City of Burnside Streetscape Guide

With streets representing around 80 per cent of public space in modern citiesi, streetscapes provide much of the character and amenity of a place. As urban population grows and private green space decreases, public open spaces will increase in social and community value.
As a result, streets are increasingly seen as more than just a transport route dominated by cars. Instead, streets are becoming destinations in their own right for commercial activity and social interaction. High quality streetscapes offer a range of benefits to residents and other users, including increased safety, an improved balance between natural ecosystems and built environments, improved mental and physical health for residents and visitors, spaces for passive and active recreation, places for neighbours to interact, increased civic pride, economic growth and increased property values.
The City of Burnside’s Streetscape Guide provides guidelines for the development of high quality, sustainable, functional and cohesive streetscape development that celebrates and respects the heritage and character of the City. It works alongside other City of Burnside policies and strategies, in particular the Urban Tree Strategy 2014-2025, which highlights measures to protect the City’s tree canopy cover.
The Streetscape Guide will assist the City of Burnside to:
o Retain its unique character, renowned for its heritage and leafy green spaces
o Provide a clear vision for the City’s streetscapes
o Provide a consistent and recognisable aesthetic for the City that is high quality, economic, functional and sustainable.
The Streetscape Guide refers to the elements within a public streetscape, including roads, street furniture and street trees. It does not include private properties; or parks, gardens and reserves, many of which have their own management plans in place.