Levee permit row shatters fearful owner
MITIGATION efforts for a landmark heritage building and business nearly destroyed by floods three years ago have gone pear-shaped as a levee on the land is removed.
Brookfield Shed at Margate was severely damaged in May 2018 when the banks of nearby North West Bay River broke.
Julia Ridgers, who owns the restaurant and lives on the property, had to rebuild her business from scratch and will finally have her debts from the incident paid next month
She feared another flood could end her business, given the building has flooded three times since 1947.
“I need to think about my future at Brookfield because it was the most devastating night of my life,” she said.
“I feel so unsafe, I can’t afford to lose the business again.”
Landlord Peter Lindsay said the bottom floor of the three-storey building flooded when a culvert behind the
Channel Highway clogged during the floods.
“The water going past was coming back at us, damming behind the highway,” he said.
Mr Lindsay built a levee on the 15-acre property in early 2019 to avoid another disaster, but he was unaware he needed building approval.
Ms Ridgers noticed a positive difference from the levee, including less pooling around the back door after heavy rain and no gravel washing away.
Kingborough Council confirmed it received a complaint in June 2019 about groundwater being redirected into North West Bay River. The council issued an Enforcement Notice for the illegal works.
Mr Lindsay said the fine was $2520.
Council then required him to lodge a Development Application for the levee, which he did in October 2019.
But in November last year it was determined approval could be obtained through the Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and
Environment. DPIPWE issued a notice to undertake dam works assessment in September last year, but Mr Lindsay’s engineer fell ill and he couldn’t meet the six-month deadline.
Mr Lindsay has three months to remove the levee, otherwise he could incur a hefty penalty from DPIPWE.
“I’m only trying to protect the building,” he said.
“It’s a pretty important community asset, there’s a community vegetable garden, we have various events hap
pening here and it’s Julia’s livelihood.”
Mr Lindsay is removing the levee, but he hoped to get approval to build another before the next flood.
A Department of State
Growth spokesman said the culvert was designed to let water flow under the highway.
“During the 2018 flood, debris collected at the entrance to the culvert, restricting water flow out of the flooded area,” the spokesman said.
He said State Growth was looking into ways to prevent future flooding issues concerning the culvert.
DPIPWE said landowners unclear of procedures for