Adelaide developer Damon Nagel says Campbelltown Council is ‘100 per cent incorrect’ over Hamilton Hill stormwater claim

“Spurious” and “BS” ... that’s the reaction to a local council’s explanation stormwater runoff is one reason it wants to take over parts of two suburbs.

The developer of a 400-home housing estate at the centre of a council’s land grab says claims of stormwater problems at the site are “BS” and “incorrect”.

Damon Nagel, managing director of Kite Properties, said his company was “neutral” over whether the $150m-plus Hamilton Hill estate should move from Adelaide Hills Council into Campbelltown Council’s boundary.

The Hamilton Hill housing development in Woodforde, in Adelaide's northeastern foothills.

However, he said Campbelltown’s realignment proposal – under which it would take parts of Woodforde and Rostrevor – was a “grab for rates”.

A $160,000 inquiry is going ahead, despite residents twice rejecting the boundary redraw and AHC estimating it stands to lose $1.7m annually in rates.

Campbelltown said it is facing potential drainage upgrades because of Hamilton Hill – which includes a 6ha park now maintained by AHC – and it “directly impacts Campbelltown residents”.

“Despite the council’s efforts to improve infrastructure, including wider roads and better parking, challenges persist,” it said.

“Increased stormwater run-off from the development requires efficient management, and Campbelltown is faced with potential drainage upgrades.

“A single authority managing these issues is essential to achieve better outcomes.”

Mr Nagel said he was unaware of road or parking upgrades undertaken by Campbelltown.

“The infrastructure changes that have occurred are by DIT – a state government authority – that statement is just incorrect,” he said.

Boundary Campbelltown Council wants to take over this area from Adelaide Hills Council. Picture: Supplied

And he said the Hamilton Hill development, on the site of the old Magill youth detention centre, had instead reversed run-off issues.

“More overflow came off that site before we started the development,” Mr Nagel said.

“What I’m calling BS is this ‘we need to put in extra stormwater infrastructure because of this development’ – that it absolutely 100 per cent incorrect.”

He said two new stormwater basins within the 6ha park now captured run-off and released it slowly to “mitigate the stress” on downstream Campbelltown.

Part of the 6ha open-space park within the Hamilton Hill housing development in Woodforde, in Adelaide's northeastern foothills.

“If they need to do additional stormwater collection that’s because their current infrastructure was insufficient to begin with – and or has deteriorated over time and they have to spend money on maintenance,” he said.

“They are conveniently using this as a reason to have a go – ultimately this is a grab for rates.”

Late on Thursday, AHC said the stormwater reasoning was a “spurious argument”. “Infrastructure, such as stormwater networks, intersect at council boundaries everywhere,” a spokeperson said.

“The normal approach is that councils collaborate around these matters to find a solution that will benefit all affected communities.

“Pursuing a costly boundary change is not the solution. It would not provide a quick solution to current on the ground problems affecting members of the community.”

Campbelltown has maintained the boundary redraw is essential because Woodforde and Rostrevor residents are “actively engaged” in Campbelltown.

“They participate in schools, churches, the library, shopping, recreation facilities, volunteers, clubs and various other programs,” it said.

Mr Nagel said Campbelltown’s argument Woodforde and Rostrevor residents used more of its services than AHC was “half true”.

“But now we’ve finished the development, hundreds of Campbelltown residents are using the Hamilton Hill park – so I would argue more and more Campbelltown residents are using an Adelaide Hill Council asset,” he said.

“We’ve spent over $4m on that park, my biggest worry as a developer is the council doesn’t then maintain that – the residents (need) to get service and value for their rates. That’s the fundamental question for me.”

A Campbelltown Council spokesperson added it would offer lower rates for AHC residents.

“Based on a residential property value of $800,000 in 2024/2025 Campbelltown rates would be $1943 and AHC rates would be $2406 (excluding the regional landscape levy)

“AHC ratepayers were advised that, in general, rates payable in CCC would be lower, during the consultation in 2021.”

The spokesperson said Campbelltown didn’t know how much its own expenditure would increase by if the change went through because AHC had not provided financial information.

AHC said it was happy to provide the Boundaries Commission “as the appropriate authority” with any information it required.

“If Campbelltown City Council wish to obtain information in relation to Adelaide Hills Council’s income and expenditure they are welcome to read our financial statements publicly available on our website,” it said.