A major urban design vision for Doncaster Hill is to develop a strong boulevard character along Doncaster Road, Williamsons Road and Tram Road and active street frontages along Doncaster Road and Williamson Road. Active street frontage areas will be the focal point for vibrant entertainment strips including café and leisure activities focusing on the length of Doncaster Road between Tram Road and the Civic Precinct.
Design principles and guidelines
The boulevard character will be supported by formal tree planting and a well defined built edge, with various pedestrian-generating and retail activities encouraged at street level.
A podium of at least 12 metres height shall be provided along the Boulevard frontages to achieve a consistent scale at street level.
Developments shall provide a uniform 5 metre setback to a podium from their street frontages in support of the boulevard and roadside planting, ceding 2 metres of land to Council ownership.
Vehicle crossings of pedestrian footpaths should be restricted to the minimum necessary to access the site. Pedestrian amenity should be considered a priority in developing appropriate pedestrian and vehicular networks.
Access to sunlight is an important consideration for boulevard areas. It must be demonstrated that the sun can penetrate onto the properties on the south side of Doncaster Boulevard from the building edge to the footpath (and not less than 1.2 metres south of the back of kerb) between 11.30am and 1.30pm at the winter solstice on June 22nd.
Developments shall incorporate high quality, contemporary street furniture and furnishings that contribute to the vibrant character of Doncaster Hill, subject to Council approval.
Boulevard landscape treatment
Landscape treatment of the ceded land and balance of street frontage area (to the back of kerb) shall be in accordance with the standard detail shown below, and carried out by the developer as part of the building development works.
The landscape treatment includes the construction of a 3.6 metre wide paved promenade along both sides of Doncaster Boulevard, Williamsons Road and Tram Road to encourage pedestrian activity, and two staggered avenues of deciduous trees planted at 12-15 metre spacings to the satisfaction of the Responsible
Authority
The promenades are to be reduced to 2.0 metres wide in gateway locations where a transition is required between the 3.6 metre wide path, and existing paths.
The specified species are the ‘Autumn Glory’ Plane tree at 3.5metres off-set from the building, and the ‘Chanticleer’ Pear planted at 1.8 metres from the kerb. Specified species are to be a minimum of 3.5 metres in height at the time of planting.
Basement car parking should be sufficiently set back from the tree alignment to allow for healthy root establishment.
A good quality tree grate (‘Gatic’ 874 x 874) and suitable root barrier are to be installed with each tree.
We will also plant trees where possible in the central road median.
The paving material selected for the Boulevards, side streets and other pedestrian spaces is Quartstone ‘Blue Onyx Honed’ 300 x 300 pavers Headers shall comprise Urbanstone shotblast Terracolour (Code 1563) 298.5 x 298.5 mm pavers.
The pavement is to be laid on a 75mm depth concrete base and nominal 30mm mortar bed. Where the pavement crosses vehicular crossing points, it is to be laid on a 150mm 20Mpa concrete slab ( with F82 centrally placed ) on a 50mm FCR
Class4 subgrade
The 3 metre-wide street frontage areas between the new paved promenade and the front wall of the building will comprise a mix of hard and soft landscape treatment dependant upon the adjoining land use. The street frontage area should not be used for commercial display purposes. Paved areas within the 3 metre strip may incorporate outdoor seating and suitable glazed screens (of a type to be approved by Council) having regard to statutory requirements. Planting, grassed areas and paving works within the frontage areas and side streets should complement the boulevard landscape treatment. Strong architectural plants, either exotic or native, are suitable in these locations.
There may be opportunities to incorporate, integrated artwork within the street frontage area in liaison with the Doncaster Hill Public Art Advisory Committee.
Weather protection shall be provided at important pedestrian nodes along the Boulevards, including pedestrian crossing points.
A standard suite of street furniture including seating, vehicular and pedestrian lighting, rubbish containers, bollards and bicycle hoops will be specified by Council.
