Maiden Gully creek homes intensifying flood risks, residents fear

They have decried state planning umpire the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal's decision to allow 14 lots near Myers Creek, in Maiden Gully.

The tribunal overruled objections to works at 11 and 13 Monsants Road from multiple residents and the City of Greater Bendigo.

The decision is the latest in a series Haley Lethlean warns could create a damaging legacy when the next big floods come.

"We want to know why things are still getting built in floodplains, and why this one is still being built despite recent events," Ms Lethlean said.

She worried about what it would mean for people buying land on four of the subdivision's lots as they would rise in what is currently regarded as a flood zone.

Ms Lethlean also wondered what it could mean in an area where more homes are needed to fit a population expected to nearly double by 2036.

"Land that has never been previously approved for development is now being purchased by developers," she said.

Myers Creek has burst its banks a number of times in recent decades including last spring, when water washed over Carolyn Way and made its way into people's yards and homes throug much of the area.

Ms Lethlean took video footage of water flooding the street's creek crossing to illustrate the risks more homes would pose.

It shows water completely inundating the road at a time when Ms Lethlean said more rain was expected to fall.

She was among those who opposed the latest Monsants Road subdivision when it went to the planning tribunal.

A number of objectors argued parts of the subdivision conflicted with flood principles laid out in the Greater Bendigo Planning Scheme and a key infrastructure design manual about flood plains.

The planning tribunal rejected a number of the principles invoked, arguing that many were guidelines "intended to be applied with discretion to each application".

Tribunal senior member Laurie Hewet found developers had accounted for flood risks with civil engineering plans including earthworks, channels, a drainage basin, and bunds.

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Mr Hewet was also persuaded by expert testimony from an engineer appearing for the developers, who discussed a detailed study on avoiding flood risks.

"The evidence in this case and the underlying technical analysis is compelling and persuasive," he said.

Developers and the tribunal were confident their engineering works would help soak up more water during floods.

That has not assuaged Ms Lethlean's concerns.

Fellow resident Meryl Birch is also concerned about development and wondered just how immune houses close to the other side of the creek would fare during the biggest downpours.

"When we do have a flood here at the creek, we are affected up in Monsants Road," she said.

"There's a big ditch in front of my house which takes all the storm water, and it washes down a pipe to the Carolyn Way bridge over the creek, where the water might already be running at a metre or more higher."

The sheer volume of water would back up and pool in the Monsants Road ditches, Ms Birch said.

The tribunal's recent Monsants Road ruling came despite the Bendigo council's opposition to the subdivision.

It told the tribunal it had a number of concerns including some flood-related matters, native vegetation loss and impacts on existing neighbourhood character.

Mr Hewet acknowledged that the subdivision would differ from the existing pattern of development on Monsant Road's eastern side but said it would be in line with expectations for a growing suburb like Maiden Gully.

He ruled that most of the trees on site were not remnant vegetation and developers had taken steps to avoid too much impact on trees.

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