KEW
LANDSCAPING
& DESIGN

Our Kew portfolio photograph shows a white open-batten pergola beside a swimming pool, with a matching slatted screen behind a built-in bench. Large-format pale paving connects the seating area to the pool edge. Warm lighting beneath the seat and on the posts makes the structure visible after dark, while hedging and established trees soften the dark boundary fence.

The useful detail is how these elements fit together. Seating is built into the pergola rather than taking up the paved area with a separate furniture setting. The pale finish distinguishes the structure from the fence, and the planting remains part of the view. This is a completed PJR project in Kew and the reason we include the suburb in our service coverage. We are not claiming a Kew office, or that every home here needs a poolside garden.

For a Victorian or Edwardian frontage in Kew, a clear path to the door, repeated planting and restrained edging can complement the home's proportions. Brick tones or natural stone can be considered alongside existing steps and masonry, rather than chosen from a sample in isolation. A clipped hedge may suit a formal entry; a looser planting scheme may work better where an established canopy and existing beds already give the garden its character.

A renovated rear garden can have a different brief without needing to imitate the front. A paved dining area, timber deck or pergola can connect to a contemporary extension, with planting separating entertaining from quieter garden spaces. At a site consultation, the starting points are your doors and floor levels, where the sun falls, which trees remain, and how you actually use the yard. These are design options, not a claim that all Kew blocks are large or all properties are heritage protected.

Kew is in the City of Boroondara. Heritage controls are property-specific, so the suburb name alone cannot tell you whether a permit is needed. Council's heritage map shows overlays and property gradings, but Council says the map is a guide rather than formal planning advice. Create a Planning Property Report in VicPlan, check the applicable overlay schedule, and read the Statement of Significance for the property or precinct.

A Heritage Overlay does not prevent all change. It can require planning permission for particular works. Check proposed structures and changes to the garden or frontage before agreeing to a construction start date. Significant, contributory and non-contributory gradings also matter to Council's assessment; a non-contributory building within an overlay is not a reason to skip the checks.

Boroondara's pergola guide distinguishes Planning Permits from Building Permits. It lists a Heritage Overlay as a planning trigger and sets out separate building checks for size, height and position. Council also defines a pergola as an open or water-permeable structure, not a solid-roofed structure. A roofed proposal may need a different assessment, so do not assume every structure sold as a pergola follows the same rules.

Tree protection is relevant to construction even when no tree is being removed. Under Council's Tree Protection Local Law, works within 2 metres of a protected canopy tree's trunk, or within a significant tree's Tree Protection Zone, require a Tree Works Permit. Excavation for paving, digging post holes and storing materials can all affect the work area. Planning overlays may add requirements. At pool edges, confirm barrier compliance separately before introducing seating, new levels or structures near the fence.

These notes are a starting checklist, not site-specific approval advice or a promise that permits are included in a PJR quote. Confirm responsibilities, required professional input and any approvals before work starts. Council or your building surveyor should confirm the requirements for your address and design.