Do new balcony doors need vision strips?

Yes, in this situation we would expect the new balcony doors to require vision strips or motifs. Large areas of glass in doors can be difficult to see, particularly in different lighting conditions, so there is a risk of someone walking into the closed door. AS 1288:2021, which deals with glass in buildings, includes requirements for glazing to be made readily visible where there is a risk of human impact. This is normally achieved with a visible strip or motifs across the glass, generally positioned between 700 mm and 1200 mm above floor level.

The hob around the bottom of the doors would not usually remove that requirement. While it gives you something visible at floor level, it does not necessarily make the glass itself obvious to someone walking towards it. The same applies to the Low-E tint. It may make the glass more noticeable in some lighting conditions, but in others it can still appear quite clear or reflective, so we would not rely on the tint alone as the safety marking.

The final door and glazing design should be checked against AS 1288 as part of the replacement works, but based on what you have described, we would allow for compliant vision strips/motifs to the new balcony doors.