Future-proofing Richmond's Stormwater Infrastructure

Tasman District Council embarked on the long term planning for Richmond’s future growth in 2006 and has decided to rezone 300 ha of land for future developments. This is the largest and most complex planning change that the Council has undertaken, and the requirements for future infrastructure is a critical element to this project.

Borck Creek serves a 1,400 ha catchment which flows through the proposed Richmond West development area. This area is low lying and is prone to flooding without engineering input.

This paper will outline the key challenges and solutions in planning the stormwater infrastructure including:

• our desire to provide stormwater capacity for very long term growth to ensure the drainage corridors are future proofed.
• how to create and stimulate public use of these drainage corridors, which are up to 70m wide.
• how to integrate the hydraulic design with the landscape design to create the multi use function required.
• how the stormwater greenbelt could be used effectively as a buffer between the residential and mixed business zones.
• how council structured the funding for this infrastructure given its long-term nature and need to acquire land for the drainage corridors.
• how the infrastructure engineers and the policy planners worked together to achieve the above.