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Project Planning

Designing for Northern Beaches Sloping Blocks

Building on a sloping block in the Northern Beaches? Learn design, excavation, drainage, access, engineering and approval risks before you build.

TL;DR Sloping blocks in the Northern Beaches can create excellent custom homes, but they need careful planning. The main things to consider are: site survey geotechnical risk excavation rock retaining walls stormwater driveway grades construction access bushfire risk structural design privacy and views approval requirements realistic budget A sloping block is not automatically a problem. But it is rarely simple. The best results come from designing with the land, not forcing a flat-house design onto a steep site. Introduction Many Northern Beaches properties are not flat. Suburbs such as Avalon Beach, Bilgola, Newport, Mona Vale, Bayview, Palm Beach, Whale Beach, Seaforth, Balgowlah Heights, Freshwater, Curl Curl, Collaroy Plateau and Elanora Heights often include sloping land, rock shelve…