Keeping our communities safe
Communities have experienced the impacts of changing weather conditions and the planning system needs to adapt to these changes. We need to build greater resilience in communities across NSW, particularly for those located on floodplains.
Significant flood events like the catastrophic floods in Northern NSW in 2022 or those in Brisbane in 2011 show the importance of managing flood risk in land use planning.
The 2022 NSW Flood Inquiry reviewed the planning rules for developing land that might be affected by flooding. The findings of the Inquiry highlighted the importance of taking a proactive, risk-based approach to flooding and land use planning decisions.
We are committed to applying this risk-based approach to flood-prone land and are focussed on delivering a safe and sustainable future for NSW. Our efforts will ensure the planning system is adaptive, responds to the effects of climate change and supports resilient communities. This will help reduce the extent of property damage and potential loss of life from severe to extreme flooding throughout NSW.
We work collaboratively with other government agencies, such as:
- NSW Reconstruction Authority – dedicated to disaster prevention, preparedness, recovery and reconstruction and who lead the implementation of the Hawkesbury-Nepean Flood Risk Management Strategy.
- NSW State Emergency Service – the lead combat agency for flood, storm and tsunami events.
- Northern Rivers Reconstruction Corporation.
We also work closely with our colleagues in other NSW departments and those in the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, who manage and monitor our wetlands, rivers, floodplains, coasts and estuaries.
