Updated | Shire's flood-risk homes study process to continue

Sutherland Shire Council will push ahead with its controversial draft overland flood study process.

A month ago, councillors indicated they were considering abandoning the process and starting again.

However, at Monday night's meeting, the council voted 12-2 to stay the course.

The study has identified 10,000 to 12,0000 homes as potentially prone to overland flooding in major wet weather events.

Council staff recommended the process continue, and councillors were also given a briefing and attended a workshop in late March, in which advice was given by the SES and the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water.

Monday night's meeting heard the council had been advised it was legally bound to continue the process and couldn't "walk away" at this stage.

The resolution included that there be continued refinement of the draft study based on the updated filtering parameters and settings, and feedback from the community consultation process;

A peer review will be carried out. The council will also receive a report on community consultation outcomes.

Earlier

Council staff have recommended against abandoning the controversial draft Sutherland Shire Overland Flood Study process.

The Study has identified 10,000 to 12,0000 homes as potentially flood prone in major wet weather events.

At the council meeting in March, councillors voted unanimously for staff to provide a report "identifying any consequences of council adopting a resolution to abandon the study for the reason that a one size fits all approach is both inadequate and inaccurate, and that a further study, which looks at each site individually, be undertaken with all affected property owners being separately advised beforehand and engaged with throughout the process".

A councillor briefing and workshop, including advice from SES and Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water was held later in March.

The matter will be considered again at the council meeting on Monday April 15.

The staff report says, "The draft Study should be progressed and finalised as it follows the Flood Risk Management Manual guidelines; is industry comparable to other flood studies conducted within the Greater Sydney Region; and is fit for the purpose of informing flood risk for decision making under the State Government's Flood Risk Management process.

"Once the draft Study is finalised the next stages in the process include the Flood Risk Management Study and Plan where measures to manage the risk to life and property are considered and identified.

"Subject to further consultation with the Department, it is proposed that the Flood Risk Management Study and Plan will be undertaken in catchment areas for Georges River East, Georges River West, Port Hacking and Woronora River.

"Confirmation of the program and timeline of these further Studies and Plans is yet to be determined and will be subject to successful Grant Applications or other funding opportunities."

The report said, the draft Study was "a project of significant scale and complexity and the number of residents impacted was significant, and it is acknowledged that the initial Communication Plan as part of the broader project plan did not meet the needs of residents".

"Following the significant community concern and the decisions of Council at its meeting on 6 November 2023, additional Council resources were immediately diverted to the draft Study project and the Communication Plan was revised.

"The focus was on providing clear, factual and accessible communication materials, and delivering an extended, multi-channel consultation plan to meet the needs of impacted residents.

"Importantly, key decisions made by Councillors at the meeting of 6 November 2023 were communicated to all impacted residents in writing, including confirmation of the removal of notations arising from the draft Study from planning certificates, and how residents could participate in the extended consultation activities."

The report said "key learnings" would influence the planning for next stages of the process.