Neighbourhood character and your planning application
Your application for a planning permit may need to respond to neighbourhood character guidelines in the precinct that affects your property.
Features that help define neighbourhood character
Neighbourhood character is defined by a unique combination of features including:
- topography of the area
- vegetation (native or exotic)
- allotments width and depth
- dwellings on nearby lots - size, height and number
- setbacks of nearby dwellings - front, side and rear
- construction materials, finishes and paint colours of nearby dwellings
- architectural style of buildings (eg roof form and pitch, porticos, verandas, size and shape of windows, eaves, entrances)
- private open space - location and size
- front fences
- vehicle crossings - location
- car parking - types and location (carport, single/double garage to the rear/front, underneath or built into the building)
- road and driveway treatments, including width, kerb and materials.
Nillumbik’s neighbourhood character precincts
There are 18 neighbourhood character precincts in Nillumbik. The precincts are grouped into bush, bush garden, Eltham central, garden court, rural, semi bush, and settlement character types.
Find the precinct for your site to understand the neighbourhood design guidelines.
Find out more – go to the Neighbourhood Character Policy at Clause 15.01-5S and Clause 15.01-5L in the Nillumbik Planning Scheme.
Each precinct type has a set of design guidelines for planning applications. These guidelines set out the design aim, how to achieve it and what to avoid.
Bush precinct
This neighbourhood has a bush character. There is significant indigenous vegetation with substantial trees occurring at a density of 1:50 to 1:100 square metres. Those ratios need to be maintained and indigenous plants chosen for replanting. Plant choices and building designs need to minimise bushfire risk.
The overall design needs to maintain and enhance the continuous flow of the vegetation and existing landscape.
It also needs to minimise:
- site disturbance and impact on the landform and vegetation
- visibility of buildings from the road
- excavation for car access, impact on the bush
- visibility of access driveway and car storage facilities.
Bush garden precinct
Neighbourhoods in this precinct have a bush character. Vegetation includes significant native and indigenous tree canopy occurring at a density of 1:150 square metres.
Design must maintain and enhance the continuous flow of the vegetation of the bush garden landscape. Remnant indigenous trees must be retained and indigenous and Australian natives and understorey plantings chosen.
Building and landscape design must consider minimising risk and spread of bushfires.
Eltham central precinct
This precinct features gardens of a mix of native and exotic vegetation with substantial trees occurring at a density of 1:200 square metres.
Your proposed design must maintain the existing mix of native and exotic vegetation including canopy trees and understorey.
Garden court
This precinct features a mix of exotic and native vegetation in terraced gardens long paved courts. Vegetation in this precinct includes occasional high canopy native trees with substantial exotic trees occurring at a density of 1:200 square metres.
Designs should maintain the:
- existing mix of native and exotic vegetation including canopy trees and understorey
- continuous flow of the garden settings
- openness of the front boundary treatment.
Rural precinct
In this precinct there is significant native and indigenous vegetation, with some exotics, and substantial trees occurring at a density of 1:50 to 1:100 square metres.
Those ratios need to be maintained and indigenous plants chosen for replanting. Plant choices and building designs need to minimise bushfire risk.
It also needs to minimise:
- site disturbance and impact on the landform and vegetation
- visibility of buildings from the road
- excavation for car access, impact on the bush
- visibility of access driveway and car storage facilities.
Semi bush precinct
In this precinct there is bushy vegetation with significant indigenous or native canopy trees occurring at a density of 1:50 to 1:100 square metres. Those ratios need to be maintained and indigenous plants chosen for replanting. Plant choices and building designs need to minimise bushfire risk.
Design needs to maintain and enhance the continuous flow of the landscape and vegetation and front gardens must have a bush character.
It also needs to minimise:
- site disturbance and impact on the landform and vegetation
- excavation for car access, impact on the bush setting
- visibility of access driveway and car storage facilities.
Settlement precinct
The St Andrews and Panton Hill precinct includes significant native and indigenous vegetation, with some exotics, and substantial trees occurring at a density of 1:50 to 1:100 square metres. Those ratios need to be maintained and indigenous plants chosen for replanting. Plant choices and building designs need to minimise bushfire risk.
Design needs to maintain and enhance the continuous flow of the landscape and vegetation and front gardens must have a bush character. It also needs to minimise:
- site disturbance and impact on the landform and vegetation
- excavation for car access, impact on the bush setting
- visibility of access driveway and car storage facilities.
More information
Council has prepared design guidelines for each precinct (and sub-precinct where applicable).