New South Wales Consolidated Regulations

BLUE MOUNTAINS LOCAL ENVIRONMENTAL PLAN 2005 - REG 60

60 Consideration of character and landscape

(1) Consent shall not be granted to development involving a building unless the consent authority has considered the extent to which the development is consistent with, or enhances, the established character and streetscape of the surrounding area with regard to--

(a) the scale and massing of any proposed building, and

(b) the use of building materials, including colours and finishes, and

(c) the building form, including roof pitch and proportions of windows, and

(d) the location of buildings on an allotment and the relationship of the building to the public street.

(2) For the purpose of providing for an open streetscape appearance for residential development, the following restrictions on solid fences and walls apply--

(a) a fence or wall located along any street frontage of a lot and any part of a side fence or wall that is located within the front building setback shall not exceed a height of 1 metre, except where a higher fence or wall is required, in the opinion of the consent authority--

(i) as a noise attenuation measure and other measures are not available, or

(ii) along one street frontage, in the case only of a lot with a frontage to more than one street, to adequately screen private open space,

(b) noise attenuation fences or walls are to be designed to minimise any adverse impact on the character and streetscape of the surrounding area as viewed from a road or the Regional Transport Corridor.

(3) Consent shall not be granted to development for the purpose of accessible housing, a boarding house, a dual occupancy, multi-dwelling housing or tourist accommodation unless the development is designed to--

(a) minimise the visible bulk of any development and to integrate the development with the existing character of the street, and

(b) incorporate measures to minimise any potential impacts on the amenity of adjoining residents, and

(c) ensure that the building form and design are articulated and varied, to provide a fine-grained residential built form and an individual dwelling identity and street address, and

(d) provide active street frontages and direct views from living areas, where possible, to the public street, and

(e) promote a landscape setting for residential development by establishing vegetation as an integral part of the development, and

(f) encourage pedestrian and vehicular permeability and, where possible, to provide for linkages with the existing street systems, and

(g) develop new streets and access lanes to reflect the local street layout of the surrounding area, if applicable (eg grid street layout).

(4) Consent shall not be granted to development within view of a public place, including a road, railway, or open space, unless the consent authority has considered the probable aesthetic appearance of the proposed development or use of the proposed development when viewed from that public place.