The Northern Rivers Times Edition 120.pdf

Developer silent on flood plan findings

By TIM HOWARD

There is just one sticking point between success and failure for a $34 million, 136-lot managed estate development proposed for 8 Park Lane, West Yamba. This afternoon the Northern Regional Planning Panel will meet to determine if the development will go ahead. It’s met twice before this year and at its last meeting in July agreed on all other criteria it could approve the DA, bar problems with the developer, Hometown Australia’s, flood preparation and evacuation plan. It adjourned until an independent expert could assess the plan and bring a report to the panel. That report, from engineering consultants, Rhelm Pty Ltd, has arrived and its has identified some serious flaws, not the least of which has been a failure to take the effect of climate change into its assessment of possible flood heights. There are have been other issues. The plan requires residents to evacuate to a clubhouse on the site, apparently not above possible flood heights, a proposal “divergent” from best practice flood evacuation procedures. The review also noted more fill would be required for the development to raise the site to 3.7mAHD, to account for future flood levels. Despite these findings, Hometown has not posted a response to the peer review on the NRPP webpage for the development and has missed the October 19

deadline to do so. Residents were concerned, with the head of acting president of the Yamba Community Action Network, Alex Devantier, worried what it might indicate. “Does Hometown believe the panel will pass this as it is, without question?” he said. He said Clarence Valley Council had posted a response to the review, with staff recommending approval, despite the shortcomings indicated in the Rhelm document. He said Yamba CAN had contacted the NRPP registrar, Lisa Foley, who confirmed Hometown had not provided a response to the peer review of its flood emergency plan. Mr Devantier said the person who signed off on the peer review, Rhelm’s Louise Collier, was a highly respected expert in her field. “It would be a travesty if Hometown and the council did

Residents say photos, like this, of the extent of flooding of the Park Lane site in February and March reveal its unsuitability for development.

not acknowledge someone with that level of expertise and the concerns she’s raised,” Mr Devantier said. “You can see on the Rhelm website she has nearly 30 years of experience, in the fields of environment and planning and supports the delivery of services in natural hazards and resilience as well as infrastructure and advisory. “Professionally she is a Fellow of Engineers Australia (FIEAust CPEng NER APEC Engineer IntPE (Aus)), a Member of the Environment Institute of Australia and New Zealand (MEIANZ) and an Affiliate of the Planning Institute of Australia (PIA (Assoc.)). “And Ms Collier has contributed to technical reports in the preparation of Australian Rainfall Runoff 2019 and has participated in the industry review working group for the NSW

Flood Risk Management Manual and the Floodplain Management Australia Climate Change Policy position statement. She has specialist skills in hydrology, hydraulics, hydrogeology, water quality, coastal, estuarine and oceanographic processes and management and given evidence as an expert witness in matters before the NSW Land and Environment Court, the High Court of New Zealand and the Victorian Civil & Administrative Tribunal. “I suspect no-one at Hometown, or the council has anywhere near this level of expertise.” Mr Devantier said residents were concerned Hometown would upload a response at the last minute, denying residents the opportunity to scrutinise it. “The NRPP said the deadline was seven days ahead of the hearing on

October 26, but if they post something up there between then and now, even on the morning of the meeting, that’s not good enough,” he said. “It’s hardly fair to everyone if we don’t have the opportunity to scrutinise their submission before it goes to the panel.” Mr Devantier also questioned the council’s apparent acceptance of the Hometown evacuation plan, despite the flaws the independent assessment of it revealed. Residents have quizzed the council about aspects of the flood controls in the development. He said the council was emailed about vital details of the capacity of drainage on the southern boundary of the development including its size, capacity and location of inlets. They also wanted details of the type, size and location of pumps developers said would

be installed to deal with floodwater. There were also concerns about how the pumps would be powered and what backup would be needed if there were blackouts. It its response the council said it had not received these details from the developer, but said it would need detailed plans before construction started. The council said details of the pump system had not yet been determined and would be designed prior to commencement of construction (if the DA is approved). Maintenance of the pump system would be the responsibility of the developer. Back-up power supply would be considered in the detailed design stage Mr Devantier said Yamba CAN said the council’s response surprised residents. “You have to wonder why the council is so willing to support the developer, when the expert advice says there serious issues with flood evacuation plans and the other critical aspects of the development have not been submitted for approval. “Why is the council so determined to listen to a developer. When will they start to listen to the concerns of long term ratepayers?” The NRPP’s third meeting begins, online, from 3pm on Wednesday. Yamba CAN has secured a room at the Yamba Golf Club with a big screen for residents to watch the meeting and deliver their submissions to the panel.