What if Vectorworks is no longer just where the design gets documented, but part of a continuous loop between sketching, modelling, communicating and documenting?

The appropriate consultant depends on the complexity and purpose of the VMP. A landscape architect may be well placed to prepare vegetation management documentation where the work relates to landscape planning, development approvals, vegetation retention, site design and landscape implementation.

The Coalition's proposal is based around the idea that Australia's building regulations have become too complex and costly. The current NCC contains thousands of pages of requirements and supporting material. Proponents of reform argue that excessive regulation increases construction costs, slows innovation and makes it harder for builders and designers to deliver housing efficiently. The proposed alternative would establish a much smaller mandatory baseline, focused on fun

The NSW Government released its Industrial Lands Action Plan in 2025, acknowledging pressure from rising industrial land values, rents and, in some locations, extremely low vacancy. The Government has since established the Employment Land Development Program to actively manage the supply of development-ready employment land and coordinate infrastructure investment. The need is real. But there is a bigger question: What should the next generation of industrial land actual

Landscape can be used to integrate fencing into the overall site rather than treating security infrastructure as a completely separate element. The objective isn't to hide the industrial use. It's to make the transition between the industrial site and its surroundings more considered.

There are several reasons. 1. It shows how the proposal responds to the existing site A development application should demonstrate that the proposal responds appropriately to the site's existing conditions. A steep block is fundamentally different from a flat block. If a proposal significantly modifies the existing levels, Council needs to be able to understand that modification. A landscape plan showing only proposed planting doesn't provide that information. Showing e

Ku-ring-gai Council has made a number of changes to its Development Control Plan in 2026, including new controls for dual occupancies and updates relating to tree and vegetation preservation. For homeowners preparing a DA, the landscape plan is becoming an increasingly important part of the application.

Randwick DCP 2025 – Stage 2 commenced on 27 July 2026, following Council’s comprehensive review of the previous DCP. The new DCP replaces most of the relevant provisions of the 2013 DCP, including an updated Part B4 – Landscaping and Biodiversity. For landscape architects and designers, one of the practical changes is particularly relevant: Landscape plans are required to identify existing levels and finished levels, indicating the extent of cut and fill.

Imagine your car breaks down. You take it to a mechanic because you need it back on the road. You don’t know what’s wrong with it, and you probably don’t have the time, tools or expertise to work it out yourself. The mechanic calls you. “There’s a problem with the transmission. We need to replace a few things. It’s going to take another couple of days.” What are you supposed to do? You can ask questions. You can get a second opinion. You can search the internet. But you’re no

Fast Landscape Plans: Compliance-Focused Landscape Plans for CDC and DA Approvals

A good landscape response is one that is appropriate to the problem it is trying to solve. Sometimes that means challenging the brief, testing ideas and developing a strong design concept. Sometimes it means looking at a set of planning controls and finding the simplest, most balanced way to satisfy them without compromising the quality of the landscape.

At first glance, a landscape architect might not seem like an obvious consultant for an advertising DA. But signage is ultimately a visual intervention in the public realm. A large pylon sign, billboard, freestanding advertising structure or illuminated sign doesn't exist in isolation. It sits within a streetscape, landscape, transport corridor or commercial environment. A registered landscape architect can help explain that relationship and demonstrate how the proposal re

Industrial developments often feature generous landscape setbacks along extensive street frontages. While these areas commonly become decorative lawn or simple planting beds, they have the potential to become valuable public spaces.

Landscape design doesn't stop at the property boundary. The ADG encourages developments to contribute positively to the public domain through attractive front setbacks, generous planting and pedestrian-friendly streets.

Industry Foundation Classes (IFC) provide an open format for exchanging BIM information between different software platforms. Rather than asking every consultant to work inside the same ecosystem, IFC allows each discipline to continue using the tools best suited to their work while still contributing to a coordinated project model.

Australia's industrial landscape will continue to evolve. Warehousing, advanced manufacturing, logistics automation and AI infrastructure will all influence the way employment precincts are planned and delivered. Landscape architecture has an increasingly important role to play in ensuring these places remain environmentally responsible, operationally efficient and positively connected to the communities that surround them.

How can landscape architecture improve the performance of this industrial place?

One of the most common questions homeowners ask is: "Can my swimming pool be approved as a Complying Development Certificate (CDC)?" A CDC is often the preferred approval pathway because it is generally faster and more streamlined than lodging a Development Application (DA). However, not every property is eligible. Many homeowners only discover their swimming pool requires a DA after engaging a certifier or consultant, often because of site constraints they didn't know existe

Request for Information (RFI). For many homeowners, it's an anxious moment. "Has my Development Application been rejected?" "Did I do something wrong?" "Will I have to start all over again?" Fortunately, the answer is usually no. Receiving a Request for Information is a common part of the Development Application process and, in many cases, simply means Council requires additional information before it can continue assessing your proposal.

Many homeowners assume that once their Development Application (DA) has been approved, they can immediately begin construction. However, before most building work can commence, a Construction Certificate (CC) must also be obtained. One of the most common requirements at this stage is the preparation of a Detailed Landscape Plan. If you've received a consent condition requiring additional landscape documentation before a Construction Certificate can be issued, you're not alone