PakingtonStreetNorth
URBANDESIGN GUIDELINES
FortheCityofGreaterGeelong
[AUGUST2004]
288BrunswickStreetFitzroy| Victoria3065 | |T 94114075 | |T 94114010 | F9411 4011
TableofContents
Table of Contents...... 1
1.Introduction...... 2
2.StreetscapeCharacterAnalysis...... 3
The Character of PakingtonStreetActivityCentre...... 3
The Character of PakingtonStreetNorth...... 3
The Surrounding ResidentialCharacter...... 4
3.CommunityAspirations...... 5
4.KeyIssues...... 6
5.Urban Design Guidelines...... 7
Pakington Street NorthObjectives...... 7
UrbanDesign Guidelines...... 8
Pakington Street North UrbanDesignGuidelines...... 9
6.Implementation...... 12
PlanningScheme...... 12
Works...... 13
Appendices
Appendix A: The Character of Pakington Street Appendix B: RopeworksSite – Design Guidelines Appendix C: The StudyBrief
Appendix D: Pakington Street NorthWorkshopNotes
This report was prepared by Planisphere with John Curtis Pty Ltd
1.Introduction
The CityofGreaterGeelongreceivedfundingfromtheDepartmentofSustainability andEnvironment’sPride ofPlaceProgramtodevelopUrbanDesignGuidelinesfor thenorthernendofPakingtonStreetbetweenWaratahStreetandChurchStreet. ThePakingtonStreetshoppingCentreisoneoftheCity’spremiershoppingstrips andhascontinuedtodevelopitsroleas athrivingretail,commercialandcommunity centre.Incontrastthenorthernsection(thestudyarea)isanareawithchanging usesandlessdistinctive urbanform.Partofthis pressurefor changeisa retail proposal for akey site, the KinnearsRopeworks Site.
The primary retail section of Pakington Street has benefited from peripheral or restrictedretailactivities developednorthofWaratah/WellingtonStreet.Itisintended thatnorthern PakingtonStreet will continuetocaterforthesetype ofretailuses. The applicationof theBusiness4zonetothislandencouragesbulkygoodsretailingand also provides amechanismtocontain theprimarycommunityretailuseswithina defined area.
The Victrack land on the eastern sideof Pakington Street may become available for redevelopmentinthefuture.Theland isoutsidethe coreretailareaand withinthe areadesignatedforperipheral sales.Thelandwon't be consideredfor anexpansion of the core retail area.
Tomeetcommunityexpectationsandachievequalityurbandesignoutcomes,a long-termvisionisnecessaryforPakingtonStreet North.Itislikelythatthisareawill continue to provide peripheral or restricted retail activities. It is important that the visionandguidelinestakeintoaccountthebuiltformrequirementsoftheselarger scale uses.
The Urban DesignGuidelines arebasedonbuiltformcharacter analysisundertaken ofthePakingtonStreetcentreandthequalitiesvaluedbythecommunityexpressed at a design workshop. Theintent of these guidelines is to:
‘Guideanddirectthefutureform anddevelopmentofthestreetscapetoensureit respects theexisting built formofthe Pakington Streetshopping Centre’.
StudyArea
2. StreetscapeCharacterAnalysis
ThePakingtonStreet shoppingcentrehasacompactandlegiblebuiltform from AutumnStreettoWaratah Street.However,furtherto thenorthwithinthestudy area, thebuiltformandtheconcentrationofactivitiesarelessconsistent.The ‘Site Analysis’onthefollowingpages shows keyelements withinthestudyareaof Pakington Street North andthe Pakington Street Activity Centre including:
−The variablesetback andbuilding formof Pakington Street North
−The built up traditionalstripof PakingtonStreet Activity Centre
−Corner building landmarks and the Geelong West Town Hall with its garden square frontage to Pakington Street
−Key sites including theRopeworks siteand the railway yards/turntable site
PakingtonStreetishighlyusedbyvehiculartrafficasanorthsouthsecondaryroute inGeelong, causing some difficultyin crossing forpedestriansat peakperiods.The footpaths withintheactivitycentre areheavilyused butlesssowithinthenorthern study area.
AcomparisonofthebuiltformandcharacteroftheActivityCentreandPakington
Street north is contained inAppendix A.
The Character of Pakington Street Activity Centre
PakingtonStreetActivityCentreisanattractivestripcentremuchvaluedbythelocal community. Keycharacteristics include:
• Consistent retail focus to the street withonly a few non-retail elements
• Secondary retail into most sidestreets –extending 20-40 metres
• Corner buildings includinghotels as local landmarks
• Town hall and gardensquare forecourt as a focus tothe Centre
• Building activities that generally relate tothe footpath
• Continuous building facades to the street
• Some access provided through shops
• Rear laneways provide servicing and parking (particularly the east side)
• Off street parking providedon the west side and accessed via side streets
• Consistent ‘grain’ providedby narrow frontage lots
• Walkable andpedestrian friendly environment
•Weather protection regularly provided with cantilever canopies or posted verandahs
• Car parking usually to the rearof shopsand onstreet parking
• Large but intermittent street trees
The Character of Pakington Street North
PakingtonStreet Northlacksmanyof theattractivefeaturesof thearea southof WaratahStreet,andisnotaparticularly‘pedestrian-friendly’ environment. Key characteristics include:
• Corner buildings usually hotels as local landmarks
•Building activities that rarelyrelate to the footpath
•Discontinuous building facades to the street
•Varied and often wide building frontages
•Lack of weather protection
•Car parking within the front setback
•Intermittent sequences ofstreet trees
SiteAnalysis
The Surrounding Residential Character
PakingtonStreetprovidesacommunityfocusforthe surroundingresidentialareasof GeelongWest. Theresidentialcharacterofthisareaasdescribedintheprecinct brochure of Residential Character Studyis shown below:
The area is distinctive in Geelong due to its mixture of older style dwellings, compact urbanformanddominanceofweatherboardinmany streets.Someofthearea has identifiedheritage significancedue tothehighnumber ofintact and similarly proportioned Victorian,EdwardianandCalifornianBungalow styles,andthemodestpreandinter-war buildingswhicharevaluedby thecommunity. Thedominanceofthesestylesof architecture and the use ofweatherboard,small scaleof buildings, pitched roofs, and modest gardensettings createa ‘cottage’ feelto the streetscapes.
The Key existing Characteristics listedinthe precinct brochure include:
− Architecturalstyles includea mix ofVictorian, Edwardian, Interwar and
1950’s dwellings.
− Predominantly single storeyin height
− Gardens are either low level or established
− Front and side dwellings setbacks are small to medium in size
− Building materials used areeither timber or brick
−Front fences are generally mixed in stylewith pockets of low and average height fences
−Roads have standard treatmentswith some being ‘bluestone kerb and channelling.’
An additional quality of the area that wasnot listed ordescribed in the precinct brochure is the evidence ofthe area’s staged development. Although there is amix of styles in the area, dwellings tend to beclustered with others from the same era.
3.CommunityAspirations
Acommunityworkshopwasheldon21April2004todiscusswhatwasvaluedin PakingtonStreetandtoestablishtheissuestobe addressedin thepreparationof urban design guidelinesforPakingtonStreet North. The workshopwasattendedby around twenty local residents, traders and representatives of localinstitutions.
ParticipantswereaskedwhattheylikedandvaluedaboutPakingtonStreettoday andwhattheydislikedabouttheStreet.Followingthis,therewasadiscussionon theirvisionforthefuture ofthestreetfocusing on thenorthern section.Thevalued elements of Pakington Street asexpressed by the workshop included:
• The strongresidential community
• Mix of uses including community facilities, banks, offices,as well as shops
• The physical environmentas an easy place to meet, beingsafe and walkable
• The mix of heritage and other buildings
• The close scale of shopping, parking and adjacent housing
• The way buildings relate to the street
•Onstreetparking–Slowsthepassingtrafficandkeepstrafficfurtherawayfrom pedestrians
• The street asa genuine community centre with life onthe Street
Participants did not like:
• Traffic alongPakington Streetand adjacent to the Ashby School
• Blankwalls and boring facades such asthe Library facade
• Large groundlevel car parking areas
• Missingcanopy trees along PakingtonStreet
• Lack of open space
• New developmentswhichdo not have active frontages
Buildingonthecommentsmadeattheworkshop,futureimprovements,particularly in the northern section, could include:
• Removing through traffic
• Improvements for pedestrian access particularly elderly, children and disabled
• Improved provision of roadcrossings for pedestrians
• Moreweather protection including verandahs
• Extension of the powerlinerelocation program up to Church Street
• No blankwalls to footpaths
• Extending street tree planting particularlyalong Pakington Street
• Extending thestrip shopping
• Ensuringcar parking is located behind shops
• New colourfuland vibrant buildings
• Maintaining the ‘High Street’ feel
•Extendingthedesignaspectsoftheexistingshoppingcentresuchasverandahs into the northernsection
• Providingspace for the ‘mid teens’ in the centre
• A community use on the ‘Ropeworks’ site
4.KeyIssues
Thecommunityworkshopraisedanumberofkeyissuesassociatedwiththefuture ofPakington Street.Theissuesconcernedthefutureurbandesign formofPakington Street north as well as its functional role, both of whichare influenced bythe Business 4 Zoning that applies to muchof the study area.
TheBusiness4Zoneencouragesbulkygoodsretailingandmanufacturing uses, which tendto be more vehicle oriented. The impacts of these uses have determined much of the urban character of Pakington Street North today, as an open streetscape with car parking in many frontages.
Trafficlevels havebeen identifiedbythecommunityas adislikein Pakington Street. Thisstudywillnotaddresstrafficissuesasitisnotpartofthestudybrief. A separatetrafficanalysiswouldbeneededinrelationtoanysignificant development proposal which wouldassesstheimpactonPakingtonStreetaswellassurrounding areas.
Itisclearthatlocal peoplewouldliketoseesomeofthevalued urban design characteristicsofthePakingtonStreet ActivityCentreextended intothenorthern precinct. Atthesametime,thereisrecognitionthatstripcentresneedperipheral areastoaccommodatesecondaryservicesandactivities,anditislikelythatthis role willcontinueforPakingtonStreetNorth. Wesuggestthattheoverallaimforthe futureurban designcharacterofPakingtonStreetNorth(notland usecharacter)of Pakington Street North should be:
Extendthecharacterandscale ofthe existing PakingtonStreetActivityCentre further north into the Pakington Street North precinct.
Aspects of the implicationsof such an aim are that Pakington StreetNorth should:
•FulfiltheroleasakeypedestrianspineorlinkthroughGeelongWestaspartof making Geelong a walkable city
• Be pedestrian friendly by providing visual interest at the street level
• Feel safe with frontage uses thatrelate to the street and footpath
• Relateandintegratebothinscaleandlandusetotheresidentialsurroundsof
Geelong West
• Provide a focus for thecommunities of Geelong West.
5.UrbanDesignGuidelines
Theprevioussectionsofthisreportdefinedtheurban designqualitieswhichare valuedinPakingtonStreetanddefined howthese maybeextendedinPakington StreetNorth. The purposeofthefollowingguidelinesistoprovideguidanceto applicantsandcouncilofficersregarding thebestwaystoprotectandenhancethese values.
Pakington Street North Objectives
Basedonthe analysisofthestreetscapeelementsdevelopmentinPakingtonStreet North shouldmeet thefollowing objectives.Theobjectivesformthebasisofthe design guidelines for the street whichareoutlined in the following section:
StreetscapeCharacter
•To improve the quality of the pedestrian environment and the interface of developmentwith the street.
• To encourage a diverse mix of uses and activities inthe street.
• To encourage protection ofthe landmark buildings in the street.
Building Siting
• Toreinforcethelinearlayoutofthestreet,aspartofthehistoricstreetgridof
Geelong West.
• To ensure that new commercial buildings address thestreet
•To minimise the impact of commercial buildings on adjacent residential development.
Building Form and LargeSite Layout
•Toensurethatnewbuildingsrespondtothecharacteristicsofthesiteand locality, and demonstrate ahigh standardof contemporary expression.
• To design building forms that express the fine grain subdivision pattern of
Pakington Street Activity Centre.
•To design building forms that minimise the impact on adjacent residential development.
• To encourage social interaction and interest at streetlevel.
Building Details and Finishes
•To have regard to the palette of materials and colours in the street, and demonstrate a high level ofcontemporary finish.
•Toencouragedetailswhichareintegratedwiththearchitectureofthebuilding and contribute to the character and amenity of the street.
•To ensure that signage does not dominate the building or streetscape and contributes tothe pedestrian environment.
Heritage Structures
•Toretaintheintegrityofheritagebuildingsandstructures,andcomplimentthem in adjoining new development.
Sustainability
•To design buildings to the highest standard of environmentally sustainable design.
Walkability
•ToprovidesafeandconvenientfootpathsalongPakingtonStreet,andimprove pedestrian permeability to the areas surrounding Pakington Street.
Vehicle Access andCarParking
•Toprovideasafeenvironmentforpedestrians,andtominimisethevisualimpact of car parkingareas.
UrbanDesignGuidelines
ThePakingtonStreetNorthurbandesignguidelines arepresentedintableformat including streetscape elements,objectives,design responses, and avoid statements. Each of the columns is explained below.
StreetscapeElements
The streetscapeelementsarethose aspectsofthestreetwhichwere analysed to arriveatthe designguidelines. Theyincludestreetsetting,streetcharacter,building siting, building form and building details and finishes.
Objectives
The objectives state the intention and desired outcome for that character element.
DesignResponses
The design responsesare thepreferredmethod of achievingthe relevantobjective. However, other methods of satisfying the relevant objective may be demonstrated to council’s satisfaction.
Avoid Statements
The avoidstatementsspecify inappropriate design responses.
Pakington Street North Urban Design Guidelines
Streetscape
Element
ObjectiveDesignResponseAvoid
Streetscape
Character
To improve the qualityof the pedestrian environment and the interface of developmentwith the street.
Addressstreetswithbuildingfrontages ratherthanyards,carparksorservicing areas.
Enhancethepedestrianenvironment withgroundleveluseswhichrelateto thefootpathfrontages.
Developmentthathasno relationshiptoitssiteorthe PakingtonStreetsetting.
To encouragea diverse mix ofuses and activities in the street.
To encourage protection of the landmark buildings in the street.
Contributetoa mixofcommercialuses inthestreetwithanynewdevelopment.
Recyclelandmarkstructuresfor alternativeuses.
Protectlandmarkstructuressuchas cornerformerhotelbuildings.
Lossofactivitygeneratedbya mix ofuses.
Lossofdiversemixofbuilding stock.
Demolitionoflandmarkbuildings.
Building Siting andLarge Site Layout
To reinforce the linear layout of the street, as part of the historic street grid of Geelong West.
To ensure that new commercial buildings address the street.
Designbuildingstobeperpendicularto thestreet.
Sitenewcommercialbuildings consistentlyonfrontboundary(i.e.0 metresetbackfromfrontboundary)with occasionalsetbackstoprovideareasof publicopenspaceinfrontofbuildings.
Orientatecommercialbuildingsto addressthestreet.
Iflocatedonacornersite,ensurethe commercialbuildingaddressesboth streetfrontages.
Elementsandbuildingforms whichdetractfromthelinear layoutofthestreet.
Buildingsthatarenot‘square’to thestreet.
Commercialbuildingsthatarenot orientedtowardsthestreet.
BlankwallsontoPakington
Street.
Blankwallsthatfacesidestreets
Streetscape
Element
ObjectiveDesignResponseAvoid
To minimise the impact of commercial buildings on adjacent residential development.
BuildingFormTo ensure that new buildings are designed to respond to the characteristicsof
the site and locality, and demonstrate a
high standard of
contemporary expression.
Locatedevelopmentwhichmay generatenoiseawayfromadjacent residentialdevelopment.
Onlargersitesincorporateresidential usestoprovideaninterfacetothe existingresidentialuses.
Respectthepredominantbuildingheight inthestreetandofadjacentproperties.
Articulatetheformofbuildingsand elevations.
Designbuildingswhichina contemporarymannerrespectthe dominanceof19thcenturyandbetween the warserafacadesofPakington Street.
Useswhichgenerateexcessive noiseorotherenvironmental impacts
Noregardtotheorientationofthe lotinrelationtosolaraccess, prevalentwinddirectionsetc.
Buildingsthatexceedthe predominantbuildingheightinthe streetbymorethanonestorey.
Unarticulated,sheerfacadesand buildingforms.
Historicalreproductionstyles.
Building Details andFinishes
To design building forms that express the fine grain subdivision pattern of Pakington Street ActivityCentre.
To design building forms that minimise the impact on adjacent residential development.
To encouragesocial interaction and interest at street level.
To encourage buildings that have regard to the palette of materials and colours in the street, and demonstrate a high level of contemporaryfinish.
Onlargersitesarticulatefacadesto emulatethefinegrainofthissubdivision pattern.
Provideascaletransitiontotheadjacent residentialdevelopment.
Orientatecommercialbuildingstowards thestreetandprovidetheentranceto thebuildingdirectlyfromthestreet frontage.
Provideawellarticulatedfaçade,with shopfrontwindowsatstreetlevel.
Usesimplebuildingdetails.
Useamixofcontemporarymaterials, coloursandfinishes.
Large,unarticulatedfacades
Large,bulkydevelopments adjacenttoresidentialareas
Overlookingofadjacentresidential areas
Lossofsolaraccesstoadjacent residentialareas.
Commercialbuildingsthatdonot addressthestreet.
Lackofinterestandactivityat streetlevel.
Blankfacadesorsmallareasof glazingatstreetlevel.
Rollershuttersovershopfronts. Excessivedecoration.
Historicistembellishment.
Streetscape
Element
ObjectiveDesignResponseAvoid
Building Details andFinishes (continued)
To encourage detailswhich are integratedwiththe architecture of the building and contribute to the character and amenityof the street.
Relateawningsorverandahstothe architecturaleraofthebuilding.
Relatetheheightoftheawningto the buildingelevation.Ondoublestorey buildingslocatetheawningatfirstfloor level.
Providesubtledownlightingunder awningswhereverpossible.
Incorporatesubtlefaçadelightingon landmark.
Fluorescentstyle,‘white’lighting underawnings.
To ensure that signage does not dominate the building or streetscape and contributes to the pedestrian environment.
Directsignageatpedestrians(i.e. awningorstreetlevel).
Providesignsonlyontheawningfascia orundertheawningwhereverpossible.
Ifaflat wallsignisproposed,relatethe signtothearchitectureofthebuildings instyleandplacement(i.e.individual lettersasopposedtolarge,flat rectangularsigns).
Roofsigns,skysignsandabove awningsigns.
Large,visuallydominantsigns, particularlyabovefirstfloorlevel.
Internallyilluminatedsigns.
Largewallsignsthatdonotrelate tothebuilding.
Heritage
Structures
To retain the integrity of heritage buildings and structures, and compliment them in adjoining new development.
Designnewbuildingsadjacentto retainedheritagebuildingsand extensionstoHeritagebuildingswhich respectthescaleandformof the structure.
Provideascaletransitiontoheritage buildingwhendevelopingadjacentsites.
Reproductionstylebuildingsand buildingswhichcopythehistoric structure.
SustainabilityTo design buildings to the highest standard of environmentally sustainable design.
Designbuildingsforenergyefficiency, consideringsolaraccessandutilising sustainableenergyandconstruction techniqueswhereverpossible.
Noregardtotheorientationofthe lotinrelationtosolaraccessor prevalentwinddirections
Unsustainabledesignand constructiontechniques
WalkabilityTo provide safe and convenient
footpaths along
Pakington Street, and improve pedestrian permeabilitytothe areas surrounding Pakington Street.
Provideweatherprotectiontofootpaths whereappropriate.
Providepedestrianconnectionsthrough largerdevelopmentsitesbyconnecting existinglanesorculdesacs.
Ensureactivitiesrelatetoallfootpaths andpedestrianthroughsiteconnections.
Wherepossible,maintainandextend continuousNorth-Southlanewayaccess alongtherearof PakingtonStreet properties.
Windsweptandunsheltered footpaths
Largeinternaliseddevelopments whichdonotconnectwithexisting streetsandresidential neighbourhoods
Blankwallsfrontingonto footpaths,internalsitelinksand otherpedestrianlinks
Footpathsthroughlargeground levelcarparks
VehicleAccess and Car Parking
To provide a safe environment for pedestrians, and to minimise the visual impact of car parking areas.
Minimisethenumberandwidthof vehicle crossingsfromPakingtonStreet.
Locatecarparkingareasattherearof thesitetominimisevisibilityfrom PakingtonStreetandadjacent residentialareas.Minimisethewidthof vehicleaccesspointstothecarparking areas.
Provideshadetreesandotherplanting togroundlevelcarparks.
Designcarparkingareastominimise largeexpansesofunrelievedhard surface.
RefertootherCoGGcarparking guidelines.
Extensivegroundlevelcarparks visiblefromPakingtonStreetand adjacentresidentialareas.
Vehiclecrossingswhichare greaterinwidththan2lanes
Carparkswithnoprovisionfor landscapingwithshadetrees.
Largeareasofasphaltincar parkingareas.
6.Implementation
Planning Scheme
Existing Provisions
TheMunicipalStrategic Statement(atCl.21.20) recognisestheimportanceof promotingaviableandaccessibleretailsectoracrossthemunicipalityandtheneed tosupportahierarchyofretailcentres. Italsoadvocateshighstandardsofurban designincentresanddevelopments. Clause21.20oftheMSS(DesignandBuilt Form) also reflects these strategies. Local Policies at Clause 22.08 (Retail frontages)and22.09(AssessmentCriteria for RetailPlanningApplications) provide guidance ona range of design and landuse issues.
Asmall sectionofthe centrenorth of WellingtonStreetis coveredby Design and DevelopmentOverlay1whichaimstoretainthesmallscaleresidentialbuildings, andhas detailedrequirementsfordwellingsrelatingto singlestorey height,setbacks, materials andbuilding form.
Planning Scheme Changes
Themostappropriate method ofimplementingthe proposed guidelinesthroughthe planningsystemwouldbe inclusion withinaLocal Policyforthe PakingtonStreet ActivityCentreintheGreaterGeelongPlanningScheme. However,itmaybethat someofthe recommended guidelines(particularlythe objectives) maybe applicable to other centres, and therefore the Council may prefer to include the broader elementsin eitherofthe existingPoliciesmentionedabove. Ifso,theremaining guidelines(orDesignResponsesandAvoids)maybe appropriately included within a simpledocumenttitled‘PakingtonStreetUrban DesignGuidelines’thatsitsasa referencedocument. ReferencetotheStudyand thePolicy/guidelinesshouldbe contained in the MSS, although little change to strategy is required.
It may be appropriate in the context of theBusiness 4 zoning and the urban design guidelinestoreviewthe needforthe applicationoftheDDO1tothestripof land fronting Pakington Street north of Wellington Street.
IftheVictracklandontheeasternsideofPakingtonStreet(the RailwayTurntable site)wastobecomeavailableforredevelopment,itmayrequire asitedevelopment framework. This is an important site because of its large size and lengthy frontage to Pakington Street. The site could be suited to peripheral and residential uses, subject todevelopmentmerit. The sitedevelopmentframeworkwouldneedtoconsiderthe following:
• Ensuring thatfuture buildings positively address thePakington Street frontage
• Designing buildings with consideration ofthe interface with the railway corridor
• Providingsuitable accesswthin and through thesite
Asanexampleofhowthe guidelines couldbe extendedtoapplytoalarge site,we haveprepareda‘GuidelinesPlan’forthe‘Ropeworks’Site(see AppendixB). Apart fromdesignguidance,considerationcouldalsobegiventorelocationoftheLibrary tothissite. TheLibrarybuildingcurrently makesapoorcontributiontothePakington Street Character and could be redeveloped to make a stronger contribution. Alarger scale use such as a libraryis bettersuited to a largesite.
Works
PossibilitiesforfutureCouncilworksinPakingtonStreethavenotbeeninvestigated indetailinthisexercise. However,buildingon themes arisingfromtheurbandesign guidelines, and issues raised at the community workshop, we suggest that the Councilshould give furtherattention to the following:
• Detailed streetscape plans for Pakington Street North
•Street tree planting, to bring abouta ‘greener’ appearance for the centre, includingreinstating gaps in the tree avenues
•Improving pedestriancrossingconvenience and safety, for example by providing refuges or pedestriansignals;or by coordinating existingsignals to achieve better ‘platooning’of traffic flows
AppendixA
TheCharacterofPakingtonStreet
The Character of Pakington Street
Pakington Street -Urban DesignCharacter Analysis
Survey26 March 2004
Element / PakingtonStreetActivityCentre- Autumn Street to WaratahSt / PakingtonStreetNorth Study Area - Waratah/ Wellington Street to Church StreetBuilt Form – Setback / Usually built to frontage. Exceptions are keylandmarkbuildings –Geelong West TownHallandchurches. Fewrecent developments with frontage setback usedfor carparking or more recently outdoor cafes / Olderand particularly corner buildings built to frontage. Houses and more recent development setbackvaried distances
Building height / Single storey with 30% 2 storey / Variedbuildingheightwith10% to 20% 2 storey or 2 storey equivalent
Facade frontages / Continuous facades to street frontage / Discontinuous facades tostreet
Verandahs and canopies / Often continuous posted or cantilever / Discontinuous or rarely present
Transparency/interf acewithfootpath / Shopinteriorsrelatetofootpath. Exceptions Dan Murphy and Library / Activitiesrarelyrelateto
Footpath
Pedestrian environment / Pedestrian friendly / Pedestrians often feel alienated
Architectural era / Victorian,federation,betweenthewars,
1950’s and contemporary. 19thcentury andbetween thewarsfacades have a strong influence on visual character.
The mix of styles is not churned but
reflects the stages of development. / All eras present. Victorian formerhotelsoften locatedon corners. Several Californian bungalowhouses convertedto offices present.
Lot size/facade grain / Often narrower frontages / Variedoftenwithwider frontages
Use and activities / Specialtyshops,cafesandcommunity uses / Service commercial, some house conversions to small offices
Interfacewith residential areas / Usuallyanarrowcarparkbetweenretail and houses / Houses sometimes back onto commercial
Landscape and street trees / Intermittentstreet treeplanting, landscaped setbacks occasionally. Town hall gardens notable / Occasional street trees
Car parking / Rear of developments / Often in frontage setback
Threats likelyto change character / Development set back from the frontage, large bulk, out of scale developments,lossofactivetransparent / Loss of built form and loss of corner buildings