Manningham Council imposes $85 fee to plant on nature strip

MANNINGHAM green thumbs looking to spruce up their nature strip will need to shell out an $85 fee for a planning permit and cover insurance costs.

Nature Strip Gardening. Council is stripping back regulations on planting in nature strips Tash Gibson, seedling buyer for Bulleen Art and Garden is pictured with plants at a suburban corner nature strip in th some plants in Monash Street, Bulleen Picture: Janine eastgate

MANNINGHAM green thumbs looking to spruce up their nature strip will need to shell out cash for a planning permit and insurance.

Under a new nature strip policy endorsed by Manningham Council, anyone looking to amend their grassy strips will need to submit a permit assessment for their plans at a cost of $85.

Public liability insurance would also be required.

A council report noted that about 20 inquiries were made each year by people wanting to amend their nature strips, and the number was increasing.

“There are potentially a larger number of instances each year where residents landscape or pave nature strips without council’s permission and create situations which are unsightly and/or unsafe,” the report states.

The previous nature strip policy, last revised 17 years ago, required people to enter an agreement with the council to make any change to nature strips.

RELATED:Mornington Peninsula residents can grow produce on nature strips

Council chief executive Joe Carbone said the $85 permit fee covered council administrative costs.

Mr Carbone said council officers had discovered inappropriate nature strip plantings in the past, including olive trees and landscaping so extensive it prevented people from walking along the path.

“The most common complaints from the community are regarding the use of rocks in landscaping; landscaping which prevents walking along a nature strip; or landscaping that obscures traffic sightlines at intersections.

“Council receives three to four requests per year to remove hazards or inappropriate landscaping from nature strips,” Mr Carbone said.

Under the new guidelines, you cannot:

■Place rocks, planter boxes or letter boxes on nature strips;

■Erect fences, lighting systems or irrigation; nor,

■Plant prickly or spiky plants, nor fruit and vegetable crops.

Neighbouring Banyule Council has conducted a trial of growing food plants on nature strips, while Darebin Council allows planting on nature strips without a permit in some circumstances.

Bulleen Art and Garden horticulturist Natasha Gibson said nature strip plantings were a great way to “add interest” to houses.

“I like to use combinations of hardy native ground covers, grasses and small shrubs,” Ms Gibson said.

RELATED:Banyule Council to trial residents cultivating food plants along nature strips