More areas on the fringes of Melbourne have been opened up for housing developments, even though two of them had floodway overlays.

However, councils in the affected areas don’t expect the removal of flood controls will create any issues.

In the Lockerbie Precinct Structure Plan, the Victorian Government says in the planning document the floodway overlay is “no longer required with use of the urban growth zone”.

The site of the new suburb of Lockerbie has the Merri Creek as a boundary.

A spokesman for Hume Council, one of the two local authorities for the new growth area, told insuranceNEWS.com.au detailed planning documents have not been received from the State Government.

“We are looking for consultation on the subject,” he said.

But Whittlesea Council Director of Planning and Major Projects Steve O’Brien told insuranceNEWS.com.au the removal of the rural floodway in Lockerbie isn’t expected to create any issues.

“The removal of the rural flood overlay by the Growth Areas Authority is a technical requirement, as this area is no longer designated rural and is now designated for urban development,” he said.

“With the urban designation of the land the rural floodway overlay has now become redundant and will be replaced with more modern planning controls.”

Mr O’Brien says despite removal of the overlays, developers will still need to submit detailed precinct plans and outline any required flood mitigation strategies.  

“These could include techniques such as drainage swales, rain gardens and retarding basins to reduce risk of flood, subject to approval by the council and Melbourne Water,” he said.

The Growth Areas Authority has undertaken a number of reports that show the Merri Creek is not a high flood risk area.  

“Merri Creek can accommodate a one-in-100 year flood event within the creek buffer zones, which will be well outside the area where homes will be built,” Mr O’Brien said.

insuranceNEWS.com.au asked councils in the growth area and state Planning Minister Matthew Guy about the wisdom of allowing development in possible flood areas and whether there would there be flood mitigation works included in building permits for these sites.

The minister’s office wouldn’t comment, other than saying that drainage issues are looked at in growth area planning.

The other growth area affected by flood issues is Rockbank North in Melbourne’s west. Its

precinct structure plan aims to rezone land near Kororoit Creek from urban floodway zone to rural conservation zone.

Melton Council’s Planning Services Manager Bob Baggio told insuranceNEWS.com.au the Rockbank North precinct structure plan was developed in conjunction with Melbourne Water, which is the flood plain manager for the area.
 
“The plan has been designed to ensure that no buildings are constructed in the one-in-100 year flood area,” he said.

“Such areas have been reserved as drainage corridors or encumbered conservation areas to ensure that no buildings are constructed on these sites.”