Somerley

Somerley is a masterplanned residential community in Corio, on the eastern edge of Lovely Banks the doorstep to Geelong’s new northern growth corridor. The project includes approximately 400 lots and is one of the largest residentially zoned landholdings adjacent to the Geelong Ring Road. One of the key development objectives is to provide a substantial quantum of affordable housing in the established areas of Geelong. The development is responding with integrated open space supported by safe and accessible movement networks which respond to best practice environment systems to create a sustainable and resilient community.

Cossill & Webley are providing design and construction management services for the project. One of the biggest challenges for the site is it is extremely flat presenting difficulties to drainage and sewer solution without existing site filling. To unlock Stages 1&2 of potentially a 10-stage project requires several key infrastructure upgrades, including the Plantation Road frontage to upgrade a semi-rural standard to a high-quality urban environment.

In collaboration with Cedar Woods and the project’s hydrologist, Cossill & Webley are working to optimise the wetland retarding basin footprint required to treat the sites stormwater to best practice, which has required extensive liaison with City of Greater Geelong and Barwon Water. The wetland basin also integrates the location of a sewer pump station required to service stage 5 onward.

To enable Stages 1 & 2 to be delivered ahead of the sewer pump station, existing sewer servicing strategy has been optimised to allow the first 4 stages to be serviced from the existing sewer network south of Plantation Road. This has involved careful design modelling for the overall site including road, drainage and sewer grading.  This has provided an optimal balanced solution to minimise upfront costs and unlock the projects early stages.