Pittwater Life August 2018 Issue
To Your Health. Flood of Complaints. Matt Burke. B-Line U-Turn. Taste of the Beaches.
To Your Health. Flood of Complaints. Matt Burke. B-Line U-Turn. Taste of the Beaches.
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Photo: All Sky Drones / Jay Platt<br />
PUSH TO OVERTURN: Flood issues expert Angus Gordon stands on the Macpherson Street Bridge at Warriewood; the land adjacent has been given the<br />
all-clear to be developed for housing despite still representing a major flood risk. OPPOSITE: The site during the most recent flooding event in 2013.<br />
had erred by using a ‘1:100<br />
years’ flood level to arrive at<br />
its conclusion of “extremely<br />
low probability of the Probable<br />
Maximum Flood Event” – this<br />
he said was using “old world<br />
terminology”.<br />
“The inquest following the<br />
1997 Thredbo disaster made it<br />
quite clear that it was inappropriate<br />
to use criteria such<br />
as the 1% event where lives and<br />
property are placed at risk by<br />
natural hazards,” he said.<br />
“The Panel’s assertions in<br />
regard of flooding impacts on<br />
the site on property and life<br />
demonstrate the panel did not<br />
have the competence necessary<br />
to make the determination<br />
it made. It knowingly has<br />
placed lives and property in<br />
harm’s way – and this despite<br />
the State Government’s policy<br />
to not allow intensification of<br />
flood prone sites, and the more<br />
modern views on risk and risk<br />
management.”<br />
Mr Gordon further rubbished<br />
the panel’s assertion that, when<br />
filled so that the ground floors<br />
of future dwellings would be<br />
above the ‘Probable Maximum<br />
Flood Event’ height, the land<br />
would not materially affect<br />
other land around it.<br />
“The Panel has completely<br />
neglected the impact on adjacent<br />
properties and properties<br />
downstream,” he said.<br />
“It has been long understood<br />
by flood management professionals<br />
that filling a flood<br />
prone site moves the flood<br />
waters onto adjacent properties<br />
– it is like filling a bucket<br />
to the brim and then dropping<br />
in a couple of bricks; the bucket<br />
overflows and inundates the<br />
surrounding area.<br />
“You don’t have to be very<br />
bright to realise this.<br />
“The Panel clearly didn’t understand<br />
the potential adverse<br />
impacts of their decision on<br />
adjacent properties,” he continued.<br />
“There is an important difference<br />
between understanding<br />
the overall concepts of land use<br />
Continued on page 18<br />
News<br />
The Local Voice Since 1991<br />
AUGUST <strong>2018</strong> 17
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