SYDNEY (CU)_Over the past two weeks, devastating floods were reported along the east coast of Australia. It was declared a national emergency on Wednesday, as the extreme weather conditions claimed the lives of 22 people. In southeast Queensland, over 20,000 homes and businesses were flooded, while in New South Wales 2,800 homes in floods that ravaged the state’s Northern Rivers in the wake of the destruction. Recent figures show that thousands more people could soon be living on flood plain on the fringes of the NSW capital is developments on land already approved were to proceed.
In Western Sydney, Blacktown City Council has already planned the development of 10,000 homes, with the region’s population projected to increase by half to more than 600,000 over the next 20 years. Despite the NSW government’s decision to pause planned developments in view of the recent floods, pressure to open up more land for homes is not expected to ease.
According to the state’s Minister for Infrastructure and Former of Planning, Rob Stokes, the recent disaster underscored the need to take a precautionary approach regarding flood plain developments “We had some real concerns,” he said. “After an event like this past week, we have to be open to having another look at what’s been approved for development.” Meanwhile, on Friday, the current NSW Planning Minister Anthony Roberts announced the government’s plan to launch an independent review into the matter. “We’ve never faced anything like this,” the Minister said, adding the terms of reference of the review are still to be determined.
The government’s own data shows that they have their sights on building within the flood zone. In Hawkesbury city council 23,900 hectares of land is reportedly prone to floods, while in Penrith this figure is 11,500ha and in the Hills shire, another 4,500ha. “The very first thing that the NSW government needs to do to protect homeowners from floods is stop allowing new homes to be developed on known flood plains,” Greens MP David Shoebridge said. “The planning minister could issue a state planning policy tomorrow and put a moratorium on new flood plain residential development, but developers hold so much power over state governments that they won’t even discuss it.”
