LAND CAPABILITY ASSESSMENT
Land Capability Assessment for unsewered properties across Victoria
Site and soil assessment to support planning and onsite wastewater management permit applications.
Request a quoteWHEN IT MAY BE REQUIRED
When may a Land Capability Assessment be required?
Where reticulated sewer is unavailable, council may require a land capability assessment (LCA) to support a planning permit application or an application to construct, install or alter an onsite wastewater management system. The LCA assesses whether wastewater from the proposed use can be sustainably managed onsite. It identifies the minimum treatment level, required land application area, feasible effluent dispersal or recycling options and management controls for council assessment.
Council requirements vary. We first undertake a preliminary desktop review of the proposed development, sewer availability, available site information, relevant planning controls and applicable council requirements. Based on this review, we determine the scope of fieldwork, laboratory testing and reporting required and set out the proposed scope, fee and deliverables in our quotation.
New dwelling or system replacement
A new dwelling or replacement onsite wastewater system on an unsewered property may require an LCA to support planning and onsite wastewater permit applications.
Extension or change of use
Additional bedrooms, increased occupancy or a change of use may increase wastewater flow or load. Council may require an LCA to support an application to alter the existing onsite wastewater system.
Subdivision or other development
Subdivisions, an additional dwelling on an existing property, commercial premises and community facilities may require an LCA to demonstrate that the site can sustainably manage the proposed wastewater load.
ASSESSMENT SCOPE
What the LCA report assesses
The LCA evaluates whether wastewater from the proposed use can be sustainably managed onsite. It identifies the controls required to minimise risks of harm to human health and the environment, including wastewater moving beyond the property boundaries. The assessment considers:
REPORT OUTCOME
Practical onsite wastewater management options
The LCA report converts the site and soil assessment into a site-specific onsite wastewater management strategy. It evaluates recognised wastewater treatment and effluent dispersal or recycling systems against the proposed wastewater load, site and soil constraints, available land and applicable planning requirements.
Each effluent dispersal or recycling option is assessed as Feasible, Feasible with controls or Not suitable. For each feasible option, the report identifies the minimum treatment level, applicable design rate, required land application area, setbacks, reserve-area requirements where applicable, and the site-specific controls needed for satisfactory long-term performance.
The report also sets out requirements and recommendations for drainage, vegetation, installation, monitoring, operation and maintenance, providing a clear technical basis for council assessment and for the selected option to proceed to detailed design and implementation.
TECHNICAL BASIS
The LCA report is prepared with reference to the Victorian Land Capability Assessment Framework, Environment Protection Authority (EPA) Victoria publications 5001 and 5002, AS/NZS 1547:2012 and applicable council requirements.
QUALIFIED PRACTITIONERS
Yarra Geotechnics’ LCA reports are prepared and reviewed by appropriately qualified geotechnical engineers, including Chartered Professional Engineers (CPEng) and Registered Professional Engineers of Victoria (RPEV), with extensive experience in site and soil assessment and onsite wastewater management.
VICTORIAN EXPERIENCE
Yarra Geotechnics has extensive experience preparing LCA reports for numerous unsewered properties across Melbourne’s outer east, the Yarra Ranges, Mornington Peninsula and regional Victoria. Our work includes dwellings, extensions, subdivisions, onsite wastewater system upgrades and commercial developments on sites with varied soil, slope, land-area and environmental constraints.
PROCESS
How to get started
Send the available information
Provide the property address, available plans and any council correspondence. If plans are not yet available, tell us the proposed use and number of bedrooms or expected occupancy.
We review and quote
We review the proposed development, sewer availability, site information and applicable council requirements, then issue a project-specific quotation setting out the proposed scope, fee and deliverables.
We complete the proposed scope
Once engaged, we complete the detailed desktop assessment, field investigation and any testing set out in the quotation.
We issue the LCA report
We issue the land capability assessment report and any supporting documents included in the quotation.
PROJECT GALLERY
Land Capability Assessment fieldwork across Victoria
Selected site and soil investigations for unsewered properties across the Yarra Ranges, Mornington Peninsula and other parts of Victoria.
Need a Land Capability Assessment – or unsure what your council requires?
Send the property address, available plans and any council correspondence so we can prepare a project-specific quotation.