Reports re Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design ...€¦ · Crime Prevention Through...

Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design Report

Residential Apartment Buildings

137-143 Herring Road, Macquarie Park

Submitted to City of Ryde Council

On Behalf of China Overseas Sydney Pty Limited

February 2017 16128

Reproduction of this document or any part thereof is not permitted without prior written permission of JBA Urban Planning Consultants Pty Ltd.

This report has been prepared and reviewed in accordance with that system. If the report is not signed below, it is a preliminary draft.

This report has been prepared by:

Daniel West 22/02/2017

This report has been reviewed by:

Claire Burdett 22/02/2017

137 – 143 Herring Road, Macquarie Park CPTED Report | February 2017

Contents

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1.0 Introduction 1

1.1 Disclaimer 2

2.0 The Site 3

2.1 Site Description and Locality 3 2.2 Surrounding Development 4 2.3 Site Risk Assessment 7

3.0 The Proposed Development 8

4.0 Nature of Recorded Crime 9

5.0 Matters for Consideration 11

5.1 Natural Surveillance 11 5.2 Lighting / Technical Supervision 12 5.3 Territorial Reinforcement 12 5.4 Environmental Maintenance 13 5.5 Activity and Space Management 13 5.6 Access Control 13 5.7 Design, Definition and Designation 14

6.0 Crime Risk Rating and Recommendations 15

Figures

1 Aerial photograph 3 2 The site is currently occupied by four separate three storey buildings 3 3 Carpark at rear of site 4 4 Ivanhoe Estate 5 5 Herring Road bus stop in front of site looking north west toward

Macquarie University and Macquarie Centre 5 6 Herring Road looking north west toward Macquarie University and

Macquarie Centre 6 7 Herring Road in front of site looking south east toward Macquarie Park

Village (under construction) 6 8 Ground floor plan 8 9 Hotspot map – breaking and entering into dwelling 9 10 Hotspot map – assault 10 11 Hotspot map – stealing from dwelling 10


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1.0 Introduction This Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) assessment has been undertaken to assess the elements of crime, and the fear of crime that may be associated with the proposed residential apartment buildings located at 137 – 143 Herring Road, Macquarie Park (the Site). CPTED is a situational crime prevention strategy that focuses on the design, planning and structure of the environment. It aims to reduce opportunities for crime by employing design and place management principles that minimise the likelihood of essential crime ingredients. This assessment has been prepared and reviewed by Certified NSW Police Risk Assessors, and uses qualitative and quantitative measures of the physical and social environment to analyse and suggest treatments to mitigate crime opportunity in accordance with the Australian and New Zealand Risk Management Standard AS/NZS 31000:2009. In accordance with the NSW Department of Planning and Environment‟s guidelines (2001) the aim of the CPTED strategy is to influence the design of buildings and places by:

increasing the perception of risk to criminals by increasing the possibility of detection, challenge and capture;

increasing the effort required to commit crime by increasing the time, energy or resources which need to be expended;

reducing the potential rewards of crime by minimising, removing or concealing 'crime benefits'; and

removing conditions that create confusion about required norms of behaviour.

Architectural Drawings prepared by SJB Architects and Landscape Drawings prepared by Sturt Noble Associates have been reviewed as part of this assessment. In addition, the following tasks were undertaken in the preparation of this assessment:

review of key literature on CPTED by the Department of Attorney General and Justice Crime Prevention;

collection and analysis of local and NSW State crime statistics from the Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research (BOCSAR); and

a crime risk assessment, in accordance with the current NSW policy and practice, of the following regulation and assessment principles:

1. Surveillance

2. Lighting/technical supervision

3. Territorial reinforcement

4. Environmental maintenance

5. Activity and Space Management

6. Access control

7. Design, definition and designation.

137-143 Herring Road, Macquarie Park CPTED Report | February 2017

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A site inspection was undertaken on Wednesday 17 February 2017 from 1.30pm to 2.30pm in order to assess the current site conditions and situational crime prevention measures and safety impacts.

1.1 Disclaimer CPTED strategies must work in conjunction with other crime prevention strategies and police operations. By using recommendations contained within this document, any person who does so must acknowledge that:

– it is not possible to make areas assessed completely safe for the community and their property;

– recommendations are based upon information provided to, and observations made at the time the document was prepared; and

– this document does not guarantee that all risks have been identified, or that the area evaluated will be free from criminal activity if its recommendations are followed.

Whilst a determined perpetrator could potentially circumvent the measures recommended by this assessment, CPTED attempts to minimise not eliminate the opportunity for crime by design that discourages anti-social and criminal behaviour.


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2.0 The Site

2.1 Site Description and Locality The site is located at 137-143 Herring Road, Macquarie Park within the City of Ryde Local Government Area. The 5,022m² site is situated on the eastern corner of Herring Road and Epping Road with frontages of approximately 119m and 43m (inc. a 5m splay corner) respectively (Figure 1). The site is legally described as SP60143. The land is owned by China Overseas Sydney Pty Ltd. Epping Road is a main arterial road which provides access along the southern boundary of the wider Macquarie Park from Epping through to the M2 Motorway, and further access into the Sydney CBD. Epping Road has seen a slight decrease in daily average eastbound traffic movements since 2008, dropping from 18.286 to 16,640 vehicles per day (noted at the traffic counter located 50m north of Yarwood Street, 1.3km north of the site). The site currently accommodates four (4) separate student housing blocks comprising a total of 24 units, as shown in Figure 2. No specific security measures (i.e. CCTV cameras) were observed on or around the Site.

Figure 1 – Aerial photograph Source: Nearmap

Figure 2 – The site is currently occupied by four separate three storey buildings


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Source: JBA

Vehicular access to the site is provided from Herring Road. The existing residential properties have access through a „left in, left out‟ method via a driveway off Herring Road to the rear of the apartment buildings. There is a bus stop directly in front of the site on Herring Road (Figure 5), which is serviced by nine bus routes which provide access between Epping and Erskine Street/Circular Quay, Epping to North Sydney via Macquarie University, Epping to Manly via Macquarie University, Macquarie Centre to Ryde Secondary College and North Epping and Macquarie University to Circular Quay via Putney. Macquarie Park Station is located approximately 1.7 km south east of the site and Macquarie University Station is located 550m north of the subject site, at the intersection of Herring Road and Waterloo Road.

Figure 3 – Carpark at rear of site Source: JBA

2.2 Surrounding Development The site is adjoined by the Ivanhoe Estate to the south and east, Herring Road to the north and Epping Road to the south. Development surrounding the site is shown in Figure 4. Across Herring Road to the north sits a new residential tower development, currently under construction known as Macquarie Park Village, and other older apartment buildings 3-4 storeys in height. Further to the north-east of the site is the Macquarie University campus. The Macquarie Shopping Centre is situated opposite the University and contains approximately 317 shops and has a gross leasable floor area of approximately 140,000m2. The centre is a major shopping destination in northern Sydney. The entry portals to the Macquarie University railway station is located approximately 480m north-east of the site, near to the University campus and Macquarie Centre (Figure 5).


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Figure 4 – Ivanhoe Estate Source: JBA

Figure 5 – Herring Road bus stop in front of site looking north west toward Macquarie University and Macquarie Centre Source: JBA


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Figure 6 – Herring Road looking north west toward Macquarie University and Macquarie Centre Source: JBA

Figure 7 – Herring Road in front of site looking south east toward Macquarie Park Village (under construction) Source: JBA


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2.3 Site Risk Assessment Overall, the Crime Risk of the Site is considered to be „medium.‟ The key positive elements of the Site are:

location of the Site along Herring Road that has a reasonably high level of pedestrian traffic;

the existing buildings are constructed with robust materials and the land uses are identifiable; and

there is potential for natural surveillance of the surrounds of the site from residents of the adjacent development (ie Ivanhoe) to the Site.

The key negatives elements of the Site are:

Front landscaping area along Herring Road and Epping Road is not well maintained and below street level (Herring Road) minimising natural surveillance from the road and of the existing development and increasing the potential for concealment opportunities;

The brush fencing along the front boundary of Herring Road and Epping Road screens the frontages of the site inhibiting lines of site and increasing concealment opportunities;

The minimal natural surveillance coupled with the ambiguity and non-usability of the front landscaped areas increases the potential for excuse making opportunities and discourages effective guardianship;

Inadequate natural surveillance of the rear car park from the existing development and street coupled with its expansive area and separation from the existing development discourages effective guardianship;

Minimal lighting coupled with inadequate natural surveillance and multiple access points allow potential offenders opportunities for concealment and to lie-in-wait; and

The site‟s location within a mixed urban area with nearby land uses such as The Ranch (Hotel/pub use), Macquarie University and Macquarie Centre provides an inherent potential for increased crime when compared to entirely residential localities.


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3.0 The Proposed Development The proposed development comprises the following:

Demolition of four (4) existing student accommodation buildings;

Construction and use of two (2) residential apartment buildings, comprising 297 dwellings above a basement car park;

Excavation and provision of a common four (4) level basement carpark accessed from Herring Road, providing 275 spaces;

Strata subdivision of the residential apartment buildings;

Associated landscape works, fencing and tree removal; and

Extension and augmentation of physical infrastructure and utilities as required.

3.1.1 Access and Parking As detailed in the architectural drawings prepared by SJB Architects, vehicular access is provided from Herring Road via an access driveway to the basement carpark. This access point will also be used for delivery/removalist vehicles and waste/recycling vehicles (Figure 6). The shared basement car park on Site will accommodate 275 vehicle parking spaces over four split levels. It is intended that 30 car spaces on Basement 1 (B1) will be dedicated to visitors and the remaining spaces (including shared adjacent spaces) will be allocated for residents.

Pedestrian Access

Primary pedestrian access to the site will be from Herring Road, through the main paved entry walkway adjacent to Tower B and open space area at ground level (Figure 6).

3.1.2 Landscaping and Tree Removal Landscape plans have been prepared by Sturt Noble Associates providing details of the proposed planting of the site and the existing tree retention. It is noted that the existing stands of Sydney Turpentine Ironbark Forest adjacent to the Epping Road frontage are to be retained.

Figure 8 – Ground floor plan Source: SJB Architects


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4.0 Nature of Recorded Crime Crime statistics obtained from the BOCSAR represents criminal incidents recorded by NSW Police. A review of the local statistics for 20161 found that the most commonly occurring crimes within the City of Ryde Local Government Area (LGA) were:

breaking and entering into a dwelling;

Receiving/handling stolen goods;

stealing from a motor vehicle;

stealing from a retail store;

steal from person;

fraud;

other theft; and

stealing from a dwelling.

As shown in Figures 7-11, the BOCSAR database indicates that the Site is located within or on the periphery of a hotspot for the following crimes:

breaking and entering into dwelling;

assault;

robbery;

stealing from dwelling; and

stealing from motor person.

Notwithstanding the above, hotspots indicate areas of high crime density (number of incidents per 50m by 50m) relative to crime concentrations across NSW. They are not adjusted for the number of residents and visitors in the area and thus may not reflect the risk of victimisation. It is noted that the BOCSAR statistics indicate that break and enter into dwelling and stealing from dwelling are the primary recorded criminal activities in the vicinity it the site.

Figure 9 – Hotspot map – breaking and entering into dwelling Source: BOCSAR

1 The most recent crime data available in relation all crimes affecting the Site/Ryde LGA is 2016


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Figure 10 – Hotspot map – assault Source: BOCSAR

Figure 11 – Hotspot map – stealing from dwelling Source: BOCSAR


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5.0 Matters for Consideration

5.1 Natural Surveillance Opportunities for crime can be reduced by providing opportunities for effective natural surveillance. The surveillance principle indicates that offenders are often deterred from committing a crime in areas with high levels of natural surveillance. From a design perspective, deterrence of crime can be achieved by providing:

Clear sight lines between public and private places and maximising natural surveillance

Appropriate lighting and effective guardianship of communal and/or public areas

Minimise opportunity for offenders to hide or entrap victims

The proposed development generally provides adequate natural surveillance, both to the development itself and to the surrounds. The proposed development provides balconies and windows that overlook the internal communal spaces within the site and the public domain. It is considered that connections between residents and passers-by will be significantly enhanced from the existing residential development on the Site and ‟natural surveillance‟ opportunities maximised from the development over Herring Road and Epping Road. This will result in an increased risk to potential offenders. The pedestrian entry to the building is provided from Herring Road, allowing for natural surveillance off Herring Road. It is expected that the use of sufficient lighting, high quality finishes and appropriate signage will ensure that surveillance opportunities at this entrance are maximised and ownership over the space is clear. Surveillance from residents of the new apartment buildings and surrounding completed/future residential buildings will be maximised through the use of clear glazed balustrades on balconies. Whilst direct sightlines between the proposed building and surrounding buildings have been avoided, more oblique views will still be available increasing opportunities for natural surveillance. Overall, the provision of a higher scale building with multiple orientations, in the form of windows and balconies, will give the perception of increased natural surveillance opportunities, increasing the level of risk potential offenders may consider before committing a crime. The children‟s play area on the Ground Level is recommended to have appropriate lighting and have fixed seating in close proximity to the play area for parents and carers to observe their children. This development reduces the opportunity for vehicle theft. The proposed linear car parking layout and ease of access to the lifts will enable residents to safely access the upper levels of the development. It is though recommended that the storage islands in the storage areas located at the southern corner of Basement 02, 03 and 04 consist of cages that can be seen through to minimise concealment opportunities. Way finding in large environments can be confusing. Knowing where and how to enter and exit, and find assistance within parking facilities can impact perceptions of safety. The general layout of the development will sufficiently provide a legible environment, however, adequate signage should be provided to reinforce wayfinding. This signage may be in the form of building identification signs, such as building name or address signs, or directional signage to apartments or other key elements of the development.


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Landscaping can provide shade, shelter and add to the attraction of environments. If not designed properly or maintained appropriately, however, it can offer concealment opportunities and reduce the opportunity for surveillance, such is the case with the landscaping currently on the Site. The plant and tree species proposed within the landscaping concept for the development should be determined in the context of enhancing sightlines and natural surveillance opportunities from Herring Road into the development. A recommendation regarding landscaping is provided in Section 6.0 of this report. All landscaping provided in the development should be the subject of a maintenance regime to ensure sightlines and natural surveillance opportunities are promoted.

5.2 Lighting / Technical Supervision Effective lighting can reduce fear, increase community activity, improve visibility and increase the likelihood of offenders being detected. It is recommended that lighting be provided in and around the entire development, particularly at the main residential entrance, raised lawn area, communal pathways, communal vehicular access/egress point into the basement to facilitate surveillance opportunities and reduce the opportunity for break and entering and theft particularly due to the crime types prevalent in City of Ryde LGA. All lighting proposed within the development should meet the minimum Australian and New Zealand Standards and objectives for crime and fear reduction as outlined in Australian Lighting Standard AS/NZ1158 for public streets, car parks and pedestrian areas. Lighting should be adequate to permit facial recognition, informal surveillance and reduce the threat of predatory crime. Recommendations are provided in Section 6.0 of this report in respect to the provision of appropriate lighting. Technical supervision such as CCTV is not warranted in this instance given the entirely residential nature of the proposed development. In this regard, requiring CCTV would place an onerous cost imposition on the future strata scheme to maintain and monitor the CCTV system for an anticipated minimal contribution to reducing crime.

5.3 Territorial Reinforcement The NSW Police Safer by Design Guidelines note that people generally recognise areas that are well cared for and areas that display strong ownership cues are less likely to be improperly used than those that do not. Ownership cues are heightened and fear can be reduced amongst residents through the personalisation, marking, maintenance and decoration of a building. The clear definition of the public and private territory and the introduction of greater number of people on the Site will naturally increase the risk to an offender and promote territorial reinforcement of the Site, as criminals do not want to be detected, challenged or apprehended. This is a positive aspect of the development compared to the current situation where there are no people on the Site and considered an improvement from the historical medium density residential use of the Site that is poorly designed from a CPTED perspective. The landscape plan prepared by Sturt Noble Associates provides 1m high fencing to separate public and private land at appropriate positions adjacent to the street boundaries and building, which is supported from a CPTED perspective. The provision of new residential apartment buildings, along with the transition currently occurring in the locality, from 40 + year old medium density housing stock that is reaching the end of its economic life to modern high density residential development, is expected to enhance the image and amenity of the


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area. However, on-going maintenance of the development and the surrounding landscaped areas will also be a key crime prevention mechanism. Suitable wayfinding signage at the perimeter of the development is recommended to help reduce the opportunities for people to find excuses to gain unauthorised access and/or to loiter in areas of the development or immediately adjacent to entries.

5.4 Environmental Maintenance The proposed development will provide a high quality urban environment which will display a clarity of ownership and land use, as well as increase levels of activity during the day and night through more people being located on the Site. The image of an area can impact upon feelings of safety and danger; influence local confidence; and affect individual decisions to withdraw or engage in community life. Given the quality and design of the proposed development and the comprehensive landscaping to be provided, the proposed development is expected to enhance and redefine the image of the area. The ongoing maintenance of the proposed development and associated landscaping is important to balance safety and aesthetics of the development. Well maintained spaces encourage regular use and activity, which in turn creates natural supervision of public areas and enhances feelings of safety. The use of high quality materials for construction and established planting should be used to lessen the likelihood of damage and to help reduce maintenance costs. Ultimately however, the maintenance of the building and landscaping will be the responsibility of the future strata scheme for the proposed development that will be created on the Site. It is in the financial interest of owners of the strata scheme to ensure a well maintained and cared for building and surrounds.

5.5 Activity and Space Management The introduction of a greater number of people on Site will increase activity of the area during both the day and night. This in turn is likely to increase surveillance and effective guardianship of common areas. As image can impact upon feelings of safety and danger, influence local confidence and individual decisions to either withdrawn or engage in community life the residential development under construction across Herring Road (Macquarie Park Village) and other recently constructed residential towers along Herring Road represent a locality transitioning from three-four storey walk-up flats that are nearing the end of their economic lives to a modern high density residential area adjacent to a railway station, business/technology park, university and large shopping centre with entertainment facilities.

5.6 Access Control Access control strategies restrict, channel and encourage the movement of people and vehicles into and around designated areas. Physical barriers increase the effort required to commit crime. Section 6.0 of this report recommends access control measures to be implemented throughout the proposed development to ensure access to the building and surrounds is restricted as far as possible to residents and their visitors. In addition, care should be taken to ensure that the individual apartments are appropriately fitted with locks to windows and balcony doors. Doors should be lockable from both outside and inside, in particular on the ground level to enhance apartments where access is more achievable from the street. Care should be


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taken, however, to ensure that window security does not trap residents in an emergency. Care should also be given to the design of awnings to ensure that natural ladders are avoided. Natural ladders can provide unwanted access to upper level residential apartments.

5.7 Design, Definition and Designation The design of the development reflects its purpose, which makes it difficult for potential offenders to make excuses about their presence and actions. Opportunistic criminals will often exploit areas with unclear spatial definition, borders and boundaries. The proposed development is clear in defining spaces and in the designation of the building as a residential use, therefore it is considered consistent with this principle.


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6.0 Crime Risk Rating and Recommendations

The Crime Risk Rating considers the site environment and development as proposed in the architectural plans prepared by SJB Architects and landscape plans prepared by Sturt Noble Associates. Combining the area context and the site opportunity rating of the issues discussed in Sections 2, 4 and 5, the Crime Risk Assessment Rating of the proposed development is rated within the „Medium‟ category. An assessment of the proposal using the Crime Prevention through Environmental Design (CPTED) principles has found that provided the measures recommended below are implemented the opportunities for crime can be minimised to reasonable levels and the rating would reduce to be within the “Low” category. Therefore, this would provide a safe environment for future customers, staff and residents. Accordingly, recommendations to further improve the safety and security of the development are as follows:

Basement lighting should achieve a minimum of 150 Lux when in use and achieve a minimum of 75 Lux in power saving mode. A motion detection system shall be linked with the basement lighting to ensure the lighting appropriately responds to activity.

The children‟s play area should achieve a minimum of 150 Lux when in use and achieve a minimum of 75 Lux in power saving mode. A motion detection system shall be linked with the lighting to ensure it appropriately responds to activity.

Any emergency lighting shall also be installed in accordance with the relevant Australian Standards.

Provide secure electronic access (card/ key controlled entries/ lifts etc.) to the basement car park and the building entry to prevent unauthorised access into the car park and residential apartments.

Provide secure electronic access (card/ key controlled entries/ lifts etc.) to all other entrances to the building/s including (but not exclusive to), the mail room, waste areas, holding bay, service/plant areas, common room, bike storage area etc.

Ensure individual apartments are appropriately fitted with locks to windows and balcony doors. Doors should be lockable from both outside and inside, in particular on the ground level to enhance apartments where access is more achievable from the street. Care should be taken, however, to ensure that window security does not trap residents in an emergency.

The storage locker islands in the southern corner of Basement 02, 03 & 04 are recommended to be consist of caging that can be seen through to minimise concealment opportunities and maximise lines of sight.

Fixed seating is recommended to be incorporated into the ground floor design around the children‟s play area to allow for parents and carers of children to sit and observe the play area in close proximity;

Provide way finding signage and building identification signage to reinforce residents and visitors perception of safety and legibility of the development.

Provide appropriate lighting in and around the development and consult a qualified lighting engineer to ensure the correct lighting is provided to meet minimum Australia and New Zealand Lighting Standards, and ensure lighting is


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sufficient and bright enough to enable surveillance, but also does not generate inappropriate light spill into apartments.

Provide 1.8m high fences with security gates at two appropriate points in order to restrict public access to the rear landscaped area that is located along the south eastern and north eastern boundaries of the site.

Care should also be given to the design of awnings to ensure that natural ladders are avoided. Natural ladders can provide unwanted access to upper level residential apartments.

Ensure that landscaping does not give rise to concealment opportunities and does not restrict sightlines from the development overlooking public open spaces. As such, plant species provided should not achieve a mature height of more than 1.2m above ground level, or in the case of trees selected should achieve a minimum canopy height of 1.8m when mature.

Ensure mechanisms are in place for on-going maintenance of landscaping and the building, which includes:

– rapid removal policy for vandalism repair and the removal of graffiti;

– maintenance of perimeter landscaping; and

Use high quality materials for construction to lessen the likelihood of damage and help to reduce maintenance costs.

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