularly established canopy trees, when planning site development. Design the layout of buildings to integrate existing canopy landscape within courtyards and building setbacks.

c. Development should retain the sense of a strong canopy tree silhouette behind the buildings.

d. Avoid damage to environmentally and ecologically sensitive areas. Apply appropriate protection zones/ buffers around established trees and/ or sensitive areas.


SD03: Topography

Objective:

Ensure development integrates with the surrounding landscape and minimises disturbance to the natural landform.


a. Site buildings to avoid extensive cut and fill.

b. Minimise earthworks and visual impact by using split level design on larger sites.

c. Step development to follow contours and the prevailing slope of the land.

d. Access driveways should also follow the contour profile and avoid significant excavation works.

e. Minimise the use and reliance on retaining walls and batter walls. If required, they should appear inconspicuous (no greater than 500mm high) and constructed with natural materials such as stone, timber and textured materials.


SD04: Streetscape Pattern

Objective:

Promote attractive and coherent streetscapes that emphasise a generous landscaped quality between buildings.


a. Apply consistent front setbacks with neighbouring buildings.

b. Development located on street corners should have regard to prevailing setback distances to both streets.

c. Apply side setbacks of at least 2m to allow for landscaping along boundaries to occur and present regular gaps within the streetscape.

d. Development on large sites should emulate the subdivision pattern of the streetscape. Incorporate articulated facades with building reliefs to correspond with the prevailing pattern.

e. Subdivision of a site should conserve the setting of the streetscape. Allow for sufficient space to retain garden areas where it prevails.

f. Development adjacent to buildings built close to the street should adopt similar front setbacks. Note: If development is adjacent to a heritage building with front garden setback, stagger the building to provide an appropriate transition.


SD05: Functionality

Objective:

Establish safe, functional, practical developments that contribute to the urban structure of the corridor.


a. Minimise the number of vehicle cross-overs entering the site. Vehicle access points should be separate from pedestrian access points.

b. Entry and exit points should be adequately signed and include sufficient lighting.

c. Street façade and ground floor internal layout should allow visual and physical access to adjoining public realm/street.

d. Locate private open spaces/ key active areas to face a northerly and/or easterly direction.

e. Footpaths leading to the building entrance should be:

no greater than 1.4m in width

constructed with materials consistent with the street footpath such as brick pavers, finished concrete, crushed rock and aggregate finishes.


SD06: Sustainability

Objective:

Establish energy efficient development that are appropriate to local conditions and climate.


a. Incorporate as relevant, integrated water and storm water management practices such as water recycling and reuse, rain gardens and other related WSUD measures. The water management related equipment such as water tanks should be positioned to the rear of the building or placed underground.

b. Position windows to allow for natural cross ventilation.

c. Provide external shading devices to control heat gain.

d. Incorporate extended eaves to allow winter sun and restrict summer sun.

e. Maximise opportunities for best practice sustainable building design including but not limited to passive heating and cooling, building insulation, double glazing, materials that promote efficient use of thermal mass and considered planting of vegetation.


Building Design Guidelines

BD01: Building Height and Form

Objectives:

Ensure buildings are discrete in form and incorporate interesting spaces and projections rather than present as solid bulky structures.

Ensure buildings are sympathetic to existing heritage stock within the corridor.


a. Buildings should reinforce the low scaled ‘village’ atmosphere of Hurstbridge. Buildings of taller scale should be recessive in form to emphasise a human scale relationship with the street.

b. Buildings should not exceed two storeys (7.5 metres) at the street frontage.

c. On large and deep sites, buildings of up to 3 storeys (9m max) may be acceptable if it can be demonstrated that the 3rd storey form will not be visible from the opposite side of the street.

d. Apply sufficient side setbacks to upper levels to allow for canopy planting which can screen a two storey wall from neighbouring properties and oblique views from the street.

e. Development should not extend above the canopy silhouette behind buildings.


BD02: Building Style and Façade Composition

Objectives:

Promote building designs that are sympathetic to nearby heritage developments within the corridor.

Ensure buildings do not distort historic evidence of heritage places by copying or reproducing historic styles or detailing.

Encourage buildings that reflects a residential appearance with consistent roof styles, materials and verandah treatments that are common in the area.


a. Avoid the demolition of buildings that contribute to heritage value of the corridor.


b. Ensure building ridge lines, wall parapets and verandah levels respond to adjoining heritage buildings.

c. Buildings should be contemporary in style and incorporate simple building elements. Excessive decoration and historical reproduction styles (i.e. Mock Victorian) are discouraged.

d. Use techniques such as interpreting and simplifying the prevailing building characteristics available in the area. As an example, incorporate similar roof forms and proportionate façade elements and materials drawn from existing building stock.

e. Position front entrance to face the primary street.

f. Ensure window placement corresponds with any regular pattern from adjoining heritage buildings.

g. Buildings located on corner sites should address both streets and incorporate ‘multi-sided’ façade treatments. Apply a feature architectural element that ‘wraps’ around the corner of the building.

h. The profile and height of new verandahs should continue the prevailing pattern within the streetscape.

i. Incorporate treatments that lighten the building form such as glazed balconies, transparent balustrading and fenestration. Ensure the front façade does not present as a solid blank wall.

j. Incorporate strong sense of vertical and horizontal divisions in the façade to break up expansive areas of walling. Such divisions should be strategically applied to correspond with key lines available within the streetscape (such as roof parapets, façade elements, and subdivision pattern).

k. Apply varying material treatments to exposed side elevations. Use at least 2 different material types combined with building recesses and projections to ensure the side walls are attractive and well articulated.

l. Service related areas and equipment should be located away from public view or adequately screened.


BD03: Roof Form

Objective:

Promote roof styles that are respectful to heritage and residential buildings within the corridor and establish a consistent ‘roofscape’ image.


a. Traditional roof styles within the area are predominantly pitched, gabled and hipped and constructed with corrugated galvanised iron. New building should incorporate similar roof designs.

b. Avoid curved and flat roof forms. Skillion roofs may be considered but must respond to the angles and lines available in the street and adjoining buildings.

c. Roof should appear simple in design without fussy detail and decoration.


d. Apply extended eaves (of at least 450mm in depth) to the roof design. This will enhance the presentation of the building and assist in controlling sun light penetration.

e. Use materials on roofs and car ports that are matte in finish and low in reflectivity.

BD04: Materials, Colours, Hues and Texture

Objective:

Encourage a diverse range of material and colours that complement the main street and landscape setting.


a. Use a range of subdued and natural tones such as cream, stone tan, ochre and unpainted brickwork on walls and grey, light stone, ferric red or mid-green on roofs as primary colours.

b. Strategically apply accent colours on key building features at entrances, corner elements, etc such as light brown, rich brown, indian red, brunswick green, olive green and prussian blue.

c. Draw upon the surrounding landscape as an inspiration for the colour palette selection on external walls. Seek to also match tones that are present on heritage buildings within the area.

d. Use a mix of materials, textures and finishes including lightweight cladding, timber, render, non masonry sheeting, glazing, stone, brick, mud-brick and iron roofing.

e. Avoid large expanses of uninterrupted walls (breadth of 5m) of a singular surface treatment.

f. Ensure a balanced use of ‘heavy’ and ‘light’ weight treatments. Walls detailed with natural stone and masonry such as brickwork (including rendered), rammed earth or mud brick will create an appearance of mass and weight. Such wall treatments should be offset with features that offer a light weight appearance such as verandahs, pergolas, and balanced areas of glazing.


Building Context Guidelines

BC01: Access and Parking

Objectives:

Ensure driveways, garages and carports do not dominate the streetscape image.

Ensure the design of parking and access areas is safe, practical and attractive.


a. The number of vehicle crossovers should be limited to 1 on standard size lots. On larger sites and consolidated lots, rationalise the number vehicle entry points. On a corner site, locate the vehicle entry point to be accessed from the side street.

b. Avoid locating car parking in front of the building. Position parking areas to the sides or rear of the building combined with extensive screen landscaping.

c. Garages, carports and service areas should not present to the street. Locate such elements to the rear of the development.

d. Open car parking areas and access ways should be constructed with permeable surfaces. Use materials that reflect a ‘textured’ quality such as compacted earth, stone, crushed rock, gravel, granitic sand etc. to merge with the bush setting. Hard surface paving should be treated to complement the landscape of the area.

e. Plant a combination of indigenous canopy trees and shrubs to provide shade in car parks and screen parking areas from adjoining properties and public spaces.

f. Car parking spaces or associated access ways should not infringe on parkland.


BC02: Boundary Treatments - Landscape

Objective:

Reinforce a strong presence of native vegetation within private allotments when viewed from the street.


a. Apply a ‘layered’ landscaping regime which incorporates canopy trees, shrub planting and low lying plants.

b. Use plant/ tree species that are native/ indigenous to the local area. Avoid planting exotic species.

c. Minimise broad areas of lawn to reduce reliance on water use. As an alternative, plant native and drought tolerant grasses that will complement the surrounding bush garden setting.


BC03: Boundary Treatments - Fencing

Objective:

Encourage front fences that offer a sense of openness from the street.


a. Seek to define the front boundary through landscaping treatments and edge planting.

b. Front fencing is discouraged. But if required, they should be:

Low in height (maximum of 1.2m);

Visually transparent (which incorporates regular spacing between pickets and rails); and

Constructed with light-weight materials, such as timber and muted coloured steel.

c. Side fences in front of the building should not be higher than 1.2m.

d. Side (behind building façade), rear or screen fences should not exceed 1.8m in height.

e. For retaining walls design, refer to guidelines SD04 – Topography.


BC04: Signage and Lighting

Objective:

Ensure signage will be minimised and integrated into the design of the building façade and landscape setting.

Ensure lighting of development creates a safe environment and do not detract from the bush character of the area.


a. Signage on non-residential uses should be unobtrusive and proportionate to the building façade. Signage should be located below the roof eave.

b. Where a non-residential development contains a number of tenancies, signs should be consolidated and limited to 1 panel board, to avoid visual clutter.

c. The total advertisement area to each premises for a business identification sign must not exceed 3m2.

d. Avoid extensive use of primary colours on signage.

e. Avoid painted/ fixed signage on the building windows.

f. Avoid the use of illuminated, neon lighting, billboards or animated advertising and signage.

g. Integrate signage and lighting with the building form and facade.

h. Roadway signage should not interrupt pedestrian flow or affect road safety. Private free standing street signage (‘A” frame) should be no larger than 1m in height, 800mm in width and 500mm in depth.

i. Light spillage from signage and lighting should be contained within property lines. Landscaping should not be relied upon to prevent light spillage into the public realm. Illumination of driveways and car-parking areas should be subdued.


j. The brightness of lighting should be restricted to a level that protects the amenity of the area.

k. Overhead lights must not be higher than the building height and must be baffled to prevent light spilling into adjoining properties

l. The design of lights and equipment should be simple in style and discrete in profile.

m. The colour of light post and heads should be of a tone that will blend with the bushland landscape or the exterior of the building.


Public Domain Guidelines

PD01: Access, Footpaths and Parking

Objectives:

Establish a consistent road and pedestrian space along the corridor.


a. Avoid removal of existing canopy trees when locating new vehicle crossovers.

b. Given the Precinct’s main road setting, continue the profile of existing kerb treatments and sealing of roads.

c. Ensure parallel parking along the roadway are clearly marked.

d. Avoid locating open car parking areas to front Heidelberg-Kinglake Road (Main Road). If unavoidable, ensure a generous reserve of screen landscaping is provided.

e. Use the combined treatment of asphalt and red brick edging for footpaths along Heidelberg-Kinglake Road.

PD02: Landscape – Soft and Hard

Objective:

Continue the indigenous tree canopy as part of a flowing bushland landscape.

Ensure public spaces reflect a theme that responds to the bushland character and history of Hurstbridge.


a. Enhance and retain existing canopy trees, especially established native and indigenous avenue planting along Heidelberg-Kinglake Road .


b. The selection of street trees and plants should be indigenous to the area such a eucalypts.

c. The location of new street trees should be within road verges and should generally be no more than 10-15 metres apart and must be maintained following planting to ensure their longevity.

d. Landscaping should be designed to minimise the visual impact of roadside parking with low-lying shrubs and trees in tree pits where possible.

e. The bushland character and historical past should provide cues for any sculptural elements such as public art. Public art is strongly encouraged at strategic locations and should embrace the township’s context and aesthetic quality of the land.

PD03: Street Furniture, Lighting and Signage

Objective:

Ensure the signage, lighting and street infrastructure do not dominate the streetscape and visual clutter is minimised.


a. Ensure bus stops and street furniture such as bins, seating and shelters are consistent in design which fit in with the bushland character, the traditional main street setting and Council policy.

b. Timber should be primary material of street furniture. Materials should reflect the bushland quality of the area and also the predominant use within buildings.

c. Street furniture should be designed to offer a ‘lightweight’ appearance through narrow and discrete proportions.


d. Informal seating is encouraged to occur on sites with large front setbacks with the use of old timber logs, large boulders, etc.

e. Lights should be simple in appearance. Mock heritage or ornate features are to be avoided.

f. New signage should be contemporary and incorporate materials familiar to the area such as timber, iron, steel and stone.

g. Public signage should be compatible in design, scale, material, style, and colour with the existing bushland qualities and with the overall streetscape.

h. Incorporate informational public signage that reveals the history of the township, provides a narration of past activities and culture as well as historical gardens and botanical species where of significance.

i. Where possible, progressively reduce kerbside infrastructure to minimise visual clutter. Limit the quantity of ‘A’ frame signage along key pedestrian routes and shared ways.

j. Power and phone lines should be placed underground wherever possible.

k. Subtle signage directing people to public toilets and amenities in the main street precinct is required where appropriate.


Nillumbik Shire Council

Civic Drive, Greensborough 3088 Australia

Postal address PO Box 476, Greensborough 3088

Phone (03) 9433 3111

Fax (03) 9433 3777

Email [email protected]

Hours Monday - Friday: 8.30am-5pm


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