An SBO (Special Building Overlay) defines the areas at risk of stormwater flooding where a planning permit is generally required for buildings and works. Exemptions to this can be found in the Greater Geelong Planning Scheme Ordinance Clause 44.05 (linked below).
The purpose of an SBO is to ensure building and development works maintain free passage and temporary storage of floodwater are free of adverse flood impacts and flood-safe. The following are generally required for works on land subject to stormwater flooding (includes SBO):
| Flood flow path: | Works or buildings must maintain free passage of floodwater (must not obstruct or divert). |
| Flood impact: | Works or buildings must not adversely impact neighbouring upstream or downstream areas. |
| Flood damage: | The floors of habitable and non-habitable buildings (garages outbuildings like storage sheds etc.) must be above the flood levels by at least 0.30 and 0.15 metres respectively. |
| Site safety: | Developments should not occur where the depth and flow of floodwater on a property will be hazardous. |
| Access safety: | The depth and flow of floodwater affecting access to a property must not be hazardous. |
If a development plan is large or affecting existing flooding it will require flood risk/impact assessment and flood mitigation plan (as needed) based on hydro-modelling.
According to the Planning and Environment Act the Corangamite Catchment Management Authority (CCMA) is responsible for assessing development plans in all types of flood-prone areas. Since October 2016 the City assesses plans related to stormwater flooding.
The CCMA assesses developments on land subject to riverine waterway and coastal flooding where the Land Subject to Inundation Overlays (LSIO and LSIO2) and Floodway Overlay (FO) are in-place.
If your land is subject to stormwater flooding (including SBO) please apply online or by emailing at stormwater@geelongcity.vic.gov.au for advice or consent to your plan.
The service we provide is highly complex due the complicated nature of science and engineering of flood modelling/mapping. Moreover it needs to mitigate impacts to people property and the environment. As such please note:
We are unable to provide any/appropriate advice or consent verbally eg over the phone.
The Planning Scheme ordinance (including Clause 44.05) and maps showing SBO can be found on the Greater Geelong Planning Scheme Maps. You can know if your land is subject to SBO in various ways like from these maps by emailing us from property report etc.
A Property Report from the Land Vic website details all the planning zones and overlays (including SBOs) affecting your property.