By Kelly McKendry -Director of Water & Environment We often have clients approach us seeking guidance around stormwater management and quite often the key focus is on the size of stormwater basins on their development sites. The solution may seem quite obvious, and that is the reduce the size of the basin. Unfortunately, we see … Continue reading How Smart Stormwater Solutions Can Pay Off in a Big Way
Tips for Developing Steep and Sloping Land
Posted at 9 Sep, 16:20
By Troy Schultz (Principal Engineer) & Kerry Saron (Senior Urban Designer)
It’s hard to believe that there was once a time in SEQ when developers could readily buy flat and serviceable land. Now we see that development sites tend to be steeper and harder to service. Despite these sites being more challenging, with some careful planning and smart engineering and urban design, it is possible to deliver attractive sites that work and that achieve good commercial returns.
Having recent experience delivering several development projects with natural slopes in excess of 20% we thought it would be useful to share some key steps in the approach to developing steep and sloping land.
Step 1. Review site topography and natural slopes
Think about different land uses and where the most appropriate location for the specific use might work best. If rock or difficult geotechnical conditions are not influencing this, then there’s obviously more flexibility in the urban design and earthworks options. However putting terrace housing product, sports parks or schools on land with natural slopes of 5% or more (with hard rock underlying the surface) generally means significant and costly earthworks and retaining outcomes. Inappropriate land use designations are decretive to feasibilities with the cost to deliver the land use often higher than the profit being realised.
Step 2. Engage with a geotechnical engineer to undertake a desktop review of likely sub surface conditions
This step allows you to approach the urban design and earthworks strategy from an informed perspective. For example, is the site better suited to a ‘more earthworks / less retaining strategy’, or a ‘ less earthworks / more retaining’ strategy. With hard rock present, adopting an earthworks design involves less cut and better matches the natural surface (less earthworks / more retaining) can save considerable costs in blasting, crushing and processing of rock. If no rock is present, the site might be best designed as an export site with spoil material going to another nearby site.
Step 3. Work with the urban designer to ‘custom fit’ the layout to overcome the constraints
Avoid too many curves and irregular shaped road patterns. Align roads perpendicular to contours so side boundaries of allotments can step up / down the terrain. This can avoid having large double tiered walls in rear of allotments which add to cost and adversely impact the usability of the allotment. In the case of sportsfields, perhaps a strategically located tier will optimise earthworks, better match natural surface and reduce costs. Consider a built form / split level housing product in select locations to ‘break the back’ of the slope and to achieve smaller walls in other areas of the site.
Step 4. Undertake a high level earthworks design
Grade the roads and establish likely lot levels. Take account of drainage pipes and sewerage reticulation being another 2-2.5m below the design surface level. Major roads often have maximum grade limits (8%) so ensuring these are located around high points rather than going straight through then often reduces cut considerably and makes for a more cost effective project solution.
Step 5. Arrange for a targeted geotechnical testing/test pits on site in select locations.
It is important to validate the design in the field. We like having the contractor dig test pits using a 30T excavator fitted with a ripper. It enables a more accurate assessment of what actual site conditions and constructability will be like ‘on the ground’ when civils commence. A borehole is useful (as is seismic testing) but nothing beats excavating a few test pits on site in select location to better understand how easy or hard the excavation will be. This information is critical in understanding accurate earthworks costs.
Step 6. Review urban design and earthworks philosophy based on site investigations.
Armed with useful information, optimise the urban design and earthworks solution. Many Council’s are now pushing for tiered walls when the wall height is greater than 1.5m. Consider changing the grid to include deeper lots where tiered walls are present in order to fit them in and maximise building area. Modify alignments of major roads to avoid high points, change allotment access locations, lift the design in key locations, shortened cul de sac heads etc. To achieve minimum wall heights in rear of allotments, use the house set back line to kick up at 1 in 6 on the high side of the road and 1% on the low side of the road.
Whilst most of the value lies in layout and design optimisation, we have found a few things to be useful at tender time in order to maximise savings and get the most competitive, informed tender price:
- Include as much geotechnical information in the tender as possible (for information only);
- Provide sufficient time for the tender response including making the site available to Contractors to dig their own test pits and inform themselves; and
- Obtain a range of pricing options based on lump sum (fixed price) or shared risk (Provisional Quantity) to suit the risk profile of the project.
Essentially, more information and more time results in a lower risk price.
As can be seen, a one size fits all approach is too simplistic when considering steeper sites. (The same is true for any site but particularly steep ones). Tailoring a solution to overcome site specific challenges can save time, reduce both risk and cost while presenting a highly desirable product to market.
What is the Outlook for Civil Construction Rates?
By Andrew Ngo, Principal Engineer, PEAKURBAN Several clients have recently approached us seeking a current outlook on civil constructions rates across Southeast Queensland. And although we are in a good position to share our observations of the market, we also thought it was worthwhile reaching out to several reputable civil contractors for their input. We … Continue reading What is the Outlook for Civil Construction Rates?
Tips for Developing Steep and Sloping Land
By Troy Schultz (Principal Engineer) & Kerry Saron (Senior Urban Designer) It’s hard to believe that there was once a time in SEQ when developers could readily buy flat and serviceable land. Now we see that development sites tend to be steeper and harder to service. Despite these sites being more challenging, with some careful … Continue reading Tips for Developing Steep and Sloping Land
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By Ryan Ashworth The Federal Government’s Homebuilder stimulus package has really ramped up projects with many due for completion late this year or early next year. This means a heap more plan sealing requests over the coming months, placing enormous pressure on Authorities and plan sealing timeframes. In a previous article, we looked at how … Continue reading Plan Sealing – Tips and Tricks
Different Sites Require Different Stormwater Solutions
By Kelly McKendry, Director – Water & Environment, PEAKURBAN It is par for the course that when preparing a Development Application in Queensland a Stormwater Management Plan (SMP or SWMP) is generally required. However, a SWMP shouldn’t give you the same solution for every site. For instance, stormwater detention may not be required for all … Continue reading Different Sites Require Different Stormwater Solutions
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By Troy Schultz, Principal Engineer, PEAKURBAN In recent years I’ve noticed an increasing trend of developer’s seeking acquisition sites with minimal planning risk (inside urban footprint, appropriately zoned and preferably with an approval in place). Who could blame them given the political and regulatory minefield they are facing these days. More and more clients tell … Continue reading Where are the next Masterplanned Community projects going to be?
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By Andrew Ngo, Principal Engineer, PEAKURBAN There is little doubt that cost control is a hot topic now. While it has always been important to manage costs regardless of the market cycle, the question though is whether the necessary spending was more than it should have been in the first place. We previously wrote an … Continue reading Managing Costs and Value in the “New World”
Key Points when Negotiating Infrastructure Agreements
By Brent Thomas A well-constructed Infrastructure Agreement (IA) provides certainty for the developer and Authority regarding the delivery of various trunk infrastructure items. A good IA will clearly set out the obligations of each party, the funding and extent of infrastructure to be provided, identify any offsets and mechanisms for refunds, specify trigger points and … Continue reading Key Points when Negotiating Infrastructure Agreements
PEAKURBAN welcomes Brendon Bolt to the Water & Environment Team.
Brendon has over 18 years’ experience practicing in the field of environment and water resources. His vast experience in local and regional scale projects includes water balance modelling, hydrologic modelling, 1D/2D hydraulic modelling, flood mapping in GIS, conceptual / detailed design, environmental management and permitting, erosion and sediment control, water quality modelling, drainage assessment and … Continue reading PEAKURBAN welcomes Brendon Bolt to the Water & Environment Team.
PEAKURBAN expands into Water and Environment!
We are delighted to announce that Kelly McKendry has joined PEAKURBAN as Director of our newly created Water and Environment Team! Kelly has over 18 years’ experience in stormwater quality and quantity management as well as flood modelling. Notably, Kelly recently managed her own consultancy and is highly regarded in the industry having completed many … Continue reading PEAKURBAN expands into Water and Environment!
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By Brent Thomas (Published in UDIA Qld Establish Magazine #112 – Spring 2019) In all growth corridors across South East Queensland (SEQ), it is widely known that there are major land holdings in the urban footprint (UF) that have been identified as suitable for urban development, but have been locked up due to any range … Continue reading Unlocking Land and Delivering Affordability
What’s the cost per lot across SEQ Growth Corridors
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Launching PEAK Ai – Improving Project Design, Planning and Execution
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Managing Costs and Value in a Slower Market
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PEAKURBAN Planning and Survey
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How to Get Your Survey Plans Sealed Earlier
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Can’t get stormwater discharge consent? You may not need it.
Whether or not a Legal Point of Discharge (LPOD) exists has been for a long time, a very grey and murky area. The consequences of this ambiguity have meant stalled projects, refusal of development applications, cost over-runs and quarantined development sites. We have heard of some developers even needing to store or pump out stormwater! … Continue reading Can’t get stormwater discharge consent? You may not need it.
Conversion Applications – Get the credits you are entitled to.
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Is Poor Contract Administration Costing You Money?
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By Andrew Ngo, Principal Engineer at PEAKURBAN 2017 so far has been an intensely competitive year when it comes to buying development sites. Despite this, over the last couple of months we’ve helped four clients successfully acquire new projects – three residential development sites (1,830 lots) and one retirement project (145 sites). So, what have … Continue reading Engineering value in a tough market – the site acquisition challenge
Giving up too much land?
A number of clients have come to us recently raising concerns about losing too much developable land, due to easements and wider infrastructure corridors being imposed by Authorities. The reason, they advise, is for future maintenance requirements. What many clients may not be aware of is the maintenance method of “pipe bursting” which in many cases, means the … Continue reading Giving up too much land?