By Cam Lucadou-Wells
Flood mitigation at a controversial 823-home development at the former Kingswood Golf Course in Dingley Village is still unaddressed, according to opponents.
State Planning Minister Sonya Kilkenny is yet to decide upon rezoning the course and approving the AustralianSuper Residential Properties project – more than 14 months after a panel reported its recommendations to the Minister.
The Standing Advisory Committee report on Amendment C199 has yet to be publicly released.
Doubts have surfaced over whether Melbourne Water was able to fully assess the developer’s flood mitigation plans prior to the report.
In a letter to a resident in December, Melbourne Water stated its formal response to the SAC requested “further information and the submission of a drainage strategy for further assessment”.
“We have not had any further communications from the Advisory Committee with regard to this matter,” it stated – eight months after the Advisory Committee’s submitted report.
“In this case, an amended drainage strategy/flood management report must demonstrate that any potential flooding related impacts on the subject property and onto neighbouring downstream land can be adequately mitigated.
“Melbourne Water requires that prior to endorsement of development plans, the requisite reports are submitted to Melbourne Water for assessment.”
Melbourne Water did not comment to Star Journal before deadline.
In opposing the project, Kingston Council “flagged” several concerns about flood water, chief executive Peter Bean said.
AustralianSuper had provided “no detailed design” to show its purported drainage solution would succeed, he said.
The estate “could exacerbate existing downstream flood impacts”, with Melbourne Water’s downstream network already subject to “frequent blockages” and “flood impacts” upon surrounding homes.
“Public open spaces (on the site) would be unavailable for community use due to proposed temporary onsite storage of flood waters.”
In the meantime, the council and Melbourne Water couldn’t provide “formal findings” on flood mitigation until the SAC’s report was publicly released, Mr Bean said.
AustralianSuper claims it will decrease the likelihood of downstream flooding with $18.7 million of flood mitigation works.
It includes 62,000 square metres of retarding basins and wetlands to store floodwaters.
A link to its Flood Management Strategy Report has been deleted from the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning website.
“The report highlights that the Site meets the requirements of Melbourne Water for flood behaviours and limits outflows from the site,” AustralianSuper claims.
Meanwhile, the proponent stated it would “welcome a government decision on this application”.
Save Kingswood Group president Kevin Poulter claimed flood storage would be less due to “bulldozing” a 120 million litre aquifer storage system on site.
The proponent’s solution of “bigger dams” and “way too small” downstream pipes for the overflow was “guaranteeing floods of biblical scale”, he said.
Kingswood was on a flood plain, with a Melbourne Water retarding dam regularly overflowing onto the course and Dingley Village.
“Hundreds of kilometres of drainpipes, subsidiary dams and a massive aquifer keep Dingley Village and downstream from total inundation.
“But the developer wants to destroy all those measures.”
Last year, State Election candidates in Clarinda – including Labor MP Meng Heang Tak – were united in opposition against the project.
A Government spokesperson said: “The advisory committee’s recommendations about the Kingswood Golf Course proposal have been submitted and are currently under consideration.”
