Coker seeks answers from city about Ashbury

DEVELOPMENT of the Ashbury estate in Armstrong Creek is outstripping infrastructure requirements in the area, prompting questions as to when basic services such as drainage, roads, footpaths and community facilities will be built for the hundreds of residents who have bought there.

Describing Ashbury as “an out of sequence development”, the City of Greater Geelong says it is intervening in the Boundary Road precinct “more than any other in Armstrong Creek”.

Corangamite federal member Libby Coker has criticised the city over its handling of the estate, arguing infrastructure gaps mean temporary water retention facilities are turning stagnant, promised open spaces may not be complete until 2028, and a community hub would have to wait until 2030.

“The council seems unwilling to accept that it has approved an estate to go ahead without necessary infrastructure in place, such as safe major access roads and key stormwater drainage … why was it approved ‘out of sequence’ before the necessary storm drainage was in place?” Ms Coker asked.

Responding to Ms Coker’s questions about key timelines for the development, the city’s planning director Gareth Smith said the Ashbury estate developer “has not been able to deliver” on required drainage infrastructure and the city was now intervening by compulsorily acquiring properties.

“The developer is intending to deliver the required drainage infrastructure by mid-2023. Indicative start date is mid-2022,” Mr Smith said about the stormwater drains to proposed treatment facilities in the area.

A temporary water retention facility occupying sites earmarked for community and sporting infrastructure is further complicating matters, and when a link to likely destination sites for the water such as the Ramsar-listed Connewarre wetlands is eventually built, the water must first be naturally treated.