Planning Proposal - Wollongong City Council - NSW Government

(j) Will the proposal impact on land that the Government has identified a need to
protect (e.g. land with high biodiversity values) or have other environmental
impacts? Is the land constrained by environmental factors such as flooding?
A Targeted Flora and Fauna Assessment was undertaken by EcoLogical Australia Pty
Ltd (June 2010) (Annexure F). The assessment made the following conclusions:
“The construction of an aged care facility on the highly disturbed site will
have little, if any, impact on an ecological values present……
The proposed landscaping of the constructed stormwater detention structures
will be designed and implemented to offset ecological impacts that may be
caused by any disturbance to riparian zone vegetation.
The proposed development is unlikely to impede movement of Green and
Golden Bell Frogs across the site if individuals occasionally utilise Gurungaty
Waterway as a movement corridor. Maintenance of this connectivity would be
consistent with conservation efforts for the species in the locality.
Appropriate landscaping of detention structures, designed and installed as
part of the development, will provide additional/beneficial habitat values
adjacent to the Gurungaty Waterway for the GGBF.
Clearing of other planted/landscape vegetation present on the site (including
the specimen of Eucalyptus nicholii) will have little if any adverse ecological
consequences.” (EcoLogical, 2010; 15).
The site is known to be within a medium and high risk flood precinct. The 1%AEP
(Annual Exceedence Probabilities) and PMF (Probable Maximum Flood) for the subject
site have been identified as follows 1% AEP – 3.3m AHD (Australian Height Datum)
PMF – 4.9m AHD respectively. A Flood Impact Report has been prepared for the site
by Watkinson Apperley Pty Ltd (December 2009) and is provided in Annexure G.
The Flood Impact Report concluded that the proposed development lies
predominately within a medium hazard precinct under Wollongong City Council’s DCP
54 (flood controls are now within Wollongong DCP 2009). However, the DCP provides
for safe living and operation during a flood under a ‘shelter-in-place’ policy. The
proposed building can be (and previously was) designed with habitable floor levels
above the PMF, satisfying floor level requirements. The Flood Impact Report said that
the proposal will have a positive to neutral impact on flood levels by the provision of
compensatory volume within the site to offset the increased footprint.
An Arborist Report (Annexure H) was prepared by Burnett Trees (November 2009)
and provided with the DA. The report was required to assess the four trees on the
site that were within the proposed development footprint. None of the trees was
identified as being worthy of retention. All of the existing vegetation along the
riparian zone of the creek was to be retained as part of the proposed development.
The following reports were submitted with the DA:
Warrigal Care – Planning Proposal 11