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Council approves Stapletons Road flood remediation option

Christchurch City Council today decided to progress the Stapletons Road flood remediation option through to detailed design and construction to reduce the risk of flooding in the Flockton area and benefit at least 585 properties.

General Manager Infrastructure Rebuild John Mackie says, "This is an incredibly important decision for both the Council and the people living in the Flockton / Dudley Creek area. This option aligns with the things people told us were important in public feedback about all three options – the impact on residents and the environment, and reducing the flood risk in the Flockton area.

"To identify the preferred option, feedback provided through recent and previous consultations was carefully considered, together with further technical advice and a Multi Criteria Analysis (MCA). This analysis took into account things like flood risk reduction, cost, landscape, recreation, culture and heritage, time to compete works, ease of construction and community health and wellbeing.

"All three options are similar for resilience and cost, and they all provide improved flood defence and return the Flockton area to its pre-earthquake level of flood risk. However, the Stapletons Road option – Option C – has the added advantage of enhancing the landscape in the longer term, with an improved overall quality of trees, and improved walkways and access to the waterway. The ecology of the creek along Stapletons Road will also be improved – providing a healthier habitat for fish and invertebrates," says Mr Mackie.

Land Drainage Recovery Programme Working Party Chair Councillor Pauline Cotter says, "The Banks Avenue route – Option A – was the least favoured option from public consultation and the one that received impassioned responses from Bank Avenue residents. On the balance of things, this option just did not stack up in terms of the impact it would have on residents and the local landscape.

"The Stapletons Road option received a number of responses from people supporting the proposal as it will provide some additional flood risk relief to their properties, and also presents an opportunity for landscape enhancement.

"This option, when considered alongside the maintenance, culvert removal, pumping and waterway widening work undertaken through the Mayoral Flood Taskforce and the Land Drainage Recovery Programme, will give residents assurance that the risk of flooding in affected areas will be reduced," Councillor Cotter says.

Community feedback placed the Warden Street, Shirley Intermediate School, Marian College, Richmond Park and Residential Red Zone piped bypass – Option B – as the most favoured option, mostly because it was perceived to have the least amount of impact for residents and the environment. However, it was ranked low during the MCA due to slightly higher construction costs and uncertainty around the future use of the Residential Red Zone (RRZ), which meant the risk of not completing work by winter 2017 was too high.

The Option B alternative route through Medway Street avoids the RRZ and has a limited number of affected landowners. However, there is a risk that needing access to privately-owned land may delay the scheme's delivery. This, combined with no real opportunity for environmental improvement, and a higher construction cost saw this alternative route option score lower than Option C and A.

Councillor Ali Jones says, "Residents sent a strong message about getting the works underway as soon as possible and I am delighted we now have a clear way forward."

Work is expected to take two years to complete and will be delivered by winter 2017. At the close of consultation, 136 submissions were received by the Council (including a joint submission from 19 residents).

The proposed options that were consulted on are:
• Option A – Warden Street, Shirley Intermediate School piped bypass and localised Banks Avenue channel works.
• Option B – Warden Street, Shirley Intermediate School, Marian College, Richmond Park and Residential Red Zone (or Medway Street) piped bypass.
• Option C – Localised Stapletons Road channel works and piped bypass in Petrie Street, Randall Street and Medway Street.

The estimated cost of Option C – Stapletons Road is $26 million. Option A – Warden Street, Shirley Intermediate School piped bypass and localised Banks Avenue channel works is $27.7 million and Option B – Warden Street, Shirley Intermediate School, Marian College, Richmond Park and Medway Street piped bypass (avoiding the RRZ) is $32 million.

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