Site Use

It is important in the early stages of design to consider location of both the services that are required on a site such as stormwater soak pits and/or onsite wastewater systems, and the lifestyle requirements of the owners. The latter include outdoor living areas and vehicle access/driveways/parking/garaging.

You can also find technical details in other sections about on-site wastewater systems and stormwater control and landscaping.

An important consideration in locating solid outdoor features such as garden sheds or garden walls is that they should not obstruct the movement of floodwater. ‘Flow paths’ are the downhill route that stormwater naturally takes in heavy rain if drains are at capacity or there are no drains. Some local authority online maps show flow paths. While flow paths often follow roads or gutters it is not unusual for them to cross private properties, in which case nothing should block their flow.

Updated: 29 August 2025