GROUNDWATER at Jackass Flat has been recorded just 1.3 metres from the surface.City of Greater Bendigo director of planning and development Prue Mansfield yesterday confirmed the finding, but said the last reading had been taken a number of days ago.Ms Mansfield said despite the recent rain she would expect the water level to go down.The council has approved a planning permit to develop part of a subdivision at Jackass Flat. In August the council issued a permit for stage one of the Simonds Group project, involving 344 lots.The entire project is expected to create 700 lots and cost $210 million.Urban planning guidelines recommend that planning applications for dwellings be refused if groundwater is within 1.5 metres of the surface.Where the water table is within 2.5 metres of the surface, developments should proceed only if construction complies with appropriate geotechnical standards.Ms Mansfield said Simonds Homes was required to investigate the groundwater levels.“The latest reading is from one bore, it’s important to remember the planning permit is for land hundreds of metres away,” she said.She said once the information was available the city would look at what Simonds’ independent report showed.The housing development is adjacent to Neangar Park Golf Club.Simonds Group spokesman Carmine Fusco said its independent report was a couple of weeks away.“We are not going to say everything will be fine, obviously we need to make sure and satisfy any concerns,” he said.He said the high level of groundwater was expected given the unusual amount of rain in recent weeks.