Verges

The verge area is the portion of land between the edge of the road and the front property boundary. As a valued public space and to achieve its maximum potential for the community, your valued contribution in landscaping and maintaining the verge is encouraged. At the Town of Bassendean, we are supportive of the development and maintenance of environmentally sustainable verge treatments. The following will provide some practical information and examples for the design and implementation of your new verge garden.

Town of Bassendean Activities on Thoroughfares and Trading in Thoroughfares and Public Places Local Law 2010

Council Policy 1.9 Verge Treatment Policy

Street and Reserve Trees Policy

Verge Treatments Guidelines for Enhancing Your Verge

Making changes

Residents can make changes in line with the Verge Treatments Guidelines without the need to apply for a permit. Where a verge is 'common property' between two or more owners or occupiers, the owner or occupier proposing to install a verge treatment must obtain written agreement from all other owners or occupiers prior to commencing a verge treatment. The site plan should indicate all assets within the verge (such as footpaths, street trees, road, drainage lids and property boundaries) and the proposed crossover works (including dimensions and construction materials).

Verge Treatments Guidelines

Residents wishing to install a verge garden which is outside of these requirements will require prior written approval from the Town before carrying out any works within their verge. To assess your application, the Town will require a satisfactorily completed Application for Permits form and a site plan indicating all assets within the verge and the proposed verge treatment. Applicants may wish to include a written proposal or justification..

Application for Permits

Verge Permit

Under the verge permit scheme, all works that require a building or demolition permit will also require a verge permit from the Town before any work commences.

The verge permit application must contain:

  1. A satisfactorily completed Application for Permits Form
  2. A site plan indicating all assets within the verge (footpath, verge trees, road, kerb, and crossover) and the proposed works on the property or verge.

Works must not commence until the applicant has received and paid for their verge permit.

Fees and Charges of the current financial year 2023/2024

Verge Permit Fee (non-refundable) For issue of the verge permit.

Security Bond (refundable)

The security bond must be paid by the applicant either upon application or following the building permit approval. The applicant must complete the Infrastructure Security Bond Payment Form and submit to the Town for processing. The bond amount is as per the current Fees and Charges and will be retained for the entirety of the building works.

Bonds are held to ensure the Town’s existing infrastructure (footpath, road, kerb, verge tree, drainage, crossovers including redundant, and other utility services) adjacent to building sites are protected and returned in an acceptable condition following the conclusion of any building works. It is the applicant's responsibility to protect these assets and ensure they remain in a safe working order for all community users whilst works are being completed.

Following the completion of the building permit works, the Town of Bassendean will inspect the verge /verge assets.     

  • If the Town’s infrastructure is returned in an acceptable condition, the Infrastructure Refund Payment Request is to be completed by the applicant. The Town will authorise and process the bond refund in the next available payment run, which will be deposited into the applicants nominated bank account.
  • If damage has occurred during the development works, the Town will request for the damage to be re-instated, this will be at the applicant’s cost. Reinstatements and/or replacement of assets shall be to the satisfaction of the Town and shall comply with Town of Bassendean specifications and WALGA reinstatement guidelines. If the damage is not reinstated the security bond will be withheld by the Town to cover the costs for any repairs, which the Town will organise immediately. If the costs incurred to the Town are in excess of the bond amount held, the applicant will be liable to reimburse the Town of Bassendean for any additional amount. In the event of any disputes, they will be handled as per the Town’s complaints process.
Security Bond Inspection Fee (non-refundable)

Inspection of Town infrastructure at the conclusion of building works.

Related Forms and Information

Who can I contact if I have questions?

Please put all queries in writing to [email protected].