Scott Project- Multi‑Dwelling DA Landscape Design (Anna Bay, Port Stephens NSW)

Project Overview
This project involved landscape documentation for a three‑dwelling residential development and subdivision at Anna Bay within the Port Stephens Council area.

The proposal subdivided an existing 792.9m² allotment into two separate lots. One lot contained a single dwelling, while the second accommodated two dwellings. The landscape design needed to coordinate subdivision requirements, stormwater management, rain garden infrastructure, deep soil provision, private open space and coastal planting within a series of irregular site geometries.

Key Design Constraints
The project required resolution of several competing site pressures:

Existing irregular-shaped site
Proposed subdivision creating two irregular lots
Existing mature tree to be retained
Sandy coastal soil conditions
Exposure to coastal winds and salt spray
Stormwater management requirements
Need to integrate rainwater harvesting infrastructure
Limited locations suitable for meaningful deep soil planting
Requirement for practical long-term maintenance outcomes


Design Response
1. Subdivision & Site Planning Strategy
The subdivision created two unconventional lot configurations that required careful coordination between dwelling placement, access, private open space and landscape allocation.
Rather than distributing landscape elements evenly across both lots, the design focused on creating practical and functional outdoor spaces appropriate to each dwelling while maintaining clear site organisation after subdivision.

2. Rain Garden & Stormwater Strategy
A key component of the landscape response involved integrating rainwater harvesting with site stormwater management.

Each dwelling was provided with its own rainwater tank, with collected water contributing to a coordinated rain garden strategy across the development.

Rather than treating stormwater management as a separate engineering exercise, the landscape design incorporated rain gardens as a functional element of the site's environmental performance.

This approach helped integrate water management outcomes into the broader landscape strategy while supporting council objectives relating to stormwater quality and permeability.

3. Deep Soil Strategy
Unlike many developments where deep soil is dispersed throughout the site, this project concentrated the majority of deep soil allocation within larger consolidated landscape zones.
This approach created:

more meaningful planting opportunities
greater canopy potential
clearer landscape structure
stronger streetscape presentation

while avoiding fragmented planting pockets that would contribute little long-term landscape value.
The remaining landscape areas incorporated practical lawn zones to balance usability and maintenance requirements.

4. Existing Tree Retention
One of the site's existing trees occupied a significant portion of the available deep soil area.

Rather than introducing additional planting around this location, the landscape design recognised the existing canopy value already being provided by the retained tree.

Given the surrounding built form and available light conditions, additional planting would likely have created unnecessary competition and reduced long-term performance.

The decision to retain and rely on the existing canopy helped preserve landscape value while improving practicality.

5. Coastal Planting Strategy
The site's proximity to the coast meant plant selection was heavily influenced by environmental conditions.

The sandy soils, free-draining profile and exposure to salt-laden winds required species capable of performing reliably under coastal conditions.

Species including Coast Banksia, Sea Rush, Lomandra and Banksia 'Honey Pots' were selected due to their:
coastal tolerance
low water requirements
suitability for sandy soils
long-term durability

This provided a planting palette capable of establishing successfully while minimising future maintenance.

Technical Resolution
Key technical outcomes achieved through the landscape design included:

Integration of subdivision and landscape outcomes
Coordination of three dwellings across two proposed lots
Consolidated deep soil allocation
Retention of significant existing vegetation
Integration of rainwater harvesting and rain garden infrastructure
Coastal planting strategy tailored to site conditions
Low-maintenance landscape outcomes
Clear demonstration of landscape compliance requirements


Outcome
The final landscape outcome delivered:

Three compliant residential dwellings across two lots
Integrated rainwater harvesting and rain garden infrastructure
Deep soil provision significantly exceeding minimum requirements
Practical long-term maintenance outcomes
Retention of existing landscape assets
Planting suited to Port Stephens' coastal conditions
Coordinated documentation suitable for DA assessment

Lot A achieved:

33.5% soft landscaping
14.1% deep soil

Lot B achieved:

44.3% soft landscaping
16.5% deep soil

both comfortably exceeding applicable minimum requirements.

Project Insight
This project demonstrates how landscape documentation can contribute to more than compliance alone.

By integrating subdivision planning, rainwater harvesting, rain gardens, deep soil provision, tree retention and coastal planting into a single coordinated response, the landscape strategy helped strengthen both environmental performance and long-term site usability.