Hampton Park neighbours raise flooding concerns at Horizon Estate site
A new Casey estate promising a “cosy community feel” and “lively spaces” has angered neighbours who fear it will become a “swamp land” as the area is prone to flooding. But a planner and the council have moved to allay concerns.
South East
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Furious Hampton Park neighbours say they are concerned about a new estate being built nearby wetlands that have been prone to flooding for decades.
Horizon Hampton Park estate at 175 to 177 Pound Rd, which has already sold 70 out of 74 homes, will include a walking and cycling trail and new proposed wetlands.
The website touts the development as having “lively spaces” and a “cosy community feel”, but neighbours say the area becomes a “swamp land” when heavy rain occurs.
Nicole Couch, who lives nearby, said she was concerned about the impact the development would have on the area.
“People are spending more than $195,000 to buy land here, but I’m concerned they haven’t seen what happens to the area when it rains — it’s a swamp land and this whole area has flooded in the past 20 years,” Ms Couch said.
“Developing here is also damaging the waterways, which has concerned several neighbours and we’re watching them bring in truckloads of soil in and it’s just get washed away downstream.
“I just can’t understand how they got permission to begin with to build in a flood plain?”
Hilda Stewart, who also lives nearby the development, said she had also seen the area become flooded in the past 20 years.
“I’m concerned new homeowners will have a lot of issues with their houses when it does rain,” Ms Stewart said.
“The area is not suitable for residential houses and Pound Rd is absolutely dangerous, there will be more congestion in an already busy road. It’s just not right.”
But Ryan Flack, director and project engineer from consulting firm KLM Spatial, who has been involved in the planning of the site for the past five years, said the area underwent extensive flood and scenario modelling.
“We engaged a specialist hydrologist and they’ve looked at scenarios for a number of expected rainfall events, from four times a year to the more significant hundred-year event and they’ve modelled the scenarios from them from pre-existing conditions and post-development,” Mr Flack said.
“Part of we would need to do is fill the land to a level that’s 600mm or more higher than the hundred-year flood level.
“Houses will be built from that level and above to ensure the safeguards have been put in place even under an extreme flooding condition.”
Casey Council planning and building manager Duncan Turner said the council took flood planning very seriously and worked closely with Melbourne Water to ensure all developments were managed to minimise the risk of flooding.
“Throughout the preparation of the Pound and Shrives Road Residential Area Development Plan, which includes the Horizons Estate adopted at the September 4, 2018 council meeting, flooding and drainage were thoroughly assessed and it was determined that it was appropriate to allow development at this location,” Mr Turner said.
He said specific requirements had been included in the development plan to manage drainage in accordance with Melbourne Water requirements.
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“This includes the requirement for a site specific drainage strategy to be prepared for each development and/or subdivision application which must be approved by council.
“The strategy is required to comply with Melbourne Water’s flooding management requirements to ensure that the houses are built above the relevant flood level of the adjacent flood plain, and residents are provided with safe access and egress from their properties in a major storm event.”