Rethink needed on retaining walls
Council’s proposed policy would require walls that are greater than 1.5 metres in total height to be constructed in two separate tiers separated by a 1 metre wide landscape bench. This would cost more, reduce diversity, compromise housing designs, reduce useable space for backyards, and result in an increase in rear and side batter slopes that impact on liveability.
The design and construction of retaining structures in the urban residential context must strike a balance between many factors, including housing affordability, aesthetics, amenity, maintenance of structures, construction of housing, utilisation of private open space, and home owner preferences.
Further discussions will be held to resolve council’s proposals using the Institute’s expertise in retaining wall design typology types and criteria to respond to the many different circumstances of slope and topography.
More on the Institute’s submission is available here.
Any enquiries on this can be directed to Policy Executive, Robert Tily via email or on (07) 3229 1589.