Residents have been given a clearer idea of what long-term flood risk management in the low-lying suburb may require.
In an update on the Dunedin City and Otago Regional Councils’ joint South Dunedin Future programme last week, city council climate adaptation and resilience manager Jonathan Rowe said risks could be significantly reduced, but difficult choices lay ahead.
‘‘While we can get ahead of, and get on top of the flooding, the trade-off for that is it does involve a lot of investment, a lot of disruption and a lot of change.’’
Three shortlisted options for the suburb’s future were presented and included the proposed purchase and demolition of at least 1100 houses in South Dunedin, making way for public works, such as canals, pumping stations and green spaces.
Mr Rowe said people had indicated ‘‘they’d like to stay in South Dunedin if possible’’ and housing development in areas with a low-risk profile was proposed to provide this.
Advice from the Ministry of Education was ‘‘essentially the school infrastructure services the community’’, Mr Rowe said.
‘‘For example, if there’s a whole lot of development around Ocean Beach Domain that might put particular pressure on school in that area — it’s a detail to be worked through.’’
‘‘Under this scenario, those areas there, including Bayfield High School, would need to be retreated,’’ Mr Rowe said.
If this was progressed, the property would be acquired about mid-century.
Ministry of Education Otago-Southland education director David Tapp said the ministry, a key stakeholder, was reviewing the shortlisted options with interest, particularly regarding possible impacts on local schools and early learning services.
‘‘We’ll continue to engage with councils and the wider programme as it progresses and will work with affected schools and communities as more detailed plans emerge.’’
Bayfield High School representatives were contacted for comment.
While raising land for new development in South Dunedin was on the table in some cases, all shortlisted options proposed medium-density residential development at the council-owned Ocean Beach Domain, where the flooding risk profile was far lower, Mr Rowe said.
This included Hancock Park and six holes of Dunedin Golf Club’s Chisholm Links.
Club president and chairman Matthew Heaton said it had been involved in early conversations with the council.
The shortlisted options would be discussed further at the club’s next board meeting, he said.
‘‘It’s sort of a 100-year plan type thing so whether or not it will happen, we don’t know.’’
The councils’ overview report states any loss of park space could be addressed by creating more parks and green spaces in areas of higher flood risk.
Parts of Forbury, Bathgate and Tonga Parks might be used for stormwater storage, ‘‘balancing space for sports, recreational natural spaces and water’’.
‘‘These types of ‘land use swaps’ would help enable the best use of land in South Dunedin.’’
Mr Rowe said upcoming consultation, subject to council approval, was intended to gauge the community’s attitude for change.
‘‘It might be that the outcome of the councillor decision-making process or the community engagement is that actually this is too much change or it's too expensive and we would accept more flood risk for less change.’’
