No nature strip gardens this spring

It is unclear when the plan to allow planting on nature strips will return to the agenda, with Labor saying it will revisit the issue if it wins government but with no definite timeframe. The Liberals say they are "not convinced this is the right way forward".

The nature strip planting was pushed by the Greens' Shane Rattenbury, when he was the responsible minister, but the policy has languished since Meegan Fitzharris took over the portfolio in February.

The government called for public comments on the draft guidelines in January, with submissions due by March, but has never released the submissions.

In July, a spokeswoman for Ms Fitzharris said she expected to have the guidelines in place by early September.

But she said this week the policy there was more work to do on the policy.

"There were concerns from certain groups, so we want to make sure that what we develop in terms of guidelines works for the community as whole. So we didn't want to rush it at the end there," she said.

Among groups to express concern were disability groups, worried by obstructions across footpaths.

Mrs Fitzharris spokeswoman said the policy had been pushed by Mr Rattenbury, but "wasn't something that was a priority for Minister Fitzharris in the portfolio". Labor would nevertheless revisit the policy if it won government in October.

The draft guidelines were to allow householders to plant ground cover, native grass, fruit and vegetables and shrubs without getting approval, with a height limit of 50 centimetres for vegetables. They would also have been able to install temporary fences using rope, string and hardwood stakes to protect new plants, and use garden edging of stone, brick or timber up to 15 centimetres high.

More extensive work, including irrigation and synthetic turf, was to be allowed with special approval, along with bollards 1 to 1.2 metres high to stop people parking on nature strips.

The proposal would have banned ponds, fountains, permanent fencing, retaining walls, letterboxes, shipping containers, chicken runs, play equipment, boulders, pavers and concrete paths and new trees, along with snail bait and chemical sprays.

There were 29 submissions and 327 survey responses.

Mr Rattenbury said it was "a real shame" the guidelines were not in place for the spring growing season, but he remained committed to the policy.

"The Greens are committed to opening up more opportunities for residents to grow their own food to reduce Canberra's reliance on imported produce," he said. "This is a reform that is simple to implement but could have massive benefits."