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.
Climate Change and Natural Hazards SEPP
The NSW Government has finalised the State Environmental Planning Policy (Climate Change and Natural Hazards) 2026 to help create more resilient communities that can prepare for current and future climate risks and natural hazards, including urban heat, bushfire, coastal hazards, and flooding, and rebuild stronger after natural disasters.
The policy introduces a clear and consistent framework for assessing climate change and natural hazard planning controls together in one place.
It supports the new object in the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 to better respond to these risks and make decisions that reflect the level of risk involved.
The policy:
- introduces new guidelines for managing natural hazards and updates existing natural hazards controls to streamline decision making
- focuses on climate risks, rebuilding after natural disasters, coastal hazards, flooding, bushfires and urban heat
- establishes a consistent approach for assessing climate risk and natural hazards throughout development assessment
- introduces urban heat and climate change considerations for building resilience. These considerations will commence on 1 October 2027, allowing planning and consent authorities time to understand and prepare for the new requirements
- provides an all-hazards approach to planning to ensure communities and developments are resilient to both current and future risks
- helps consent authorities, such as local councils, assess climate and natural hazard risks for different development types and make decisions that reflect the level of risk involved.
