The Georges River Record

Georges River Council has heard calls to reject the draft Blakehurst and Kogarah Bay flood study, with residents telling the public forum the hydraulic model is based on infrastructure that does not exist.

One resident told the forum the council should not adopt the draft study and pointed to a professional review by water technology. The review, the resident said, confirmed the model fails to meet the 2025 baseline and tagging criteria outlined in the committee report.

The model, the resident argued, uses this phantom input to inflate flood volumes and velocities while excluding the brick landscape walls at number 24 Beach Street.

"The model excludes the solid brick landscape walls at number 24 Beach Street"

The resident said page 12 of the committee report admits flooding is primarily driven by overland flow and surface flow obstruction, and that the walls at number 24 Beach Street are that obstruction. They also noted that over 1,400 properties were cleared of tags under refinement criteria, and said their property meets all requirements for removal but remains tagged.

The speaker said residents believe recent road improvements help, but are not the ultimate solution, and asked the council to consider a roundabout so elderly and disabled people can cross without fear.

They said crash statistics are flawed because they rely on demerit points, exclude comprehensive insurance and do not count all accidents.

The chair reminded the forum that all items addressed on the night will be discussed, debated and voted on at next Tuesday's council meeting, moved because of the Monday public holiday. Residents were told they can attend in the public gallery or watch the broadcast live on the council website.