A Landscape Plan includes:

General

• Title block with scale (commonly used scale such as 1:100 or 1:200), north point, project and drawing name/number, site address, date, version, client, consultant and drawn by
• Extent of works and title boundaries
• All existing features such as kerbs, crossovers, trees (position, size and species), vegetation, paving, street furniture (seats, bicycle hoops, bins), signage, street lighting, power poles and overhead lines, service boxes, fire hydrants, parking meters, traffic signals, bollards and on-street parking (details should be informed by feature and levels survey and include what is to be retained, removed or relocated)
• All proposed streetscape upgrade works such as new seats, bicycle hoops, street trees, lighting, artwork, crossover, pedestrian kerb crossings
• Easements, underground services (power, water, gas, drainage) and service pits
• Outline of existing and new buildings, including ground floor uses, entrances, windows and sills, overhangs and basements
• Building elevations and sections to show the relationship between the proposed landscaping and the building when viewed from the street, or any adjacent public park, reserve or public space
• Dimensions to demonstrate requirements are being met, such as street furniture offset from kerb, unobstructed footpath width, tree location from intersection
• Clear references to Yarra City Council standard drawings, or specifications/details for any bespoke items including cross sections
• Details consistent with other related drawings, such as functional layout drawings, architectural drawings, shadow diagrams

Surface and boundary treatments

• Details of any paving set out including material, shape, size, pattern, arrangement, colour and surface finish
• Property boundary marked with thick red long dash double dot line type
• Location and type of tactile pavers
• Materials, height, transparency of any fences
• Materials and height of any retaining walls and edges
• References to Council Standard Drawings, or specifications/details for any bespoke items (including cross sections)

Trees and landscaping

• Planting plan including plan schedule/s outlining all proposed plants. This should contain botanical and common names, size at maturity (height and width), pot size and quantities of each plant. Trees and plants should be shown at mature size on the plan
• Information on all existing trees to be retained or removed on or adjacent to the site including their botanical names, height, canopy spread and proposed adjoining construction elements (footings, walls) that might impact the growth and health of the tree
• Details of any tree pits
• Outline of garden bed and turf areas
• Details of any proposed planter beds or raingardens including width and depth
• Details of any proposed mulch type and depth
• Details of any vertical green climbing system including maintenance methods
• Cross sections showing planting depth, soil types, drainage and maintenance
• Plan of proposed irrigation
• TPZ and SRZ for existing trees
• Building envelopes and heights of proposed canopies/overhangs in the vicinity of trees.
• Soil restoration/preparation, weed control, proposed cultivation, mulched areas (material and thickness)
• Details of all proposed fixed furniture
• Dimensions to show offsets from kerbs, building lines and car parking spaces (avoiding car door zones) and spacing between furniture items
• Where significant vegetation is proposed to be retained or removed, a Tree Impact Study may also be required
• Maintenance schedule and requirements including details of irrigation, plans and any specific safety considerations

Water Sensitive Urban Design (WSUD)

• Details of any proposed raingardens, including section diagrams and plant species selection, consistent with Sustainability Management Plan
• Rainwater harvesting re-use and irrigation methods to be consistent with the Sustainable Management Plan.

Engineering details

• Plan to show levels and contours (100mm internals), particularly along pedestrian routes, kerb and channels, raised areas, and to inform drainage. Should be informed by feature and levels survey
• Cross falls and ramp grades for all pedestrian areas to demonstrate accessibility
• All existing and new drainage, including any pits and pipes, and direction of surface flow
• Plan showing the proposed vehicle crossovers (including materials and grade), and any changes to on-street car parking
• Existing and proposed levels and spot heights, including but not limited to finished floor levels of buildings and proposed footpath grading to ensure relevant accessibility requirements are achieved

Your design should be fit for purpose, be well integrated with surrounding buildings and uses, be durable and easy to maintain and positively contribute to the City of Yarra's environment.

Considerations include:

Strategic objectives

• Support other Yarra City Council's objectives, such as:
  • promoting a healthy, inclusive and accessible environment
  • increasing the tree canopy cover
  • reducing the Urban Heat Island Effect
  • creating urban habitat for native birds and animals wherever conditions allow
• In relation to large scale developments, positively influence the public realm and thoughtfully integrate the development with the existing local character through appropriate landscape interventions

Surrounding area

• Nearby community facilities, parks and other destinations
• Surrounding buildings including uses, entrances, windows, scale and materiality

Character

• Existing streetscape and landscape character, including species of existing street trees
• Any areas, buildings and trees of significance (example: heritage, aboriginal, landscape)
• Scale of space and sense of openness/enclosure
• Key views to, from and within the site
• Relationship between the proposed landscaping and the building when viewed from the street or other public open space

Site features and conditions

• Orientation and microclimate (soil, sun, shade and wind)
• Slope of land including bordering streets
• Soil conditions
• Drainage and water management
• Underground services and overhead power lines
• Existing trees and any tree protection requirements

Levels, grading and drainage

• Existing and proposed levels and grading
• Overland flow paths/localised flooding at major rain events
• All existing streetscape features including drainage pits

Access and circulation

• Pedestrian and cyclist routes
• Vehicle routes and numbers of vehicles
• Crossovers and loading bays/zones
• Accessibility requirements and Universal Design Principles
• Formal and informal pedestrian crossings and traffic signals
• Parking
• Ability to accommodate outwards swinging doors, handrails, tactile pavers, shorelines and other elements within the site boundary
• Ensure all plans conform with Australian Standards for access and mobility

Use during day/night

Integration of Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) principles including but not limited to:

• Surveillance of the space and sight lines
• Lighting

Maintenance

• Maintenance and durability
• Standard methods of fabrication and construction
• Methods for maintaining garden beds, vertical green elements, roofgardens and other landscape elements

Water management

• Any Water Sensitive Urban Design (WSUD) measures, such as rainwater tank for garden irrigation or toilet flushing, permeable surfaces as an alternative to hard surfaces and drought tolerant plants
• WSUD elements, such as raingardens, must be designed in accordance with Melbourne Water Guidelines

Planting

• The proposed planting palette should include species that will thrive in the growing conditions of the site (example: soil, sun, shade, wind, water)
• Avoid trees or plants listed on the advisory list of environmental weeds in Victoria

Other

• For landscape elements that impact the structure of the building, such as podium landscapes and roof gardens, co-ordination with relevant areas (structural engineering, irrigation and drainage consultants) is required

Ideally yes. This allows for your development application to be assessed in its entirety. Landscaping may impact other aspects of your build such as the building layout or engineering requirements.

A Landscape Plan is usually prepared and submitted with:

• architectural drawings
• functional layout drawings
• tree condition reports
• civil/engineering drawings
• shadowing diagrams

Yes, this is encouraged. You can have a pre-application discussion with the Council's City Strategy Team (Urban Design or Open Space).