Project Description

Dual Occupancy – Richmond Vale

Tattersall Lander were engaged as Project Managers to co-ordinate internal and external contractors, as well as preparation and submission of a Development Application for a single-storey dwelling, pool and shed on a vacant site located in Richmond Vale (42km west of Newcastle).

The total area of the subject site was 37.98 hectares and was zoned RU2 – Rural Landscape. The site was vacant with areas of cleared land and other areas of vegetated land (that was primarily regrowth).

The inclusion of the dwelling resulted in the site containing a detached dual occupancy. The dual occupancies and sheds were located in close proximity to one another so that they did not detract from the rural amenity of the site, yet sufficiently distanced to allow for adequate levels of visual and acoustic privacy. The development is not visible from any public place. This positioning also resulted in both dwellings sharing a common and existing driveway, and partly sharing an Asset Protection Zone (APZ), which in turn resulted in minimal ecological impacts.

As part of the Development Application an Ecological Assessment was required which was conducted by Wildthing Environmental Consultants (Tattersall Lander’s environmental division) where it is was found that the proposal did not have adverse ecological impacts. The development was situated to ensure minimal cut to the site and minimal removal of vegetation.

A Waste Management Plan was also part of the requirements (as per schedule 1 of the DCP). During construction all waste were sorted, with recyclable materials sent to an appropriate recycling facility (relevant to the type of waste), and all non-recyclable materials were diverted to a Council-approved land fill site. Prior to removal from site, all waste was stored in an appropriately contained location to ensure waste did not blow away or otherwise cause pollution.

Part of the development was to ensure compliance with appropriate levels of privacy, both for the occupants of the development as well as for occupants of other nearby dwellings. This also included Basix compliance.

Being a Dual Occupancy development, the requirements called for a Landscape Plan to be submitted with the application. However, Tattersall Lander effectively argued that the site would be better left natural to maintain the rural amenity.

Due to the development being located on Bush Fire Prone Land a Bushfire Hazard Assessment was prepared by Tattersall Lander’s Bushfire Consultant, Ben Folbigg. The report was required to show compliance with regard to the NSW Rural Fire Service’s Planning for Bush Fire Protection.