We have now been requested to provide a review of the LVA in relation to the Structure Plan. This is the relative isolation of the western and the far northern parts of the study area.
Exposure to external and internal views
Leaving the industrial area, both sides of the road are dominated by natural vegetation and topography. In the southern part of the study area are the Powderworks Road corridors and the alternative Manor Road via routes connecting with Mona Vale Road and the northern areas.
Scenic natural landscapes and green fi ngers of vegetation
Views to the northwest and north are screened by vegetation between the viewer and the study area boundary. The southern part of the site has some limited opportunities for views from Mona Vale Road and highlights of Waratah Road and an existing open section of Manor Road where views towards the distant coast to the south east are possible.
Isolated areas
Existing development character areas, consistent or mixed
Individual character areas
Visual character area boundaries
The upper part of the building is visible from two parts of Ingleside Road to the north east and east, in areas 4 and 5 and partly visible from the junction at the junction of Lane Cove Road with Mona Vale Road. Two green fingers of vegetation intersect near and southeast of the intersection of Cicada Glen Road and Chiltern Road, one of which is part of the Cicada Glen Creek riparian strip (see Maps 7 and 9). The topography slopes gently on the sides of a low ridge, mostly west of the corridor.
A small and isolated rocky hill with natural vegetation exists north-west of the intersection of Lane Cove Road and Walter Road. Secluded areas approached through areas of scenic natural scenery exist at the ends of two single roads providing access to parts of Zone 3 (Chiltern Road and Walter Road). From the higher parts of the site on Manor Road, Waratah Road and Mona Vale Road, views are possible towards the coast in the North Narrabeen area, over the lower valley and the vegetation in the Ingleside Chase Reserve to the east of the study area. .
From the northern end of Ingleside Road near the eastern edge of the study area, views are possible over part of the dome of the Baha'i Temple, seen across the vegetation between Mona Vale Road and the Monash Country Club land.
Integrating visual character areas and LVA analysis
The view back towards Area 5 from the foreshore in the elevated parts of North Narrabeen includes glimpses or parts of some residences on large lots on the east side of the southern part of Ingleside Road, near the junction with Powderworks Road. The site of the former house is historically and spatially linked to the archaeological site of the Powder Mill Ruins, also listed 5, at 2 and 10 Manor Road. The archaeological site once occupied by the Powder Works, after which Powderworks Road is also named, may have been visible on the original Ingleside House.
An appropriate land use control is required that will allow the continued interpretation of the cultural significance of the Ingleside House item and its spatial relationship to the Ruins of Powder Works site. Finally, each assessment criterion, character area and restriction against the proposed land uses in the Structure Plan was assessed for compatibility of the proposed land uses, assuming building heights and densities above, against the following criteria.
Compatibility criteria of the proposed land uses with the LVA
A capability criterion is that a proposed land use and likely built form that follows will be responsive to the landscape character and scenic features of the locality where it is located. Dwellings, including contained subdivisions, will be accessed in ways that minimize impact on views from public places, prominent landscape features, existing vegetation and culturally significant landscapes. Buildings that are visible from the public domain or other areas of special significance in the context of scenic features such as ridges, hilltops, horizons, prominent slopes and topographical features, or cultural heritage and landscapes, will be of forms that have the effect of minimizing their bulk.
Buildings that are in prominent locations will be colored in ways that reduce their visibility and help blend into the existing natural and cultural landscape. Buildings that are in areas not subject to visibility and prominence restrictions will be colored as appropriate.
Response of the Structure Plan to RLA Compatibility Analysis
In general, colors that imitate natural materials or earth colors and are darker and desaturated are allowed. Landscaping consisting of indigenous native plants and/or appropriate ornamentals will be used to provide amenity, screen views where necessary and provide an attractive environment for the buildings. Where the landscape is designed so that the building blends into the visual setting of the area with remnant native vegetation, species will be selected from native native species and planting that provides natural vegetation structure, including shrubs, small and taller trees.
Screen planting shall not be supported as the sole means of mitigating the visual impact of buildings located on land where visual impacts will occur on views, features such as ridgelines, hilltops, horizons, steep slopes and features topographical, when these are viewed from the public domain or other areas of particular importance. However, it will be considered that if a building seeks to be hidden by vegetation because of its potential importance, it is inappropriately designed and located.
Area 1: Key Attributes
Summary of opportunities of Area 1
Although the areas are defined by a number of consistent visual features, we note that there are also unique visual resources present in each area. These are also summarized below. The summary of the key visual features for each area is followed by an analysis of the response of the Structure Plan to the compatibility criteria for the LVA in section 5.1 above.
Response of the Structure Plan
Area 2: Key Attributes
Summary of opportunities of Area 2
It is protected from views from the west, north and southeast by topography and vegetation. The eastern edge of Zone 2 is partially exposed to potential views from the east and required appropriate land use controls to minimize visibility of future residences. Its hilltop dominance and visibility from its very large visual catchment must be maintained through appropriate land use and controls to maintain and enhance the landscape setting, including limiting the height of adjacent buildings below canopy height.
The relatively uniform physical landscape of Zone 2 will also limit the internal visibility of structures such as low-rise apartments and townhouses, which can be built without significantly affecting views from the external environment. The limited external and internal visibility of Area 2, combined with its other physical and visual characteristics compared to other areas of visual character, identifies it as the area with the least overall visual constraints and the greatest potential for a range of residential development types.
Response of the Structure Plan
It includes larger areas of flat topography that are not noticeably visible from outside locations. In addition, adjacent land immediately north of the temple on the ridge between Areas 1 and 2 needs to be managed to maintain a vegetation canopy as a view buffer. This is against the recommendations of our visual constraints and opportunity mapping that the existing landscape here should be retained as a view buffer.
Subdivision would require a closer look at this area and the adjacent reservoir and appropriate checks carried out to check the visibility of both the reservoir and any building to the west.
Area 3: Key Attributes
Summary of opportunities of Area 3
Unique visual resources in this area to preserve include; High quality scenic natural landscaped area at end of Bloodwood Rd and on Walter Road north of Cabbage Tree Road.
Response of the Structure Plan
Area 4: Key Attributes
Summary of opportunities of Area 4
With its limited extent of existing development and dominance of vegetation, this is an area that can act as a visual buffer to views into the study area from the east. The area also has the unique opportunity to retain the existing natural woodland character of the Mona Vale Road corridor and significant access node to the study area from the east. Unique visual resources in this area to preserve include; areas of high quality natural beauty including a significant and scenic area extending south and east from Lane Cove Road and a low level of built form.
The area represents an important buffer and screen for views on future development of the study area that deserves protection.
Response of the Structure Plan
Area 5: Key Attributes
Summary of opportunities of Area 5
The RLA identified the area near and adjacent to the intersections of Lane Cove and Ingleside Roads and south of Mona Vale Road in Zone 5 as showing greater potential visual compatibility with the identified low-rise/townhouse and local shops restrictions. , compared to other parts of Zone 5. Important areas in the lower part of Zone 5 are not limited by the external visibility of future development. The scale of the heritage and placement of Ingleside House on Manor Road and the need to recognize its historic connection to the archaeological site of the Ruins of Powder Works, to the north-east of Manor Road, require an appropriate land use compatible with existing values and potential future.
The northeastern part of Area 5, adjacent to Ingleside Road and north of Wattle Road, has limited external visibility from the west, north and east, largely due to the screening effects of intervening areas of topography and vegetation, including the Ingleside Chase Reserve and Area. 4 to the north. Possible filtered views will be available for this area from part of the Mona Vale Road and Manor Road visual corridors.
Response of the Structure Plan to Area 5
A finger of visually prominent heath vegetation on a rocky low ridge between Powderworks Road and McLean Street identified on RLA Composite Visual Analysis Map 9 provides screening between the Wilga Street/Wilson Avenue section of Area 5 and the northern portion of the area.
Conclusion
Where there are differences between our findings and the land uses proposed in the Structure Plan, these have generally arisen from the prioritization of factors other than visual, as the LVA is only one of the inputs in the planning process that leads to the Structure Plan. Specific comments on the structure plan's response to each of the grade areas are included in section 6 above. The structure plan is consistent with our conclusion that there is generally low capacity for residential development in area 1, west of the ridge that marks the eastern boundary.
All the land which we had identified as isolated either physically or because of its high scenic character and which should generally be protected will be retained in its existing character in the structure plan in accordance with our analyzes and findings. Land of highest outstanding character and scenic quality in Area 4 will be retained by the conservation land use in the structure plan as recommended by the RLA.
