1 September 2022

I’m pleased to advise that a new guide to help those building new homes or extensions to add more greenery and improve the liveability of Adelaide’s neighbourhoods was launched by the Minister for Planning today.

The newly launched Adelaide Garden Guide for New Homes, developed in partnership between Green Adelaide and State Planning Commission with expertise from Clover Green Space, provides small garden designs and planting ideas to help make it easy to implement the mandatory tree and landscaping requirements for new homes and renovations in metropolitan Adelaide.

The Guide includes:

• lists of the top 10 most appropriate small, medium and large tree options that can be planted in a small home garden
• 3D visualisations and checklists to achieve home greening success
• case studies of common infill housing types including how to meet the mandatory Planning and Design Code tree planting and landscaping policies
• examples of different landscape garden palettes and small garden designs.

In addition, two significant reports relating to urban greening and tree regulations in South Australia have been published as part of the State Planning Commission’s Open Spaces and Trees Project.

An independent Arborist Review was undertaken by Dr Dean Nicolle of Calypatra Pty Ltd in consultation with Green Adelaide, the Department for Environment and Water, and the State Herbarium and Botanic Gardens. The Review contains a detailed analysis of tree species exemptions including a value/cost assessment of particular tree species.

A separate Research Report from the Environmental Institute of the University of Adelaide entitled ‘Urban Tree Protection in Australia’ was also commissioned to analyse South Australia’s tree protections as compared to other Australian states and territories, including the size of trees protected and the various exemptions which currently apply.

These reports provide the detailed data and evidence to help inform planning policy and any potential changes to tree regulations.

To progress the outcomes of the Commission’s Open Spaces and Trees Project, the Department will now commence a thorough economic analysis and regulatory impact assessment to properly understand and inform any proposed changes to tree regulations, including community and industry consultation.

Both the Adelaide Garden Guide for New Homes and the Open Spaces and Trees Project reports are now available for download.

Visit plan.sa.gov.au/en/garden-guide and the Open Spaces and Trees Project.

Please note you have been sent this ‘Update from the Commission Chair’ as you are a Planning Ahead and/or The Building Standard e-newsletter subscriber. If you wish to receive future news from the Commission Chair, please update your subscription preferences by ticking the State Planning Commission box.