ordinary meeting of council to be held on tuesday, 26 april 2005 at ...

Ordinary Meeting <strong>of</strong> Council - 26 April 2005 1 / 18
1, 3, and 5 Lynbara Avenue and
12 Porters Lane, St Ives
Item 1 1219/04
1 April 2005
The existing built environment consists predominantly <strong>of</strong> 1 and 2 s<strong>to</strong>rey dwellings, <strong>to</strong>wnhouses and
apartments, however this site and others in Stanley Street and Porters Lane have <strong>be</strong>en rezoned <strong>to</strong>
2(D3), permitting 5 s<strong>to</strong>rey apartment buildings. While the existing context is low rise, the future
scale <strong>of</strong> these 2(d3) sites will <strong>be</strong> substantially taller. A transition <strong>be</strong>tween these differing scales is
possible though siting <strong>of</strong> the proposed building. The definitions for building footprint and building
height in LEP 194 makes reductions in height <strong>to</strong> 2 or 3 s<strong>to</strong>reys difficult. However, a <strong>be</strong>tter
relationship <strong>be</strong>tween the single s<strong>to</strong>rey villa homes <strong>to</strong> the north <strong>of</strong> the site and the proposed building
is possible in the central section <strong>of</strong> the building.
The predominant existing building materials and colours are brick and mid-range colours. These
materials and the colour change <strong>to</strong> ‘crystal palace’ grey-green relates well <strong>to</strong> the native trees in the
landscaped setting.
SEPP 65 Principle 2 - Scale
The height <strong>of</strong> the building is acceptable under LEP 194. However the scale relationship <strong>be</strong>tween
the building and the medium density buildings <strong>to</strong> the north should <strong>be</strong> improved by increasing the
setback <strong>of</strong> the northern boundary. This would reduce the effect <strong>of</strong> the change <strong>of</strong> scale <strong>be</strong>tween the
existing buildings and the 5 s<strong>to</strong>ry apartment building.
Comment:
A <strong>meeting</strong> was organised with the applicant and Council’s Urban Design Officer <strong>to</strong> attempt moving
the footprint away from the existing villa development. Due <strong>to</strong> the significant trees which would
then have <strong>to</strong> <strong>be</strong> removed <strong>be</strong> relocating the building footprint, an alternative was <strong>to</strong> increase the
setback in the centre <strong>of</strong> the building and thereby retaining all significant trees within the southeastern
setback. This provides greater articulation and allows taller trees <strong>to</strong> <strong>be</strong> located within the
northern setback. Council’s consultant Urban Design Officer stated that “I have examined the
revised plans and they are an improvement in terms <strong>of</strong> built form on the original design. The
amended landscape <strong>to</strong> provide greater screening <strong>to</strong> the rear <strong>of</strong> the building, will assist in relating <strong>to</strong>
its landscaped setting and in terms <strong>of</strong> SEPP 65 the DA should <strong>be</strong> approved.”
SEPP 65 Principle 3 – Built Form
DCP 55 proposes setbacks <strong>of</strong> 12m from streets, with 40% <strong>of</strong> the building length <strong>be</strong>ing able <strong>to</strong> <strong>be</strong>
built <strong>to</strong> a 10m setback line. The proposed setback from Porters Lane averages 12m The setback
from this street frontage is therefore slightly more than required under DCP 55.
The proposed setback form Lynbarra Avenue is 12m at the western end (unit4), stepping <strong>to</strong> 14.5m,
18m and 21.5, <strong>to</strong>wards the centre <strong>of</strong> the site. (Units 6 and 7). The building steps from 18m setback
in the centre <strong>of</strong> the site <strong>to</strong> 9m at the corner, with one balcony <strong>be</strong>ing set back 7m from the boundary.
The overall average <strong>of</strong> this setback is much greater than12m. with 143 m 2 <strong>of</strong> building <strong>be</strong>ing set
back greater than 12m and 48 m 2 <strong>of</strong> building <strong>be</strong>ing set back less than 12m.
The setback from Stanley Street would comply in principle with the setback rule <strong>of</strong> 12m (40% 10m)
in DCP 55.
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