The UDIA award winning Woodlea Estate will be one of the largest masterplanned communities in Victoria, with over 7,000 residential lots. The Estate occupies approximately 711ha of which 30% is dedicated to open spaces including the Kororoit Creek and Deanside Wetlands conservation areas.
Commencing in 2000, we worked with Mirvac and VIP on advocacy for the project. More recently we’ve taken on the role as lead engineering and survey consultant, through the Precinct Structure Planning phase in 2011, with design of the first stage commencing in mid-2014.
Located directly adjacent to Kororoit Creek, the estate comprises sensitive waterways and vegetation zones of high environmental significance. Our Water Engineering team’s vision for the Woodlea Integrated Water Management Plan was to future-proof the community through adaptable, multi-purpose water management that educates the public. From planning and design through to asset handover and maintenance, our creative approach has laid the foundations for achieving positive outcomes for all stakeholders and the environment.
The pre-existing water and sewer infrastructure was insufficient to meet the future demands of the new residents. Collaborating with Western Water, we were able to make extensive, yet efficient, upgrades to this system including the design and delivery of the first stage of the Aintree Sewer Pump Station servicing 2800 lots and 2.8km of 450mm dia rising main, and the Bonniebrook Sewer Pump Station and 1.7km of 180mm dia rising main servicing 1200 lots.
Spiire’s Engineering and Survey teams delivered the upgrade of approximately 600m of the Leakes Road arterial, and construction of the first carriageway of the 2.5km Taylors Road arterial through the estate, including two signalised intersections to date, and the Taylors Road bridge over the Kororoit Creek. This bridge was opened in December 2020, providing direct east-west access between Woodlea and Caroline Springs, through the growing Plumpton development corridor. A second bridge across the creek which will improve linkages across the estate is nearing completion.
As well as the typical survey subdivisional services, Spiire’s survey team has undertaken surveys of all internal walls of the Woodlea Town Centre retail tenancies prior to fit out, for the Town Centre which opened in March 2021, Crown surveys for the Office of Surveyor General relating in particular to the Kororoit Creek and the stratum of the land for the new Taylors Road bridge, and multiple subdivisional developments of Townhouse Party Wall Lots.
All Asset Recording of Statutory Authority Assets including Wetlands, Rain Gardens and the like have been completed by the Spiire Survey Team.
Given the adjacencies of significant areas of residential development to the sensitive waterways and water bodies, Spiire has worked with Woodlea to develop good relationships with DELWP, Melbourne Water and the City of Melton to meet their compliance requirements.
There are some 20 wetlands, raingardens and frog ponds across the Estate, mostly along the environmentally sensitive Kororoit Creek and within the Deanside Wetlands. To date, three wetlands, four raingardens and two Growling Grass Frog ponds have been delivered with another five under development.
One such rain garden has a treatment surface area of 850 square metres, making it one of the largest raingardens in Melbourne. Spiire worked with stakeholders Melton City Council and Melbourne Water to ensure maintenance and functionality were well understood.
The endangered Growling Grass Frog inhabits the Kororoit Creek and the Deanside wetlands. Appropriate precautions and utmost care are taken during construction to ensure no habitat is disturbed by machinery and workers. Throughout the design process, Spiire works closely with DELWP to satisfy federal regulations in regards to the protection of this endangered species. Upon completion of the stormwater treatment wetlands, Growling Grass Frogs have already been observed claiming the new habitats.
The Water Engineering team undertook extensive investigations as part of the development process for the Woodlea site. These included storm water management strategies and integrated water management plans for five precincts, and an OLV funded Whole of Water management cycle study. Spiire is assisting Melbourne Water in the development of drainage schemes for the area.
A key element of the projects’ success is continuous stakeholder management with Western Water, Melbourne Water and DELWP. Stakeholders were updated every two months on upcoming water projects and progress of designed assets.
In December 2015, Woodlea Estate was named Australia’s fastest selling, masterplanned community by the National Land Survey Program. To meet these demands from new residents, our dedicated team was able to increase their output under reduced timelines.
As of April 2022, some 4,000 lots have sold and more than 3,000 have settled, with about 10,000 residents living in the community.
Woodlea Estate demonstrates Spiire’s ability to maintain strong, long-term relationships and deliver on client outcomes over an extended period of time.
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