MBRC Planning Scheme - Flood hazard overlay
Our city has a history of flash flooding because of our terrain and proximity to waterways. It is important to address the risks and hazards that flooding presents when assessing development.
A Flood hazard overlay map indicates areas that are subject to flood hazards or other impacts.
It highlights areas at risk of flooding, which could endanger people and property. The Flood hazard overlay code categorises these areas into high-risk, medium-risk, and balanced flood planning areas.
Under state government requirements, planning schemes must identify areas at risk of flooding. This helps determine when the Flood hazard overlay code applies.
Flood hazard overlay code
The Flood hazard overlay code outlines planning, building, and engineering requirements for developing in a flood-prone area. The code includes additional assessment benchmarks and constraints for developments beyond normal zoning or usage requirements. This ensures developments are safe and compatible with flood risks.
For help understanding any flood-related requirements of our planning scheme, download a flood check development report.
Flood planning areas
A flood planning area is a designated area where development is subject to specific flood-related controls.
These areas must be identified in the planning scheme and are locations that can flood because of heavy rainfall, even if they have not flooded recently.
Information on flood planning areas is for planning purposes only. The map will not identify any changes to the floodplain from ongoing works such as new development and flood mitigation.
High and medium flood risk areas
Council prepares flood estimates using computer-based models. The models calculate where water will flow when it escapes from a watercourse or low point. Council maps high and medium-risk areas by considering the depth and velocity of floodwater as well as the frequency of inundation.
In some cases, areas may be classified as high-risk if the water depth is significant, even if the water moves slowly, such as in a canal or waterway. Areas with fast-flowing water may be high-risk even if the water is shallow.
High and medium risk areas are based on flood model outputs from 2014.
Balanced flood planning area
A balanced flood planning area includes all land outside high and medium-risk areas considered to have a low to negligible risk of flood hazard.
Current mapping may not reflect recent changes to the ground surface, such as filling.
Drainage investigation area
Where a property is in a Drainage investigation area and Council does not have an adopted Drainage Master Plan as identified in the planning scheme policy, property owners can have a Drainage Master Plan prepared as part of a development application for Council approval.
Learn more about drainage investigation areas.
How Flood hazard overlay mapping affects properties
If your property is identified in the Flood hazard overlay mapping and you wish to develop it, the overlay may affect your plans.
Under state government regulations, any development in these areas is subject to planning and building controls and safety requirements. This helps protect property owners and residents living in these areas by ensuring new development is resilient to flooding.
Do not use Flood hazard overlay mapping to understand your property’s current flood risk or for insurance purposes.
Flood check property reports
Outside of a major scheme amended, the planning scheme flood hazard overlay cannot be updated with Council's latest flood information. If you are searching for Council's latest property-specific flood information request a flood check property report.