Private use of nature strip

Council-owned land on the road reserve, located between the kerb and the property boundary is known as the nature strip. Works carried out on this land can be either hard (retaining walls, handrails) or soft landscaping (verge gardens) and require different approvals. Please read below to find out more:

Hard landscaping

Minor building works can take place on nature strips (such as a footpath into your property, retaining walls, handrails), provided Council approval is obtainedCouncil approval is required prior to any temporary or permanent building or landscaping works by private residents on road reserves/nature strips. Failure to do so may result in non-compliance and in some cases, the work may need to be demolished and reconstructed at your cost.

How to apply 

A Private Use of the Road Reserve application and payment of fee can be made below. It must be accompanied with relevant documentation such as detailed drawings or structural engineering plans. Upon receipt of the fee, a Council officer will inspect the location and provide approval or comments within 15 days.

Fees and charges - see page 30 for Private Use of Road Reserve application fees, dependent on type of work.

Apply for private use of road reserve

Conditions

The Council has a policy on the public use of nature strips below:

Private Use of Road Reserve and Nature Strips policy(PDF, 275KB) 

The policy covers safe pedestrian access; safe sight lines for traffic; service authorities access and rights; Council street trees and responsibilities for ongoing maintenance and damage and reinstatement expectations.

There are other application types relating to the nature strip or road reserve such as skip bin, storage bin or crane placement, road closure, and driveway construction. The Private Use of the Road Reserve Application CANNOT be used for these applications.

Note: Complying developments on private land (CDC) require a separate approval for any works on the nature strip or road reserve.

Inspection and approval

Council must be contacted one working day before to arrange an inspection of the completed work. Inspections are carried out between 8.30am and 3pm Monday to Friday. This inspection is required to ensure your work complies with approved consent. Once the final inspection is completed satisfactorily, the works are approved.

Enquiries

Contact Council's Infrastructure Assets Engineer on 9424 0892.

Nature strip planting - soft landscaping

Street/verge gardens are important pieces of our urban forest and have the potential to make your house and street look great, engage with the community and create a range of environmental benefits. Be aware that verge gardens do not involve hard landscaping, earthworks or permanent structures. They are minimal impact plantings with low-medium growth plantings.

In order to ensure a safe and successful garden, there are guidelines that you will need to follow below:

How to apply

Complete the Verge Garden checklist online and the Environment & Sustainability team will provide tips and advice on building your verge garden. 

Enquiries

Contact the Environment & Sustainability team bushcare@krg.nsw.gov.au or 9424 0001.