Setting the standards in streetscape

The footpaths are an exposed Mangatangi Sunset Pebble concrete, providing a nice light brown appearance and rounded pebble texture. The parking bays also use the same pebble as these are spaces where there is a transition from vehicles to pedestrians. The cycleways are a broomed finish concrete with a black oxide providing a good contrast with the footpaths and excellent slip resistance for bikes.

The raised tables in the street have a mix of sand blasted concrete providing a grey exposed chip, smooth concrete with 100 x 100mm saw cuts and 100 x 100mm dark grey precast concrete sets. The trafficable lanes are hot mix asphalt providing a smooth clean appearance.

Locations where existing tree protection is required, a timber boardwalk protects the rootzone, and the decking material is a composite that has the appearance of timber, but with good slip resistance and durability.

The rain gardens are proposed as a mix of larger communal devices and smaller devices within the front berm. A 300mm wide liquorice coloured concrete edge provides a high quality finish to the top of the buried precast concrete units allowing these elements to tie in well with the kerb and footpaths. This contrasts well with the reed type planting within each rain garden. For the larger devices large gabion baskets filled with a larger grade of the Mangatangi Sunset pebble provide any retaining structure, but also provide a sculptural form. The planting within these is more varied and includes taller species such as Nikau Palms. This provides a functional and visually attractive landscape element in the open space network.

The street tree section has been influenced by the existing Oak and Totara Trees along the edge of Park Estate Road. Deciduous Acer, upright Oak and Liriodendron are the main species in the upgraded section of Park Estate Road such that they do not repeat the existing trees, rather help to reinforce them. These species are large trees and suit the wide street space. They are also relatively fast growing and will assist with creating a high amenity streetscape. For other streets native species prevail, however some cherry trees and Ginkgo strengthen key intersection points or add to the amenity of particular streets with the addition of colour.

Spaces are also defined through shrub and ground cover planting that provide good green elements to provide a high amenity outcome.