Amendment No.12

Amendment No.12: Active Frontages – promote pedestrian-friendly building edges and passive surveillance

This amendment introduces targeted guidance on building design to reinforce the Planning Scheme’s objectives for active frontages and high-quality public realm. While general principles of built form are addressed in Section 2.8.3, additional emphasis is needed on how buildings relate to the street and how ancillary features, such as bin stores, bike storage, and substations, can be managed to minimise negative visual and functional impacts. This amendment responds to practical implementation experience, where inactive frontages and poorly sited services have diluted the quality of pedestrian environments. By encouraging design solutions that promote passive surveillance, minimise blank or inactive edges, and prioritise visual interest at street level, the amendment supports safer, more attractive, and pedestrian friendly streetscapes. These additions build upon the existing Planning Scheme guidance for built form and public realm, translating its principles into clearer, implementable design criteria to support more consistent and place-responsive development outcomes.

Active Buildings and Safe Streets 

The design of buildings should consider the experience of someone travelling by foot or bicycle, providing a safe and attractive public realm. While ancillary services such as enclosed bike, bin and sub-station services are necessary, the siting of same and the finishes to these services can have a significant effect on the experience of someone passing-by at street level. Long stretches of dead frontage should be avoided or enlivened by design solutions. Passive surveillance is encouraged.   

Add additional paragraph to the end of Section 2.8.3 Block Size and Form

Block Size 

In order to encourage pedestrian permeability and ensure that streets and blocks are dimensioned to reflect their function and setting, reduced block lengths shall be utilised across the SDZ lands. 

Block sizes in the Clonburris and Kishoge Urban Centres should have dimensions of approximately 60 to 80 metres and shall be no more than 100 metres in length/depth. Block dimensions in the Development Areas that are contiguous to both urban centres should be no more than 100 metres. Blocks within Development Areas that are beyond the edge of both centres (Adamstown Extension and Canal Extension) shall not exceed 120 metres. Larger or irregular blocks of up to 120 metres should be broken up using mid-block penetration with short cul-de-sac/mews development to serve a small number of dwellings.

Active Frontages and Safe Streets

The design of buildings should prioritise the experience of pedestrians and cyclists, contributing to a safe, attractive, and engaging public realm. While ancillary elements such as enclosed bicycle parking, bin stores, and substations are necessary, their siting and design should minimise visual impact at street level. These features should be integrated or screened to avoid disrupting the street frontage. Long stretches of inactive or blank frontage should be avoided or mitigated through design measures such as articulation, material variation, landscaping, or lighting. The inclusion of entrances, windows, and active ground floor uses is encouraged to promote passive surveillance and enhance the vibrancy and safety of the streetscape.