The Edge estate developer Simon Eishold will reach out to Goulburn Valley Water and Campaspe Shire in an attempt to “keep the wheels moving’’ on the 200-plus-lot residential development on the eastern entrance to Kyabram.
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The project has been held up for what Mr Eishold estimates to be more than 12 months by material shortages, bureaucratic red tape and the stop-start nature of any project attempted during the COVID-19 period.
Add to that the recent extreme wet weather and the Echuca-based developer, who has strong family ties to Kyabram, is looking to deliver on his promise to buyers of lots on the opening three stages of the 11-stage project.
He was on site with his civil contractor and site engineer last week, as he is every fortnight, to discuss the next stage of the build — which is expected to see fencelines erected to allow builders on the site in the middle of next month.
Bitumen is expected to be laid for the initial three stages of the estate’s road network at the end of November.
“Every fortnight we hold a site meeting and every alternative week I hold a planning meeting,” Mr Eishold said.
“We discuss everything. If we don’t see any more rain we should see concrete work on the footpaths and crossovers for stage one done in the next week.
“Then we hope to ‘power on’ and bitumen will go down at the end of this month.”
Mr Eishold said one benefit for the project, at this stage of the build, was the fact it used “local” contractors who could get on site pretty much immediately — given the right weather and permission from the pertinent authorities.
“I’ll be seeking council support to move this further forward,” he said.
“Because we are building three stages at once, which represents 65 lots, the council and Goulburn Valley Water can certainly play a role in helping us to move forward at a greater pace.
“My fence builder was supposed to be there in October, but won’t be there until December now.
“I would like to be handing over lots to the builders before the end of he year.”
Mr Eishold said landscaping work and the establishment of a second water connection to the property were two of the major stumbling blocks at this point of the development.
“I’m hoping council will be supportive to enable use to get this thing moving forward and use the early autumn for landscaping,” he said.
“Landscaping has failed to proceed because of wet weather. My native garden specialist in Rochester has been hit by floods.
“I will be walking into the summer months and trying to plant a tree in 40-degree heat.
“Then there is the second connection of water to the property. Because there is more than 50 blocks I am required to have a 500-700 metre water main established.
“That is a pipe that goes through other people’s land, the plans have been on Goulburn Valley Water’s desk for some time and I am hoping we can come to an agreement.”
Mr Eishold said being allowed to continue working on road and footpath networks and preparing blocks for building of homes would “keep the ball rolling”.
“I really hope I am given the go ahead to establish the pipeline while the first three stages are given the go ahead for building work,” he said.
Mr Eishold said he had not released any more than the first three stages deliberately.
“We will see new houses built on site early next year people, all going well,” he said.
“I am asking GV Water to work with me while stage three building works begin.
“The last thing we need is more delays.”
The development has been fighting delays for two years, but is hoping to move quickly from the first three stags to the next four stages approved, which includes a further 80 to 100 blocks.
Mr Eishold’s 20-lot Tongala development and 300-lot Echuca development were completed in a non-COVID environment, which has made this experience “frustrating’’ — to say the very least.
“It was completely different to what we are living in today,” he said.
“Decisions need to be made quickly.
“There are enough clouds hanging over people’s heads at the moment, things like mental health, COVID, social housing, employment, lack of sport and now floods.
“We need some good news.”
Mr Eishold has been frustrated by what he described as “unhelpful innuendo” surrounding The Edge development.
“We unfortunately pull people down who are trying to do things. I’m really disappointed in that,” he said.
“We should encourage others to have a go.”
Mr Eishold was referring to untrue rumours of “flood susceptibility” of the land, along with completely false talk of “contaminants” being on site.
He said there had been enough challenges without ridiculous claims being made about the development.
Due to the significant hold up, with many regulators working from home during COVID-19, a hold up in inspections and enormous supply chain delays, some purchasers of lots on the site have withdrawn.
“I appreciate those people who have bought a lot at The Edge. I am hoping to delivery ASAP, but everyone in the ‘foodchain’ has been caught up in this ‘web’,” he said.
“This is a massive process.”
Mr Eishold said a one-week delay on site translated to a one month delay for the developer.
Sunset clauses on lots in the initial three stages (22 in stage one, 18 in stage two and 25 in stage three) have given people the chance to walk away.
Mr Eishold said the one bonus for those who have bought a block in stage one was a large capital gain on their investment.
Delays with Regional Roads, responsible for the road work on the Lancaster Rd frontage to the property, have also frustrated the developer.
“Before the end of the month people should see some major progress at the front of the site,” he said.
Mr Eishold said building three stages at once was a difficult assignment, but his engineers and contractors were “doing everything possible” to achieve a result.
An inability to source vital product used to break down the clay on the site was recently solved and accepted by council, only to be have the go ahead withdrawn.
“All my buyers are wanting to build ASAP. I really need the relevant authorities to work with me,” he said.
“This subdivision should have been finished in the first half of 2022.”
Mr Eishold does not blame any one organisation, accepting “it is part of the world we now live in”.
His comment that land development was not for the faint hearted seems rather understated.
A record month of rainfall in October was the last thing he needed, not only affecting site work, but not allowing workers to maintain a presentable “look” on site.
He said the finished product would be one the community could be extremely proud of, from the state-of-the-art parkland to the street names, which have been adopted in conjunction with the Yorta Yorta nation and have significant connections to the area.
As for the rain, he said The Edge parkland would act as a retention basin that captured the water and dispersed it in environmentally friendly fashion.
“Our walking tracks, static play furniture, native trees, wooden rather than plastic product and recreational space will be something the town can be proud of,” he said.
Will it be worth the long, arduous and deflating wait for the developer — Mr Eishold says, “absolutely”.
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