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Planting (landscape)

Standards

Compliance requirements for embellishments

Note: 

  • Where Australian Standards or part thereof have been adopted by legislation, they are a legal requirement.
  • This list may not be exhaustive. Please refer to the relevant authority websites for updated information and current document distribution dates. These documents are subject to amendments from time to time.

Legislation

Refer Legislation for guidance.

Australian Standards/industry guidelines

National Construction Code (NCC)

The embellishment shall be developed in accordance with the NCC (current edition):

  • Building Code of Australia (BCA) Volumes 1 and 2
  • Plumbing Code of Australia (PCA) Volume 3.

Safety in design (SiD)

Include Safety in Design (SiD) principles to eliminate, or if not reasonably practical, minimise risks to health and safety throughout the design, construction and life of the embellishment.

See Legislation – Work Health and Safety Act 2011  for additional safety guidance.

Topsoil

  • AS 4419:2018 – Soils for landscaping and garden use. Sets out requirements for general purpose soils, top dressing, topsoil and landscaping mixes.

Mulch

  • AS 4454:2012 – Composts, soil conditioners and mulches. Specifies requirements for organic products and mixtures of organic products that are to be used to amend the physical and chemical properties of soils and growing media.

Trees

  • AS 4970:2025 – Protection of trees on development sites.  Provides guidance on the principles for protecting trees on land subject to development.
  • AS 2303:2018 – Tree stock for landscape use. Specifies the criteria for the assessment of above-ground and below-ground characteristics of tree stock that are to be supplied for landscape use. 
  • AS 4373:2007 – Pruning of amenity trees.  Specifies methods for pruning trees and gives guidance on correct and uniform practices.
  • AS 2303:2018 – Tree stock for landscape use - Specifies the criteria for the assessment of above ground and below ground characteristics of tree stock that are to be supplied for landscape use.

Tree grates

  • AS 3996:2006 – Access covers and grates. Specifies requirements for access covers and grates (such as tree grates) for use in vehicular and pedestrian areas.
  • ASME A112.6.3:2001 – Floor and trench drains (The American Society of Mechanical Engineers). Establishes design requirements for trench drains such as prevention of ‘high heel’ entrapment.

Designing for shade

  • Creating Shade at Public Facilities: Policy and Guidelines for Local Government Edition 2 - prepared by Australian Institute of Environmental Health. Technical resource containing guidelines about ‘essential’ and ‘preferred’ quantities of shade at public facilities.

Designing for access and inclusion

  • AS 1428 (Set) – Design for access and mobility. Design requirements for new building work to provide access for people with disabilities. This Standard is referenced in legislation.

Designing for safety (CPTED)

  • Queensland Government – Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) – Guidelines for Queensland, 2021. Provides guidelines about designing a safe environment to assist in the prevention of the opportunity for crime.

Erosion and sediment control

Approvals/authorised person

  • Ensure all relevant approvals are obtained from the appropriate governing bodies and all conditions are observed.  
  • Department of Transport and Main Roads (DTMR) approval is required for works near state controlled roads. This applies to any part of the road reserve including pathways, kerb and channelling, nature strip and traffic island.

Council additional requirements

Corporate documents

Corporate liaison

Developer delivered assets

  • Council (Development Services) – all works associated with any development application.

Council delivered assets

  • Council (Parks and Gardens) – recreation parks, amenity reserves, linear parks, landscape corridors, sports grounds and recreation trails enquiries relating to asset management, business planning and direction.
  • Council (Environmental Operations) – recreation trails, foreshore infrastructure, environment reserves, constructed waterbodies and wetlands.
  • Council (Design and Placemaking Services) – recreation parks, amenity reserves, linear parks, landscape corridors, sports grounds, specific purpose (sports), recreation trails and streetscape/centres enquiries relating to design. 
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Sunshine Coast Open Space Landscape Infrastructure Manual (LIM) DISCLAIMER

Disclaimer

Information contained in this document may change without notice and you should use the current material available from Council’s website and not rely on material previously printed or stored by you.

All figures and diagrams are intended to be used as an aid to design and include Council’s preferred elements but they are not intended to be prescriptive and may need to be varied as dictated by site specific factors. While Council has exercised reasonable care in preparing this document, it does not warrant or represent that it is accurate or complete. The Council will not accept responsibility for any loss, damage, cost or expense that you may incur as a result of the use of or reliance upon any material contained in this document.

This document is produced to convey general information and is not intended to constitute advice whether professional or legal. Any reference to legislation in this document is not an interpretation of the law. It is to be used as a guide only. Consult relevant authority websites for current documents, revisions and amendments.

Where a particular product or supplier is profiled in this document, Council is NOT nominating this product or supplier as the selected choice. Product/supplier information has been provided to allow users to source products which contain the correct elements required for Council embellishments. Each product profiled states ‘or equivalent’ which means that different products may be supplied provided they satisfy the identified performance criteria, recommended standards, equal access guidance and product specifications.

Product design, manufacture and installation requires appropriately qualified people to provide site specific solutions to ensure the embellishment is appropriately adapted to local conditions and data.

This document does not override requirements stipulated in a development approval. Project specific variations may be appropriate as a result of site, environmental or other constraints. Any variations to these standards must be approved in writing by council prior to commencement of variation works. Components of this document may be used within a contract document but users should undertake their own investigations to confirm the information is suitable for this purpose.

Drawings contained in this document are NOT FOR CONSTRUCTION.

Details in this document are deemed to be the minimum standard and the user may wish to apply a higher standard subject to approval by council.

Acknowledgements

Council wishes to thank all contributors and stakeholders involved in the development of this document.

Copyright

Sunshine Coast Regional Council (Council) supports and encourages the distribution of its material however, copyright protects this document. Council has no objection to this material being reproduced but only if council is recognised as the owner of the copyright and this material remains unaltered.

https://www.sunshinecoast.qld.gov.au[email protected]07 5475 7272

Sunshine Coast Open Space Landscape Infrastructure Manual (LIM)

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© LIM 2024 – 2026

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Version 0.0.38.beta

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Last Updated: 01/04/2026 12:27 AM

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