A redesign that gave three big trees room

Bellevue Hill · 2026 · Architects & designers · Homes & estates

The challenge

A new home in Bellevue Hill already had development approval, but its basement and gym cut deep into the root areas of three established trees at the front: a fig, an 11-metre kaffir plum in excellent health, and a brush box. The approved design would also have needed about a third of the kaffir plum's canopy cut back.

What we did

• Assessed an amended design that moved the driveway, straightened the building front away from the kaffir plum and kept the sandstone front wall.

• Calculated each tree's share of protected root area taken, before and after (brush box 14.4% down to 3.5%; fig 17.9% down to 5.9%).

• Inspected the new driveway crossing while council crews had the footpath open: no major roots found.

• Set conditions: root exposure by air spade with a Level 5 arborist on site, protection fencing and mulch, monthly irrigation checks.

• Prepared a pruning plan: 15 of the kaffir plum's 45–50 branches, about a ninth of the canopy.