Decision to ban synthetic verge lawns could soon be reversed in City of Bayswater

Synthetic lawn could soon be allowed once again in the City of Bayswater.

It has been banned since the council adopted a street verges policy in 2024 that precluded it from being used as a verge treatment.

Synthetic lawn is usually made of plastic synthetic fibers, a woven backing and loose infill materials, all derived from petroleum and crude oil.

In the agenda notes for the city’s policy meeting on Monday, September 7, officers said while the prohibition reflected the city’s environmental objectives, it also represented a “significant departure from historical practice”.

“For more than a decade, synthetic lawns had generally been accepted across the city and it is estimated that more than 60 properties have installed synthetic lawns on their verges,” the report said.

Despite the ban, residents have continued to install them anyway. The city said it had identified 21 cases of synthetic lawn being installed. Compliance action had started but was now on hold pending the policy review.

According to the city, a lot of the non-compliant residents are elderly or have mobility issues and have spent thousands of dollars.

“Residents who have recently installed synthetic lawns have expressed significant concern regarding the compliance process,” the report said.

“Many have invested between $3000 and $4000 in what they believed was an attractive, low-maintenance verge treatment that reduced irrigation requirements and ongoing maintenance, particularly for elderly residents or those with limited physical capacity.”

The officers said that continuing to enforce the total ban would force them to take on heavy-handed legal steps, which would trigger media coverage and require an audit.

Last month the council suggested synthetic lawns be allowed with an “appropriate balance between strategic environmental objectives and community expectations”.

“Rather than viewing synthetic lawns as either fully prohibited or fully permitted, the policy has been amended to include a conditional approval framework that allows synthetic lawns only where broader environmental outcomes are achieved,” the report said.

If the new policy is adopted, residents will be allowed to install synthetic lawn, but only once they have received approval from the city and meet three environmental criteria.

These include synthetic lawn has to be at least 50 per cent permeable, or alternative drainage provided to the satisfaction of the city.