Bellvista Estate
Bellvista Estate (Stages 3 & 4) is a good example of streetscape water sensitive urban design. It is true water sensitive urban design because the road and lot layout was designed to respond to the overall stormwater strategy, and the streetscape bioretention systems were designed as an integral component of the overall landscape and sense of place. A close collaboration between Council DA staff, the development managers, landscape architects, engineers and WSUD specialists worked to resolve many of the design challenges associated with the new approaches used on this project.
- Alan Hoban
- 2005 - 2009
- Rawson Street Bellvista, 5 kms west of Caloundra
- Sunshine Coast Regional Council (formerly Caloundra City Council)
- Stockland
- Alan Hoban, Malcolm Eadie, Sally Boer (Ecological Engineering), Dave Henderson, Andrew Daley, Andrew Martin, Andrew Cook (AECOM EDAW) Tony Dodunski (Browns), Richard Studiman, Robert Blake (Stocklands), Leon Rowlands, John Birbeck, Rob Booker (Council)
- Shadforths, Eureka Landscapes, Australian Farm Forestry
- Bellvista is located on very flat terrain which generally procluded the use of end-of-pipe stormwater treatment measures.
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On flat sites the urban design must respond to stormwater management strategy, rather than the other way around.
Approved urban layouts can be altered relatively easily through a Change Application.
Through smart water sensitive urban design, approximately $500,000 worth of pipes and earthworks was saved.
Well designed signage is important to get community engagement.
Streetscape systems minimise overall construction risks and lower maintenance costs.
Partioning the inlet area during the allotment building phase allows for rapid establishment of vegetation and minimises establishment phase maintenance costs.
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This project pioneered the use of streetscape biopods in the region. For this to be successful, stormwater management played a major role in the urban design (road and lot layout) by influencing road alignments, road widths etc. In most cases, engineers attempt to fit stormwater treatment into predetermined development layouts. Bellvista was a true example of water influencing urban design.
To accommodate stormwater treatment, the developer sought to change the approved development application and renegotiate with Council a revised development layout more conducive to WSUD. This is unusual as many developers are reluctant to seek any changes to approved development applications. In this case it lead to better design outcomes, better environmental outcomes and streamlined operational works applications.
It was the first application of construction sign-off forms as a quality control measure for bioretention systems. An evolution of these forms is now included in the Construction and Establishment Guideline.
This was the first application of using partitions to protect the filter media of bioretention systems from sediment laden construction runoff and to promote rapid establishment of vegetation.
