Harvest Lakes Estate, Atwell

Harvest Lakes is a large-scale 'GreenSmart Estate', designed to minimise environmental impact. It has also been created as a 'Liveable Neighbourhood', maximising the human values of the village.

A higher density precinct, ‘Harvest Edge’ is an intimate village within Harvest Lakes offering a range of housing types for smaller households. Pedestrian links provide a walkable network that will connect people to the Main Street Retail and commercial hub.

Overlaying the urban village, the developer’s vision was to produce a sustainable Estate. The sustainable provisions were developed by negotiation with leading home builders and consultants in the areas of planning, environment and urban design and in consultation with the City of Cockburn.

Client
LandCorp – the Western Australia Government’s specialist land development agency.

Scope of Work
Benchmark Projects has provided project management services for the Harvest Lakes Estate since November 2003.

In addition to the traditional project development elements, Benchmark’s expertise was required to provide a vibrant community that encompassed a number of challenges, both statutory and physical.

The Harvest Edge Precinct required close liaison with allocated builders to ensure lot finishes met the builders detailed house design requirements.

Challenges
With Harvest Lakes containing two natural wetlands located centrally in the urban area and a Conservation Category Wetland (CCW Sumpland) to the south within Bush Forever Site 492, the protection and enhancement of these wetlands was embraced early in the planning phase, resulting in the implementation of an innovative drainage strategy as whole rather than piecemeal stage by stage strategies.

In addition to the Urban Water Management Strategy at Harvest Lakes, environmental enhancement, landscape amenity, and passive recreation are complementary objectives which have been targeted in developing the water management concept.

Innovations and Solutions
Drainage swales where strategically placed with the dual purposes of retaining native trees and providing stormwater infiltration.

A unique urban village incorporating quality streetscapes was achieved through close liaison and partnership with Builder designers.

Outcomes
The project has created a sustainable urban environment in harmony with the natural fabric.