ROSEBUD residents living near the Sanctuary Park Bushland Reserve are concerned their homes may be flooded and endangered species lost from the swamp area.
Resident Cameron Brown said a block near the reserve, at 85 Elizabeth Avenue, Rosebud, was purchased by a new developer last year, who took on previous plans which had already been taken to the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal.
Mr Brown said the 2.7-hectare block contained more than a half-hectare of endangered vegetation and required approval to be developed by the Department of Sustainability and the Environment. "Only last week we found a dead swamp skink, which is an endangered species."
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He said that as part of the permit conditions, a retarding basin must be built at the back of the block and all filling of the area must be filled from the back of the block forward to prevent damage and flooding to surrounding properties.
Mornington Peninsula Shire's manager statutory planning Angela Hughes said the development was being closely monitored.
"The shire and Melbourne Water refused the planning application due to the sensitive nature of the wetland and VCAT imposed conditions on the development allowing time for Melbourne Water to complete a comprehensive hydrodynamic study of the entire wetland, catchment and outfall," she said.
Ms Hughes said as yet no breaches had been detected.
The Department of Sustainability and Environment's Port Phillip environment and water manager, Mark Winfield, said the department did not object to the planning permit when it was approved several years ago.