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Urban Taskforce Australia welcomes the proposal to redevelop this growth area of Sydney and to deliver up to 2,900 new homes in the area.
We note that this is a significant reduction from the 4,500 new homes originally proposed and question the need for this level of reduction.
Flooding
The Government has proposed the lower number in response to perceived flood risk, but this appears to be based on very conservative modelling, adopting a 1-in-100 annual exceedance probability (AEP) plus 3m threshold for planning purposes.
This effectively equates to a 1-in-500 AEP threshold, rather than the more common 1-in-100. Blacktown’s flood planning level is 1-in-100 plus 0.5m, so this new threshold in the West Schofields Rezoning Proposal is considerably more restrictive.
Although Urban Taskforce recognises the intent to protect communities from flooding, we are concerned that the thresholds chosen are too risk-averse and will significantly limit the delivery of housing.
It will add to local prices, by restricting supply, and thereby reduce affordability.