1460 Cameron Rd, Tauranga

Climate change will result in increasingly erratic weather including intense rainfall and more frequent flooding. Tauranga City Council’s Plan Change 27 flood model shows there’s potential for significant flooding around Cameron Rd near Tauranga Racecourse and the golf course during a large rain event. ‘The Stables’ development will feature 20 designer townhouses near this location and Vitruvius’ civil engineering design team were engaged to ensure these homes would be protected from any flooding or heavy rain events.

Our design will ensure stormwater drains to The Stables’ central carpark area where it will go into soakage. We were able to prove the project’s finished floor levels would be clear of any flooding or onsite ponding issues, and would remain within the HIRB envelope so that resource and building consent could be granted. This required extensive consultation with Tauranga City Council and many months of work.

A 55m³ soakage tank has now been installed underneath the carpark, and a drainage column created to help stormwater soak down 4m to the Rotoehu Ash layer. We have also worked on a new bulk water supply design that has to come into the development which will eventually be gifted to Tauranga City  Council.

In many ways, developments like ‘The Stables’ are a jigsaw puzzle – you must work from the outside in to achieve the Best Practical Option (BPO), ensuring it sits on the site and can be serviced appropriately. At Vitruvius we thrive on these kinds of challenges. The designs for this development look amazing and construction is due to start in early 2022.