Modelling for floods ‘a waste’

DEVELOPERS of a controversial retirement village tower project say that they spent more than $50,000 planning for a one-in-2000-year flood event, only to be rejected by councillors.

Noble Ventures, headed by brothers Daniel and Roger Noble, have appealed the decision in the Planning and Environment Court of Queensland.

Daniel Noble said he had tried to negotiate with councillors to avoid a costly appeal.

The tower was planned for Lot 120 on Lake Orr Dve in Robina, which according to council flood-mapping is in the sixth-highest depth category.

It’s also located just 6km from noted Guragunbah flood plain.

Council officers recommended approval of the tower opposite Lake Orr, arguing the risks to residents had been mitigated despite concerns raised about the flood impact.

A majority of councillors ultimately rejected the project, with Robina-based councillor Hermann Vorster citing “intolerable risks” to the community.

Deputy Mayor Donna Gates and Councillor Peter Young supported the officers’ recommendations to approve the project.

During a full council meeting, Cr Vorster raised concerns about the need for residents to shelter in place, for a rooftop helipad and the possibility of an added strain being placed on emergency resources.

“The reality is the same report that argued for approval also stated for this to be approved – the building would need to provide three days’ worth of food for all residents to shelter in place,” he said.

Mr Noble claims Noble Ventures spent upwards of $50,000 preparing for an “absurd” flood risk, presenting council with modelling for one-in-100, one-in-500, onein-1000 and one-in-2000 year possibilities.

He said it was 10 times the amount of flood modelling done on any of their other projects.

“I understand the Q20, Q50 and Q100, but when you go into Q200, Q1000 and Q2000 space, it’s like ‘what for’?” he said.

“We actually ended up showing designs for how the piers and footings ... wouldn’t end up having an impact on the water flow in a flood. I can’t think of any other building that has that. If you look at all the applications north and south of our site, I guarantee they don’t have Q2000, Q1000, Q500, Q200, Q100 modellings done.”

The 17-storey tower, to be known as Noble Life, would overlook Bond University’s Robina campus from Bermuda St. The 6647sq m site at the edge of Lake Orr was designed to have 121 units and 242 bedrooms, with no nursing home facilities or medical staff in the building.

Mr Noble has argued the “shelter in place” was the recommended safety plan, citing the successful 2012 appeal of a Carrara tower on the same flood-plain.

The Planning and Environment Court appeal quoted the Queensland evacuation guidelines for disaster management groups: “The best option when evacuation is not necessary is sheltering in a safe and secure structure at home or with family and friends.”

“Whilst acknowledging these concerns (about flooding), (one witness) was supportive of the subject proposal, because of the lengths to which the appellants have gone,” court documents read.

“(These lengths) ensure that, when the access road becomes untrafficable by ordinary cars, the site acts not as an isolated island at risk from extreme flood (...) but rather as a true ‘safe haven’.”

At the full council meeting, Division 5 councillor Peter Young said he “cannot support” council’s reasons for refusal.

“I don’t think they’re defensible on the grounds of consistency or legal defensibility.

“If we look at the reasons for refusal before us, these theoretically would restrict or prevent any development on the site, which is clearly identified as being suitable for development. The only distinct reason for refusal here are those conditions that refer to potentially vulnerable people.

“In every other respect, any development on the site would have to be refused given these conditions of refusal.”