Summarize this content to 2000 words in 6 paragraphs The department referred the case to the Independent Planning Commission for advice in December.In refusing the project, the department noted it sought to provide new and diverse housing; however, it said the plan was at odds with regional planning objectives as it would increase residential and commercial development in a high-flood-risk area with limited evacuation options.Mirvac is developing a parcel of land beside the river, about 4 kilometres from Liverpool’s central business district.Credit: Independent Planning Commission“While the development facilitated by the proposal can evacuate during flood events, this development may absorb capacity for future development within Moorebank East,” the department said. “It may also impact existing evacuation capacity for Chipping Norton residents.”Documents lodged with the commission cited flood mapping by consultants BMT in 2020 that identified the site as “unsafe for people and vehicles” in the event of a one-in-20-year flood; a one-in-100-year flood; and a maximum probable flood (MPF) – the largest conceivable event – when water depths were forecast to reach 10 metres and all buildings were considered “vulnerable to failure”.Liverpool Council said the proposal relied heavily on locating homes above the flood level, and it needed to ensure residents could escape without “further exacerbating evacuation difficulties that currently exist for established communities”.Mirvac argued for a review of the department’s refusal because the complex would provide an “extremely attractive residential opportunity” and the blocks could be built to withstand floods.The proposed apartment blocks would reach seven or eight storeys. Liverpool Council says it’s on track to meet its five-year housing targets without the extra dwellings.Credit: Mirvac also said the proposal relied on shelter-in-place or “vertical evacuation” as a last phase of flood evacuation, which would not affect residents fleeing nearby suburbs via the road network.The department told the commission it maintained its opposition to the proposal. It said the NSW State Emergency Service did not support the evacuation strategy that could include residents sheltering in place, noting the site could be isolated for more than 24 hours in a major flood. It also warned that Moorebank East precinct’s limited evacuation capacity relied on future road upgrades.“The intended development will absorb evacuation capability from surrounding residents, thus posing risk to human life,” the department said.A regional planning panel approved plans for the Georges Cove Marina in 2021. It will include a private clubhouse, function centre, wet berth (mostly for small vessels) and 637 car spaces.Mannoun said that adding apartments would unlock housing and recreational facilities in the city’s south-west, which was growing by 20,000 people a year and deserved “some good amenity”.He thought there was little point considering an event on the scale of “Noah’s flood”.“There’s nothing wrong with being cautious, but the reality is we’ll never build a city if we’re working on events that will happen once every thousands of years.”Mirvac said it would continue to work through the commission’s assessment process.Loading“We’ve worked closely with council and other stakeholders over a number of years on the proposed marina development which would see the Georges River foreshore open to the public, with restaurants and open space for the broader community along with much-needed housing,” a spokeswoman said.Start the day with a summary of the day’s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter.
