Forrestfield paving, by arrangement from Landsdale
For paving in Forrestfield, IBP Paving comes from Landsdale, about 24 km away in a straight line. That is past our usual area, so Forrestfield work is taken on by arrangement, and we start by asking for the job details: the address, an idea of size and some photos of the existing paving. We will then let you know whether we can take it and book a measure. We replace and repair old paving, lay new driveways, paths and alfresco areas in clay, concrete and stone, and upgrade drainage, all with a lifetime workmanship warranty and over 20 years of experience.
Paving that dates from the boom years
Forrestfield grew quickly from the 1950s to the 1970s and has been fairly stable since the 1990s. Roe Highway now divides it, with homes to the south and industry to the north. Much of the residential paving is therefore likely to be decades old. Driveways and paths laid with the house have worn thin, cracked or sunk, and often the right answer is full replacement on a new base rather than another patch. Where the pavers are sound but uneven, a repair or relay brings them back.
Mature gardens bring their own problem. Roots from large trees lift pavers along paths and driveways, and fixing that properly means dealing with the root zone, not just levelling the top; see lifted pavers and tree roots. Older homes may also have less drainage than we would put in today, so replacements are a good time to add soakwells or a grated drain.
Street trees, recycled bricks and the verge
Forrestfield is in the City of Kalamunda, and three of its rules matter most on replacement jobs in an established suburb.
First, trees. LPP 33 requires a crossover or driveway to be set back at least 1.5 m from any verge street tree, with excavation for a new crossover kept to no more than 150 mm below natural ground near the tree, and the Crossover Application site plan must show at least 3 m from any existing tree. Second, materials. A crossover's sealed surface may be asphalt, concrete, new or cleaned recycled bricks or block paving, or two coat chip seal, with a concrete beam between the road seal and any brick paving. Third, money. The City pays the lesser of half the cost or $498 (2024/25) toward a first residential crossover, claimed within six months, but nothing toward repairing or rebuilding an old one. On the verge itself, paving, gravel and synthetic turf can take up no more than 50 percent, with no loose pea gravel, and permeable paving or decking can cover no more than 20 percent of an R-Code deep soil area.
Source: City of Kalamunda, Local Planning Policy 33 Tree Retention; Crossover Guideline (Ver 3.2); Verge Landscaping Conditions for Residential Property (v1.0).
Ridge Hill Shelf soils and stormwater
Forrestfield lies at the base of the Darling Scarp on the Ridge Hill Shelf. The City of Kalamunda describes this Forrestfield soil association as gravelly and sandy, with imperfectly drained and duplex soils common near alluvial fans and drainage channels. The City's stormwater guidelines name Forrestfield among the sandy foothill areas where on site retention is usually used, sized for the 5% AEP storm when a lot is above the road and the 1% AEP storm when it is below, with a soakwell base that infiltrates at 1.0 to 5 metres per day and sits 500 mm above maximum groundwater.
Source: City of Kalamunda, Stormwater Design Guidelines for Infill Small Subdivision and Property Development (Ver 3.2).
In practice, most blocks on gravelly sand should take soakwells well, while lots near drainage lines need a test first and sometimes a drainage design instead. Groundwater in the foothills is generally limited. Our Perth soakwell requirements page compares councils. Toward the scarp bushland some addresses may be bushfire prone; check the DFES map, and keep paving next to the house non combustible.
The marshalling yard and Hartfield Park
The 241 hectare Forrestfield Marshalling Yard was built between 1968 and 1973. Hartfield Park includes a nature conservation park and a lake. Both are useful landmarks when you send us directions to a job.
Suburbs near Forrestfield
Wattle Grove lies to the south west, High Wycombe to the north and Maida Vale and Gooseberry Hill to the north east, with Lesmurdie and Kalamunda up the scarp. All are covered by arrangement; see areas we service.
