by Emma Ballingall
Further residential expansion in Longwarry will be paused until flood planning and adequate drainage strategies are in place.

Councillors unanimously voted to abandon a proposed amendment to the Baw Baw Planning Scheme to include the Longwarry Structure Plan after opposition from Melbourne Water.
Cr Tricia Jones said it was difficult to come to terms with Baw Baw Shire being in this position after years of financial investment and community efforts.
"Unfortunately, we've had to abandon, not through our own fault," Cr Jones said. "We've done everything we could."
Cr Jess Hamilton said it was a "no-brainer", believing more houses would only worsen the town's flooding problems.
"You can't develop on a floodplain, it just doesn't work," Cr Ben Lucas said.
Council will now notify Minister for Planning Sonya Kilkenny of its decision to abandon proposed planning scheme amendment C152.
Stud cattle breeder Sharon Jordan, one of two submitters at the council meeting, blamed flooding on lack of planning by authorities and explained how these events impacted biodiversity on her property and ability to export.
Ms Jordan raised concerns over grey water on the main road and "the amount of sewerage coming out of one of the housing estates."
Graham Brown, a Longwarry resident for almost 50 years, said "if we're going to survive in Longwarry, we need a strong retail hub and this project is vital."
Preparation of the Longwarry Structure Plan began in January 2021, with the aim of providing a long-term land use and development planning framework for the town through to 2041.
An officer report said the plan considered a broad scope of areas including population projections, supply and demand for housing and employment land in Longwarry, with consideration of land capability and existing infrastructure to accommodate growth.
"The structure plan had a particular focus on drainage, servicing and flooding considerations," it said. "Additionally, it makes recommendations regarding open space, transport and the environment."
Council adopted the Longwarry Structure Plan in December 2022 and resolved to seek minister authorisation to prepare the planning scheme amendment in November 2023.
Specifically, amendment C152 sought to update the framework plan and local strategies sought by the Longwarry Structure Plan, insert the plan as a background document and list additional strategic work recommended in the plan.
Authorisation from Ms Kilkenny was received in September last year, subject to conditions. As a result, the amendment was open for community feedback late last year.
Five submissions were received, including one from Melbourne Water with a preference to "pause" the amendment for council to undertake more strategic work to better understand the town's flood and drainage problems as well as options for mitigation in the existing township and proposed growth areas.
The report said Melbourne Water was scheduled to complete its own flood modelling project in 2026.
Despite voting to abandon the amendment, Cr Jones said the Longwarry plan still provided positives in terms of a drainage strategy, agricultural assessment of vegetation of township gateways and a traffic assessment.
Cr Jones expressed disappointment in Melbourne Water's late submission, stating "I don't remember hearing any constructive criticism" when a draft plan was sent out to government stakeholders in early 2022.
Cr Lucas said he was sceptical on anything to do with Longwarry.
"When someone in the street of Longwarry hears abandon, optically it doesn't look good for us," Cr Lucas said.
However, in this case, he said it meant halting intensified development and growth in the town.
Cr Lucas clarified the decision would not impact industrial land to the north.
As a Longwarry resident, Cr Hamilton said "this is a no-brainer."
"Our town faces significant issues with inadequate drainage and building more houses will only worsen the flooding problem we currently are dealing with," Cr Hamilton said.
She said flooding in Longwarry wasn't only limited to the south, having impacted Timberland Crt, Ashley Crt and Church St.
Cr Danny Goss said council was stuck and had been left with no alternative but to abandon. He said pushing forward would be "a pretty reckless use of ratepayer money."
Cr Goss remained cynical of Melbourne Water's intention to deliver flood planning by 2026, stating "let's see."
Cr Goss called a division. All councillors voted to abandon the amendment.