Attributable to General Manager Strategy, Policy and Science Gwyneth Elsum:

The Otago Regional Council (ORC) has lodged a submission in support of the Dunedin City Council’s (DCC) proposed variation to its Second-Generation Dunedin City District Plan (2GP), while opposing some elements and raising concerns about stormwater management in rezoned residential areas.

ORC’s concerns with the proposed variation centre on how the DCC plans to manage stormwater, particularly in rezoned residential areas where stormwater will discharge into ORC flood protection and drainage schemes, such as on the Taieri Plain.

The view expressed in ORC’s submission is that the City’s proposed solution for managing stormwater, which will require individual developers to design and build their own on-site systems, without amendment, will not adequately manage the potential effects of residential development on the hydrological characteristics of the areas where rezoning is proposed.

In particular, this could negatively affect the performance of ORC’s East Taieri Drainage Scheme and Lower Taieri Flood Protection Scheme, and create additional effects on properties in those catchments.

The submission advises that ORC cannot support this approach for land on the Taieri Plain, and in the Lindsay Creek and Water of Leith catchments for the same reasons.

While ORC supports the provision of additional residential zoning for Dunedin and recognises the demand for residential land in the city, the Regional Council must also fulfil its obligations to manage flood protection and drainage infrastructure in Otago.

ORC would also like to ensure that any potential water quality issues arising from stormwater discharges are addressed.

ORC will continue to work with the City on these issues, with the goal of finding solutions that support residential development in the City while ensuring the integrity of its essential infrastructure is protected and environmental effects are addressed.