Port Stephens Council introduces flood certificates

Aimed not just at buyers, the certificates will also enable property developers to assess flood risks before they submit plans to the council.

The online application system is offered for a small fee.

All relevant information will be provided on one piece of paper.

The council’s draining and flooding engineer Sally Callander said recent weather events had demonstrated the potential for flooding from rivers, creeks and even the ocean.

"These certificates will provide a better picture of the flood risks of individual properties," Mrs Callander said.

"One of the most common enquiries we get is from people wanting to find out what the flood risk is for their property, and until now we could only provide limited information in response to the questions they asked us.”

Improved flood mapping has made certification possible. The maps enable council officers to quickly assess a particular property and give the applicant the relevant details.

"Council often receives development applications for flood prone land that don't factor the risk of flooding, and we have to advise the applicant to revise the design or the plans to incorporate that," Mrs Callander said.

"This results in costly time delays or trips back to the architects to draw up new plans.

"The new requirement will identify at the very start of the process whether flooding is an issue for new developments, and save a lot of time and money for our customers."

To determine whether a property is flood prone and if a flood certificate is available for a particular property, people are encouraged to first visit the council's Flood Hazard Mapping at www.portstephens.nsw.gov.au.