Friday, 12 December 2014

Council to progress with flood mitigation work while it considers proposed and alternative options for Dudley Creek

Christchurch City Council has left the door open to an alternative approach to flood mitigation as a result of feedback received during the intensive consultation program.

However, it has also resolved to continue with work that is common to both options, ensuring the project does not stall while further investigations are undertaken.

Mayor Lianne Dalziel says, “A genuine consultation process saw staff listening to the communities views and now the Council is responding to these.

“We’re balancing speed with deliberation, but we are determined to get this right to reduce the risk of flooding for Flockton residents,” she says.

The first option – Option 2 – which was consulted on in November would involve the possible removal of more than 200 trees from Banks Avenue. The second option involves a red zone bypass option to reduce the risk of flooding in the Flockton area and avoid tree removal in the Banks Avenue neighbourhood.

During recent consultation, Banks Avenue residents expressed a strong desire to protect the area’s mature trees and natural habitat. They also supported an alternative bypass option to divert floodwater through an alternative route.

This bypass route utilises public-owned land and Church-owned land, and also avoids residential properties.

The red zone bypass option increases the $48 million cost of the work by an estimated $5 million and may extend the length of the project by approximately three months.

The Mayor says, “We’re keeping our foot on the pedal, but sometimes you have to take more time to get to the right answer and sometimes this isn’t the quickest answer.”

Flood risks across the city have changed since the Canterbury Earthquakes and 70 per cent of the homes with repeated flooding above the floor since the quakes are in the Flockton area, part of the Dudley Creek catchment.

Once the Tay Street Drain Pumping Station becomes operational from February 2015, many of the most seriously affected residents will no longer experience above floor flooding in a one-in-10 year flood. Work completed by the Mayoral Taskforce has also reduced the flood risk.

The next steps in investigating the red zone bypass option will involve consultation with all affected parties as well as further design work.

Following feedback from flood-affected residents, an extension of flood mitigation schemes into Francis Avenue and Geraldine Street will also be investigated during the next design stage.

– Ends –

Detail of the work common to both options that will continue:

• Works on St Albans Creek upstream to Hills Road including the upgrade of culverts at Slater Street and Hills Road, and investigations up to Geraldine Street to assess the benefit of upgrades to the Champion Street culvert.
• Widening works and culvert upgrades on Dudley Creek along Stapletons Road and upstream to Aylesford Street.
• Widening works and culvert upgrades on Shirley Stream from Dudley Creek to Orontes Street.
• Works on the lower end of Bings Drain.
• Further engagement with directly affected residents on options for easements, property purchase or access agreements.
• Progress investigations into funding of the Dudley Creek Long Term Flood Remediation works both inside and outside of the Cost Share Agreement and, if appropriate, obtaining approval from CERA to proceed on the cost share components for the flood remediation works within the Cost Share Agreement.

Consultation details on Dudley Creek Option 2 from 10-26 November 2014:

• 24-page consultation booklet produced and hand delivered to 718 directly affected residents and businesses.
• 7340 consultation notification flyers hand delivered to residents in the wider area.
• The consultation was advertised on the back of buses, through signs, posters, newspaper and radio advertising.
• Social media notification posts reached more than 3900 people on facebook and twitter.
• We held four drop-in sessions supported by consultation and technical staff to answer questions or provide further information, attended by about 120 residents.
• We facilitated 10 deputations to the full Council committee.
• We had 16 face to face meetings and formed some strong relationships with our most affected residents.
• We received 125 submissions
• Facilitated a "walk over" along Banks Avenue with a number of residents and the Councillors for the Shirley-Papanui and Burwood-Pegasus wards.

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