Confusion around flood plan as decision looms

LARA residents say they’re still in the dark about a proposed flood planning change that will affect thousands of properties, as a City of Greater Geelong decision approaches.

The city is proposing sweeping changes following three recent studies into flood risk around the region’s waterways, with the most significant at Lara.

Residents and community groups fear the changes would mean their properties – some of which have not seen major flooding for decades – will be subject to far stricter planning rules and higher insurance premiums.

More than 8,000 properties at Lara would be subject to new planning rules, which includes Special Building Overlays (SBO) to be applied across the town.

The SBO would require permits for works such as fences, verandahs and swimming pools.

Objectors acknowledged further planning controls and mitigation were needed around the Hovells Creek area, which has been subject to flooding historically, and due to coming housing estates around Lovely Banks likely to add stress to Lara’s waterways.

But Lara Care Group spokesperson Barry White argues a city decision to include thousands of Lara properties is an overreach that would unnecessarily affect residents.

“What they’ve done is go well beyond (flood mitigation), to a level we believe is extreme, and applied the same modelling to areas that have no history of flooding at all,” he said.

He said local objectors had called on the city to host public information sessions ahead of its planning decision so the community had more clarity on the objectives and implications of the changes.

“I think the council thinks that by dropping 25 supporting documents and maps that the community can understand what they’re on about; in fact it makes it more complex, not simple.

“There’s a lot of head scratching going on, and a lot of social media conversations going on with people asking questions.”

The city is preparing to consider submissions on the amendment following a nine-month review.

Councillors are set to decide whether to progress the amendment to an independent planning panel under a state government approval process, which would provide final ministerial advice ahead of a decision.

The city will meet at Lara Hall on September 27 for the decision.