In the middle of a housing crisis, more than 12 thousand homes proposed in Western Sydney will be prevented from being built. The State Government has sunk plans to develop housing on a floodplain, where residents say evacuation routes are inadequate for keeping the existing population safe.
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00:00 The Hawkesbury-Nepean Valley is likened to a bathtub.
00:05 We've got four or five taps turned on with the floodwaters coming in and still only one
00:11 bathtub exit point.
00:12 It's flooded six times in two years, yet there were plans for Sydney to sprawl further onto
00:17 the floodplain until now.
00:19 We just want to make sure we don't make the mistakes of the past.
00:23 The Marsden Park North Precinct and Riverstone Town Centre will not proceed, while the West
00:28 Schofields Precinct will go ahead partially.
00:31 Of up to 12,700 homes proposed, a maximum of only 2,300 will be allowed.
00:37 Chris Bell lives at Pitt Town, which he says turns into an island during floods.
00:41 Three of the main roads get cut and there's only one access road.
00:45 Fifth generation local Peter Ryan says the number of residents who can be evacuated safely
00:50 has been reached.
00:51 Prior to the development of the town, we had about 300 people.
00:55 Now we have 3,000 to 4,000 people in the town.
00:58 Realistically our flood evacuation route has not improved.
01:02 The government says $200 million will be spent over the next two years on major evacuation
01:08 routes, including widening Garfield Road East here in Riverstone.
01:12 But some residents of the Hawkesbury-Nepean floodplain say the improvements don't go far
01:16 enough.
01:17 We're deeply disappointed at how neglected we've been.
01:21 The Premier says higher density will make up for housing prevented.
01:25 Apartments and units closer to the city.
01:28 There was a time where people were brave enough to ask when is Sydney full.
01:32 It distresses me that people seem to have ceased to ask that question.
01:36 A city grappling with a flood of people.
01:39 [BLANK_AUDIO]