BOROONDARA PLANNING SCHEME
15/10/2012
VC96
SCHEDULE 1 TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL SIGNIFICANCE OVERLAY
Shown on the planning scheme map as ESO1.
YARRA RIVER CORRIDOR PROTECTION
1.0
15/10/2012
VC96
Statement of environmental significance
The Yarra River corridor contains some of the most valued flora, fauna, geological and
geomorphological assets in Metropolitan Melbourne. Indigenous vegetation and remnant
riparian vegetation provide habitat for native fauna, harbour significant flora species and
contribute to the protection of water quality and flow regimes. A number of natural
geological and geomorphological features occur in places where urbanisation has not
encroached onto the river banks.
A number of species of native mammals, birds, frogs and reptiles thrive throughout the
Yarra River corridor, mostly associated with the areas of native vegetation, and the Yarra
River itself is home to significant fauna species. In some pockets, exotic vegetation is of
heritage significance and contributes to riverside and/or neighbourhood character.
This section of the Yarra River corridor is one of Melbourne’s best known and loved
locations. The corridor’s bushland characteristics and natural landscape character
especially in Yarra Bend and Fairfield Park, are unique in an inner city location. The Yarra
River corridor, parks and trails are accessed by a large number of residents from the
surrounding suburbs and visitors alike.
Accordingly, the protection of sites and features of scientific, nature conservation,
biodiversity, heritage, geological, or landscape value is of vital importance. It is also
important that significant open space, recreation, aesthetic, conservation and tourism assets
are protected from development which would diminish their value.
Operation of this schedule
This schedule contains the environmental and landscape objectives to be achieved and the
guidelines which set out how to meet the objectives.
A variation to a guideline may be considered if the responsible authority is satisfied that an
alternative design solution meets the objective.
2.0
Environmental objectives to be achieved
15/10/2012
VC96
2.1
15/10/2012
Proposed C210
Vegetation, habitat and natural heritage objectives
To protect, rehabilitate and restore a continuous indigenous riparian vegetation corridor to
ensure the survival of indigenous fauna
To expand indigenous non-riparian vegetation cover.
To protect natural landforms, natural stream geomorphology and geological formations.
To minimise the impacts of introduced flora and fauna on indigenous species.
To strengthen and protect the function of the open space corridor as a wildlife corridor and
habitat for native fauna.
Guidelines
The removal of all remnant indigenous vegetation should be avoided or minimised and
offset.
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BOROONDARA PLANNING SCHEME
Removal of non-remnant indigenous vegetation should be minimised.
The Yarra River corridor, including riparian areas should be revegetated with locally
appropriate indigenous vegetation (which may include trees and shrubs, reeds, sedges and
other groundcover species) matched to the plant communities’ characteristic of the site and
original landscape character.
Retain exotic vegetation only where it has heritage or landscape significance and/or
contributes to neighbourhood character .
Development should protect natural river geomorphology and geological formations by
avoiding major earthworks, minimising cut and fill of embankments and managing access.
Mature, dead and dying native trees should be retained as habitat for native fauna, except
where risk or safety hazard requires their removal.
Development should not encroach into critical root zones of mature canopy trees to be
retained.
2.2
15/10/2012
Proposed C210
Open space, recreation and access objectives
To maintain and provide linear parkland along the Yarra River that connects with existing
and proposed parkland areas.
To maintain and enhance public access to and throughout the Yarra River corridor
including access to the Yarra River itself and shared use of water access locations.
To encourage the co-location or clustering of commercial or intensive recreational facilities
to maintain secluded areas.
Guidelines
Subdivision and development should provide a public open space corridor along the Yarra
River consistent with any open space plan, strategy or policy for the Yarra River referred to
in this scheme.
Open space areas or shared paths should not be used for vehicular access to development.
Shared paths should have good visibility to help avoid conflicts and increase safety for
users..
Developments should ensure that there is no loss of direct public access to riverside paths.
Commercial development should only be allowed on public open space within the Yarra
River corridor if it:
 Is accessible to a broad cross-section of the community.
 Does not detract from the primary recreational and scenic experiences intended for the
site.
 Does not detract from the protection of natural systems and cultural heritage.
2.3
Drainage, flooding and waterway management objectives
15/10/2012
Proposed C210
To ensure development does not compromise bank stability or result in increased erosion.
To ensure development results in no net increase in the rate or quantity of stormwater,
sediment or other pollutants entering watercourses or wetlands.
To manage the waterway public access and public works to ensure the protection and
enhancement of river health and the Yarra River corridor landscapes.
Guidelines
Development should ensure fill batters are less than 1 in 5 for grassed slopes, 1 in 3 for
vegetated slopes, or, if no alternative is available, are benched with benches no more than
1.2 metres high and at least 2 metres wide with a top setback of 3 metres.
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BOROONDARA PLANNING SCHEME
1 in 5 grassed slope for
mowing.
1 in 3 slope for dense
planting.
Benched slope – to be used
only
when
absolutely
necessary.
Impervious surfaces should be minimised in accordance with best practice urban
stormwater management and water sensitive urban design and stormwater management
requirements.
Litter/Gross Pollutant traps should be installed at entry points to drains that serve large
shopping centres, markets and other developments known to generate litter and sediment.
2.4
Urban and landscape character and built form objectives
15/10/2012
Proposed C210
To ensure subdivision, lot layout and building development provide a positive interface
with the open space along the Yarra River corridor.
To protect and enhance the landscape qualities of the Yarra River corridor as a vegetationdominated corridor.
To protect the landscape character of the Yarra River corridor and to maintain and enhance
the native vegetation and wildlife habitat values of the corridor.
To ensure buildings and other structures on visible hill slopes and skylines are subordinate
to vegetation and views are filtered through trees.
To protect and enhance the skyline vista when viewed from the Yarra River, its banks,
adjacent parks and trails, Yarra Boulevard and scenic viewpoints within the valley.
Guidelines
Signage
The visual intrusion caused by advertising signs into the Yarra River corridor should be
minimised.
Fences
Fences to the river’s edge should be avoided to allow for the free movement of wildlife and
to minimise the visual intrusion of built structures into the landscape.
Fences between private properties and the Yarra River corridor should be low or semitransparent to improve the visual interface and encourage passive surveillance.
Building form, mass and siting
Buildings should be oriented to front the open space along the Yarra River corridor, to
improve the visual interface and encourage passive surveillance.
The siting, spacing and design of buildings and works should be designed to avoid
unreasonable visual impacts on the river corridor.
The impact of building mass and siting on views of the Yarra River corridor, including
from the opposite bank, should be minimal.
Buildings should present visually interesting elevations on all faces visible from the public
domain.
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BOROONDARA PLANNING SCHEME
Buildings should be presented at a variety of heights to avoid a consistent wall of
development along the Yarra River corridor interface.
Building forms should be broken up to allow space for vegetation.
Development should be designed and sited to prevent or minimise impacts that may
degrade the cultural significance of a place.
Buildings and works should be located to minimise overshadowing of all open space along
the Yarra River corridor, Yarra River and recreational trails.
Buildings and works should respectthe topography of the land.
Site coverage
Impervious surfaces should be minimised to allow for the filtration of water and the
retention and establishment of indigenous riparian vegetation and canopy trees.
Site coverage of developments should not exceed the guidelines in Table 1.
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BOROONDARA PLANNING SCHEME
Table 1
Location
Hawthorn South
(Wallen Road to
Monash Freeway)
Kew
(Wills Street to
Caritas Christi
Hospice)
Site coverage
guidelines
The site area covered
by buildings (including
tennis courts and
swimming pools) and
impervious surfaces
should not exceed
50% of the total area
of land within the lot.
Map of locations
Hawthorn South
Kew
St James Park
(Hawthorn Bridge
to Wallen Road)
Hawthorn
The site area covered
by buildings (including
tennis courts and
swimming pools) and
impervious surfaces
should not exceed
30% of the total area
of land within the lot.
St James Park
The site area covered
by buildings (including
Hawthorn
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BOROONDARA PLANNING SCHEME
Location
(Barkers Road to
Hawthorn Bridge)
Garden Terrace,
Kew
(Walmer Street
footbridge to
Barkers Road)
Site coverage
guidelines
Map of locations
tennis courts and
swimming pools) and
impervious surfaces
should not exceed
35% of the total area
of land within the lot.
Garden Terrace, Kew
Building setback
Buildings and structures should be set back from the river edge to allow for the
establishment and retention of indigenous riparian vegetation and the free movement of
wildlife.
Building materials
Buildings and structures visible from the corridor or the river should be sited, designed and
finished to minimise visual intrusion into vegetation dominated vistas. This includes the
use of dark, non-reflective colours on roofs and other external surfaces that blend with
vegetation.
Planted screening
Canopy trees should be retained and additional canopy trees planted to protect and enhance
the landscape character of the Yarra River corridor.
Additional vegetation should be planted between the river and any buildings and in spaces
between buildings.
Driveways, garages and car parks and private recreation facilities
Driveways should be designed and materials chosen to minimise visual impact and erosion.
Car parks, swimming pools and tennis courts should allow space for screening and
significant tree cover.
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BOROONDARA PLANNING SCHEME
Car parking areas, where possible, should be incorporated within buildings, preferably
underground where this can be achieved without impacting existing vegetation that
contributes to the landscape character of the Yarra River corridor. Garage access to
underground car parks should be visually concealed from the Yarra River corridor.
The surfacing of open air car parking areas should be constructed of dark bitumen all
weather asphalt with dark coloured matching concrete kerb and channel or bluestone kerb
with a colour matching concrete channel.
All car parking areas should incorporate a stormwater detention system to limit runoff.
Boating infrastructure
The location of boating infrastructure should be consistent with any Parks Victoria,
Melbourne Water and/or Council plans, preferably near or among other existing
commercial uses. Infrastructure includes:
 Mooring and landing facilities for river transport.
 Fishing facilities.
 Launch and retrieval facilities for small craft (rowing boats, canoes and kayaks).
New boating infrastructure on public land should be designed and sited to:
 Cater for multiple users rather than single clubs or schools.
 Ensure safe launch and retrieval (e.g. in relation to river currents) and pedestrian safety.
 Avoid conflicts between boat users, vehicles, pedestrians and cyclists.
 Allow for service facilities where needed (e.g. pump-out, wash-down).
Jetties, mooring facilities and bridges should be designed and sited to:
 Avoid the removal or destruction of indigenous vegetation.
 Protect river banks and aquatic ecosystems.
 Respect the natural landscape character of the immediate riverside environs.
 Minimise visual intrusion into the riverine landscape in views along and across the
water.
 Locate parallel to the water’s edge and be constructed of durable heavy timber or
concrete in natural weathered colours.
 Minimise the need for river dredging to maintain sufficient water depth.
3.0
Permit requirement
15/10/2012
Proposed
C210
A permit is required for:
 A fence.
 A sign.
 Buildings and works associated with a bicycle, pedestrian or shared path.
A permit is not required for:
 Playground equipment or sporting equipment, provided these facilities do not occupy
more than 10 square metres of surface area on the site.
 Buildings and works identified on a management plan incorporated into this planning
scheme.
 Works undertaken by a municipal council or public authority to:

Sustain the form and stability of stream beds and banks, regulate or control the flow
of water in the watercourse.

Mitigate flooding, respond to flood emergencies or construct stream habitat works.

Control or remove non-indigenous plants or carry out revegetation works, including
preparatory works associated with the revegetation.
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BOROONDARA PLANNING SCHEME

Maintain the landscape quality, horticultural health or bank stability of areas that
have been restored or revegetated.

Maintain or repair a bicycle path, shared pathway, or pedestrian path.

Revegetation works including preparatory works associated with the revegetation
undertaken by a ‘friends’ group provided written permission is obtained from the
responsible authority.
The requirement for a permit to remove, destroy or lop vegetation does not apply to:
 Any exotic tree with a single trunk circumference of less than 0.35 metre at 1 metre
above the ground
 The pruning of vegetation to maintain or improve its health or appearance.
 A tree that has the capacity to adversely affect stream flow removed by a municipal
council or public authority.
 The control or removal of non-indigenous plants in preparation for revegetation works
by a municipal council or public authority.
Application requirements
An application must be accompanied by the following information, as appropriate:
 A detailed site description and design response report.
 A landscaping plan which shows:

The location, area and percentage of existing and proposed hard / impermeable
surfaces.

The use of locally indigenous plant species (including trees, shrubs, reeds, sedges
and other groundcover species).

How natural landforms will be protected, including appropriate approaches to
vegetation retention and planting, ground preparation and minimising ground
disturbance.

The protection and enhancement of vegetation.

How erosion will be controlled and stability maintained or improved using ‘soft
landscaping’ techniques.

How the rate and quantity of stormwater leaving a property will be controlled and
pollutants filtered, using ‘soft landscaping’ techniques.
In addition, an application to remove, destroy or lop vegetation must be accompanied by
the following information:
 An assessment of the significance of any native vegetation proposed for removal having
regard to Victoria’s Native Vegetation: A Framework for Action 2002.
 An arborist report prepared by a suitably qualified arborist assessing the proposed
vegetation removal.
 A description of the vegetation to be removed, including the extent and type of
vegetation and the number and size of any vegetation to be removed.
 A written explanation justifying the removal of the vegetation.
4.0
15/10/2012
Proposed C210
Exemption from notice and review
An application under this overlay for any of the following classes of development is
exempt from the notice requirements of Section 52(1)(a), (b), and (d), the decision
requirements of Section 64(1), (2) and (3) and the review rights of Section 82(1) of the Act:

Construction of a fence.
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BOROONDARA PLANNING SCHEME

5.0
15/10/2012
VC96
Construction of a carport, garage, pergola, verandah, deck, shed or similar
structure.
Decision guidelines
Before deciding on an application for a permit the responsible authority must consider as
appropriate:
 The guidelines for each objective.
 Any relevant plan for the area set out in this planning scheme.
 The significance of the native vegetation area, including the significance of plant
communities or animals species supported.
 The effect of the removal of vegetation on the landscape character, habitat value,
wildlife corridor and long term viability of remnant and revegetated areas along the
Yarra River corridor.
 The reasons for removing the vegetation and the practicality of alternative options
which do not require the removal of the native vegetation.
 Whether the proposal complies with the objectives and policies included in Victoria’s
Native Vegetation: A Framework for Action 2002.
 The effect of the height, bulk, spacing, setback and general appearance of any buildings
and works on the environmental values and visual character of the Yarra River corridor.
 The extent to which buildings or works are designed to enhance or promote the
environmental values of the Yarra River and the visual character of the Yarra River
corridor.
 The need for landscaping or vegetation screening.
 The need to retain vegetation and natural features which contribute to the health and
water quality of the Yarra River and the visual character of the Yarra River corridor.
 The need for water sensitive urban design and the opportunities for local retention and
treatment of stormwater runoff.
 The effect on the natural beauty and on the future enjoyment of and access to the area
by the community.
 Reference document Review of Policies and Controls for the Yarra River Corridor:
Punt Road to Burke Road Consultant Report (Planisphere, June 2005).
References
Review of Policies and Controls for the Yarra River Corridor: Punt Road to Burke Road,
(Consultant Report), Planisphere, June 2005.
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