WEST Belconnen residents are calling on the ACT government to revisit its decision to permit major development on flood-prone land at the Kippax Playing Fields.

The request comes on the back of a wet winter in the ACT, and in response to flood events across the country – most notably in Lismore.

Voices of West Belconnen action group chair Chris Watson is concerned by the flooding risk posed to potential residential development on the site of the playing fields, given its propensity to flood.

Two years ago, the playing fields – located behind the Kippax Fair shopping centre in Holt – were rezoned by the ACT government to allow for residential and commercial development up to five storeys.

Referring to the rezoning as “foolhardy”, Watson said planning authorities in the capital appear to have learnt nothing from flood events in the ACT and elsewhere.

“It would be completely foolish to build on those playing fields because it’s a flood plain, and it could end up like another Lismore,” said Watson, 87.

“There will be buildings on stilts, and insurance issues due to flood problems in years to come, particularly with the implications of climate change.

“The playing fields need to stay as they are. It’s a complete waste of money that anyone would consider building on them.”

The rezoning of the playing fields formed part of the ACT government’s master plan to transform the area into a major hub for Canberra’s growing western area. 

Potential developments include an expansion to the shopping centre, a retail and dining precinct and residential development.

Some of the development would be built on the playing fields, despite community opposition to the loss of green space.

Long time Latham resident David Proctor has joined the growing chorus of concern over development on the floodplain, having witnessed the playing fields almost “submerged” under water on many occasions.

“When you get heavy rain the Kippax Creek floods out over the playing fields and makes it very soggy,” he said.

“After the last lot of decent rain we had, the fields were almost totally submerged.”

Proctor, 74, is calling for the fields to remain as they are, arguing they pose too great a flooding risk for residential and commercial development.

“They don’t happen every day but I’ve lived here for 22 years and we have had five floods in that time,” said Proctor.

“In terms of development they are going to have to do some major work on the playing fields like installing a massive underground pipe system, but even that won’t cater for major flood events.”

Despite previous governments electing not to change the zoning to allow for developments, and flood studies indicating the risk a rezoning would pose, this government has decided to push ahead, Proctor said.

“The studies were damning and raised the issue of flooding but it hasn’t been taken into account as it should be,” he said.

One report, updating the results of an original 2015 study, was commissioned by the ACT’s planning directorate and found that development could increase the risk of flooding danger for residential blocks if mitigation measures, estimated to cost about $2 million, were not undertaken. 

ACT Planning Minister Mick Gentleman previously told “CityNews” that the study was sufficient for rezoning the land and showed that flooding and drainage issues in the area could be managed.

“Recommended floodway improvement works, and water-sensitive urban design works are not considered to be critical for public safety for the future development of the site,” said Mr Gentleman. 

“The future developer will be required to undertake their own due diligence and works as part of their development in line with the 2020 study.”

Proctor has criticised the decision to put the onus of responsibility for future flood mitigation upon the developer of the site, arguing this should be the responsibility of the government.

“Anything they [the ACT government] does not agree with they ignore or they say that flood mitigation is up to the developer, so essentially there is very little responsibility taken,” he said.

Local resident Linda Medic feels like the government is treating West Belconnen residents as second-class citizens and has ignored their concerns about permitting “risky” developments on a floodplain.

“This issue has been around for a long time and, while we won’t give up, we feel as if the politicians don’t care about us because we live in west Belconnen and not Yarralumla,” said Medic, 54.

She said it’s time the government spared a thought for future, unsuspecting residents who buy off the plan without realising their home is on a floodplain.

“In terms of the risk of flooding, I feel for those poor people who will eventually buy there,” said Medic.

“Like those poor people in Sydney or Lismore, no one will be listening to them when they have to fork out money to fix the problem.”

A spokesperson for the ACT government confirmed that work is progressing on a staged competitive process for the sale of the land.