st andrews town centre design guidelines final april 2102

Nillumbik Shire Council Design Guidelines St Andrews Township

St Andrews Township Design Guidelinesapril 2012

nillumbik shire council | design guidelines | st andrews township 1

TABLE OF CONTENTS ST ANDREWS TOWSHIP GUIDELINES 2

1.1 St Andrews Township 2 1.2 The Existing Character 3 1.3 The Design Guidelines Structure 4

SITE DESIGN GUIDELINES 5 BUILDING DESIGN GUIDELINES 8 BUILDING CONTEXT GUIDELINES 11 PUBLIC DOMAIN GUIDELINES 14

guidelines prepared by hansen partnership pty ltd

www.hansen-online.com.au


ST ANDREWS DESIGN GUIDELINES

1.1 St Andrews Township St Andrews is a small rural township located approximately 53km north east of Melbourne. The township is positioned along Heidelberg-Kinglake Road / Caledonia Street creating a major road link between Hurstbridge, St Andrews and Kinglake. The rural town is characterised by its historic buildings, informal street conditions, rural domestic housing surrounded by extensive vegetation, reserves, parklands and the Saturday market located around St Andrews community hall. The map below illustrates the extent of St Andrews Township Zone and the study area.

The purpose of the township design guidelines is to guide new developments within St Andrews to support the preferred character for the area, which is as follows:

The Township will maintain a strong rural character, preserving the natural, tranquil setting of St Andrews.

The strong presence of native vegetation, particularly canopy trees, both within the public and private realms will reinforce the bushland character of the area.

Buildings will be sited and designed to integrate with the landscape setting and be sympathetic to the rural context.

Preserve St Andrews heritage architecture, open streetscapes and views to surrounding hillside.

These urban design guidelines are intended to be used by 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 and design controls associated with the St Andrews Township.

There are a number of planning scheme overlays covering the township of St Andrews. A Significant Landscape Overlay (SLO2) covers the majority of residential and commercial areas within St Andrews. This Overlay specifies the need for built form to reflect the bushland character of Nillumbik and to emphasise visual dominance of the native vegetation. A Bushfire Management Overlay applies to the land within and surrounding St Andrews, which seeks to implement bushfire protection measures. A number of Heritage Overlays are present within St Andrews. Two Environmental Significance Overlays (ESO 1 and 4) apply to the land surrounding most of St Andrews residential and commercial areas, including the Diamond Creek Corridor in recognition of fauna and habitat significance and waterway environs. Together these guidelines, planning scheme provisions and the CFA Landscaping for Bushfire guidelines should be used to assist in the design phases for all new development within St Andrews Township. There will likely need to be a balance between landscaping objectives and Bushfire Management Overlay requirements and that as a result; it may not always be possible to achieve the landscaping objectives in their entirety.


1.2 The Existing Character

Existing Quality and Tones

The following provides a summary and illustration of key existing textural qualities available within St Andrews Township:

Earthy colours and natural textured materials Dense bushland garden setting Traditional rural materials (ie. brick, timber, stone, non-reflective corrugated iron and wire fencing) Indigenous canopy vegetation

Existing Form and Pattern

The following provides a summary and illustration of key typical building and landscape features within St Andrews Township:

Heritage presence Low scale buildings surrounded by vegetation Pitched, gabled and angled roofs Deep lots with sloped topography Varied front setback with permeable boundary fencing Sealed and unsealed narrow roads with vegetated streetscapes


1.3 The Design Guidelines Structure These design guidelines are intended to ensure that new development provides an appropriate and sympathetic response to the preferred character of St Andrews Township.

The St Andrews Township 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 St Andrews Township.


1. SITE DESIGN GUIDELINES

SD01: SITE ANALYSIS

OBJECTIVE: Ensure the building design is site and context responsive.

DESIGN GUIDELINES & DIRECTIONS:

New applications should provide statements/ detail in regards to:

Site location, orientation and key views to and from the site Proximity to commercial hub Existing vegetation Existing heritage attributes or if abutting any heritage

buildings

Response to the design guidelines Response to the CFA guidelines on the CFA website

SD02: VEGETATION

OBJECTIVE: Protect, retain and enhance indigenous vegetation and bushland landscape that contributes to the character of St Andrews Township.


a. Lots affected by a Significant Landscape Overlay 2 (shown on the planning scheme map as SLO2) should comply with the Landscape Character Objectives and Permit Requirements as stated in the schedule.

b. Buildings are to be setback from the front, side and rear boundaries to allow for substantial tree and understorey vegetation where possible.

c. Lots are to retain existing high canopy trees and indigenous understorey vegetation where possible.

d. Site development to minimise removal of vegetation, particularly established canopy trees and vegetation along property boundaries.

e. Land proximate to the Diamond Creek waterway should enhance the valley floor with native vegetation and robust understorey growth.

f. Removal of existing trees or development adjacent to existing native canopy trees may require an arboriculture report addressing the effect on existing vegetation.

g. Landscaping and bush retention should maintain an area of defendable space around the dwelling. Refer to the CFA guidelines on the CFA website.


SD03: TOPOGRAPHY

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


a. Site development to correspond with the natural contours of the land. On heavily sloped sites, building should use split level design to sit above the ground or to be positioned within the topography and understorey vegetation.

b. Access driveways and pedestrian paths should also follow the contour profile and avoid significant excavation works or retaining walls.

c. Minimise the use and reliance on retaining walls and batter walls. Where land has begun to erode resulting in unsteady embankments the construction of retaining walls must be built from timber, rock and textured materials.

d. Minimise the height and use of retaining walls within the side and front setback areas. Minimise the area and angle of any batter.

e. Locate buildings and structures away from local ridge lines, prominent hill tops and roads.

f. Buildings should appear as a recessed element from roads and other public vantage points.

SD04: STREETSCAPE PATTERN

OBJECTIVE: Promote attractive, informal rural streetscapes that emphasise dominance to indigenous canopy vegetation and understorey planting.


a. Apply staggered front setbacks to allow for the retention and augmentation of native vegetation.

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

c. Apply generous spacing from abutting buildings to allow for a belt of landscaping along the sides and rear where possible.

d. Buildings should appear as a recessive element in the streetscape nestled within canopy vegetation and understorey planting.

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

f. Building envelopes should be proportionate in scale to surrounding buildings so as to fit in with the rural character of St Andrews.


SD05: FUNCTIONALITY

OBJECTIVE: Establish safe, functional, practical developments that contribute to the urban structure of the township.


a. Vehicle access points should be separate from pedestrian access points unless this would require significant excavation.

b. Avoid functional impacts on public spaces and pedestrian footpaths.

c. For non-residential development, entry and exit points should be adequately signed and include sufficient lighting. Appropriate signage should be visible but not dominate road corridors or environmentally significant areas.

d. Street faade and ground floor internal layout should allow direct visual and physical access to adjoining public realm/street.

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

f. Lots must maximise permeable surfaces. g. Footpaths leading to the building entrance should be:

no greater than 1.4m in width constructed of quality materials complementary to the bush

character of the area such as compacted crushed rock and aggregate finishes.

SD06: SUSTAINABILITY

OBJECTIVE: Establish energy efficient development appropriate to local conditions and climate.


a. Passive design principles should form the starting basis for designing new buildings.

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. Building forms should maximise the potential for solar heating,

solar panel installation and rain water harvesting. f. Locate equipment to be away from public view or integrate with

the building design. g. Rain water tanks should be positioned to the rear of the building

or placed underground. Water tanks should be of earthly tones that reflect the surrounding the landscape and minimise visual intrusion.


BUILDING DESIGN GUIDELINES

BD01: BUILDING HEIGHT & FORM

OBJECTIVES: Promote building scales consistent with the Township Zone.

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


a. Development should reflect a scale compatible with the prevailing 1 & 2 storey rural domestic buildings within the St Andrews Township.

b. The upper levels of development should be recessed and appear visibly less than the lower level (either through setback upper levels or gabled roof forms)

c. Buildings should be setback from the side and rear boundaries sufficient distance to allow for vegetation.

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. Buildings should not dominate above surrounding canopy trees and unreasonably interrupt the prevailing tree line.

f. Position buildings away from ridge lines to avoid them being visible on the skyline.

g. Buildings near ridge tops should be positioned and designed so as not to protrude above the ridgeline, when viewed from lower areas.

h. The built form should reinforce the low scaled rural character of St Andrews.

i. Buildings located within the Bushfire Management Overlay are required to be built in accordance with Clause 52.47 and the CFA Landscaping for Bushfire guidelines regarding built form, positioning and materials.

j. New properties should have a permanent built-in and easily maintained fire protection system, linked to independent water and power supply which is suitably sited designed to meet relevant technical standards and the features of these guidelines.


BD02: BUILDING STYLE & FAADE COMPOSITION

OBJECTIVES: Ensure that development is designed and sited to maintain the preferred character of the township.

Promote contemporary buildings that complement the bushland character and historical buildings through interpretive expression and material use.

Encourage development which is sympathetic to the timber, mud brick, corrugated iron, high gabled architecture that is part of the township.


a. Buildings should be contemporary in style and incorporate simple elevation and building treatments that complement the bush setting.

b. Use techniques such as interpreting and simplifying the prevailing building characteristics available in the area. As an example, incorporate angles that relate to the gabled architecture present within the Township.

c. Use natural materials and earthly bush tones that suit surrounding landscape and rural building style.

d. Position building frontages to street. e. Incorporate design features such as porticos, verandahs and/

or porches into the faade to visually break up long walls and elevations. Such elements should project at least 1.5m from the principal faade wall.

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

g. Incorporate strong sense of vertical and horizontal divisions in the faade 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, faade elements, and subdivision pattern).


BD03: MATERIALS, COLOURS, HUES & TEXTURE

OBJECTIVE: Encourage a diverse range of materials and colours that complement the rural landscape setting of the township.


a. Use a range of muted and subdued tones as the buildings primary base colour. Strategically apply accent colours on key building features such as entrances, corner elements, framing devices etc.

b. Draw upon the surrounding landscape as an inspiration for the colour palette selection on external walls. Seek to harmoniously blend with the bush land environment with the application of earthy tones, for example subdued whites and greys, and warm colours.

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

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

e. 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.

BD04: ROOF FORM`

OBJECTIVE: Promote roof styles that are respectful to heritage and residential buildings in the township and establish a consistent roofscape image.


a. Roofs should appear simple in design without fussy detail and decoration.

b. Incorporate pitched and gable ended roofs. c. Avoid curved and flat roof forms as they do not reflect the

prevailing style within rural township. Skillion roofs may be considered but must respond to the angles and lines available in the street and adjoining buildings.

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.


BUILDING CONTEXT GUIDELINES

BC01: ACCESS & 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 of the building combined with extensive screen landscaping.

c. Garages and carports should be integrated into the main dwelling acting as a secondary element to the main faade of the building. Carports may also comprise of small free standing elements nestled into landscape.

d. Open car parking areas, driveways and pedestrian access ways should use non impervious surfaces and provide minimal impact to existing vegetation. In locations where erosion may occur, driveways may be sealed.

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 therefore minimising dominance from the street.

f. Driveways and pedestrian paths should be discrete and designed to follow the contours of the land to minimise the need for retaining walls or the removal of vegetation.

g. Avoid long, straight and hard paved access ways.


BC02: BOUNDARY TREATMENTS - LANDSCAPE

OBJECTIVE: Reinforce the vegetation dominated view of 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 species that are indigenous to the local area, especially on sites that adjoin public parkland or are in close proximity to waterways.

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 setting.

d. Where possible, avoid the use of visually dominant exotic vegetation.

e. Ensure that site planting and landscaping flows uninterrupted to the edge of the roadway is consistent with streetscape vegetation.

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 permeable (which incorporates regular spacing

between pickets); and

Predominately post and wire fencing to the front, rear and side boundaries.

c. Side, rear or screen fences should not exceed 1.8m in height and be of natural materials or landscaping.

d. Gateways should be constructed from simple steel and wire or timber farm gates which are visually permeable.

e. For retaining walls design, refer to guidelines SD03 Topography.


BC04: SIGNAGE

OBJECTIVE: Ensure signage will be minimised and integrated into the design of the building faade and landscape setting.


a. Generally, all signage must be in accordance with Nillumbik Shire Councils Clause 22.09 Signage Policy.

b. Signage on non-residential uses should be unobtrusive and proportionate to the building faade or as a small stand alone sign.

c. Encourage the consolidation of signage to reduce visual clutter.

d. Avoid extensive use of primary colours on signage and promote earthy colours and materials.

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.

BC05: EXTERNAL LIGHTING

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


a. Light spillage from signage and lighting for car parks should be contained to within property lines. Landscaping should not be relied upon to prevent light spillage into the public realm.

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

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

d. The design of lights and equipment should be simple in style and discrete in profile. Encourage the use of solar lighting where possible.

e. 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 & PARKING

OBJECTIVES: Ensure the design of crossovers, footpaths and parking areas do not detract from the bush landscape character of St Andrews.


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

b. New vehicle crossovers should be constructed of non impervious surfaces materials that will complement the bush landscape such as gravel. Avoid sealed crossovers.

c. Shared paths should be a minimum of 2.5 metres in width, clearly marked, unsealed and preferably constructed with gravel or granitic sand with aggregated finishes.

d. Whilst paths should be direct, the alignment of paths should not be rigid and formal. Meandering and informal pathways are encouraged to flow around existing landscapes and lead to key views and vantage points.

e. Provide separate informal pedestrian paths and crossings around the main commercial areas, retail areas and community buildings in St Andrews.

f. Provide separate informal pedestrian paths around residential areas where topography and space permits away from the main road (using side access roads where possible). Link paths to commercial, retail and recreational areas.

g. Avoid locating open car parking areas to front Caledonia Street. If unavoidable, ensure a generous reserve of screen landscaping and shade planting is provided.

h. Retain and enhance the bush landscape to the road edge. i. Allow sealed roads only to areas that are affected by

environmental problems of excessive erosion, dust or pollution of watercourses.

j. For sealed roads, use minimal rollover kerbs to avoid erosion points.

k. Where existing informal paths occur, these indicate preferred pedestrian movement lines. Investigate such paths for formalisation using non impervious surfaces that is consistent across the broader pedestrian network.


PD02: LANDSCAPE SOFT & HARD

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

Ensure the public environment reflects the rural, densely vegetated character of St Andrews.


a. Enhance and retain existing canopy trees, and understorey planting especially established indigenous street trees along Caledonia Street, Diamond Creek Corridor and within the Public Conservation and Resource Zone.

b. The location of new street trees should be within road verges and should generally be no more than 5-10 metres apart.

c. Landscaping should be designed to minimise the visual impact of roadside parking with low-lying shrubs and trees.

d. Reinforce a consistent bush themed avenue planting (staggered or informal) with a common selection of native species available in the area.

e. Utilise the slope of the land and incorporate natural grass and stone WSUD swales to direct water run-off to landscaped areas or key water collection points. These also act to stabilise the embankment to avoid erosion.

f. The bushland character and landscape should provide cues for any sculptural elements such as public art. Public art is encouraged at strategic locations and should embrace the historical context and aesthetic quality of the land.

g. Use naturally found objects such as stone, fallen timber, existing vegetation, etc for sculptural gateway elements.

h. Retain and replant indigenous canopy trees and deep rooted plants to areas that are affected by land erosion (especially along the Diamond Creek corridor).

i. Ensure the use of natural materials like stones and rocks to structurally support sensitive embankments and prevent erosion along the roadside.


PD03: STREET FURNITURE, LIGHTING & 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 of St Andrews and Council policy.

b. Seek to progressively upgrade street furniture which reflects the rural character of the township.

c. While there is minimal street lighting in St Andrews, over time seek to improve street lighting along Caledonia Street and Burns Street where retail, commercial, civic and recreational areas exist.

d. Lights should be simple in appearance and form a considered part of the St Andrews township street furniture palette.

e. Update and enhance existing signage to clearly demarcate public open spaces and reserves, community facilities, recreational facilities, retail buildings, St Andrews Hotel, St Andrews Bakery and the market place. New signage should be contemporary and incorporate materials familiar to the area such as timber, steel and stone.

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

g. Where possible, progressively reduce extraneous road side infrastructure to minimise visual clutter (i.e. relocate powerlines) and consolidate features together (e.g. wayfinding signage on light poles, bins or bus stops).

h. Review the location of bus stops and encourage their placement on service roads, recessed parking areas and in proximity to paths and key local destinations

Nillumbik Shire CouncilCivic 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

12015_ St Andrews Town Centre Guidelines FOURTH DRAFT12015_ St Andrews Town Centre Guidelines_updated12015_ St Andrews Town Centre Guidelines THIRD DRAFT2012015_St Andrews_Front Cover

12015_ St Andrews Town Centre Guidelines FOURTH DRAFT

page 7

st andrews town centre design guidelines final april 2102

Documents

st andrews township

township of st andrews

st andrews design guidelines

surrounding st andrews

st andrews residential

st andrews community

tranquil setting of

building design guidelines