A NEW brick and tile home recently built 1.2 metres above the ground to meet flood plan requirements must be demolished in 40 years to beat the 1 metre sea-level rises predicted to occur mid century.
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The 40-year cap was the unprecedented condition imposed by Wyong Shire Council.
Sydney retirees John and Carol Hannaford have spent $500,000 building a home at Budgewoi which they intended "to leave to the kids".
But because of state and federal government climate change requirements - and the way those requirements have been interpreted by council staff - the well-intended legacy will likely be one of encumbrance.
"Unless the Hannafords can get this condition of approval removed, in 40 years' time a bulldozer will be out in the road ready to legally reduce this home to rubble, with the bill going to the owners," Cr Greg Best told the Lakes Mail on Tuesday.
"I am ashamed to say we as a council blackmailed the Hannafords into building this house with a maximum 40-year life because our legal advice was we had no choice. It was either that, or nothing."
Cr Best said the "bizarre and ridiculous" situation was created by the "knee-jerk flood plan and sea-level rise requirements" being placed on maps, with councils being told to adopt a plan of action.
"This couple bought the block of land in 2009 on a suburban street several streets back from the lake, a street that in recorded memory has never been flooded.
"Our planners gave them approval to knock the existing old home down and then later told them that the new mapping meant they couldn't build anything on it," Cr Best said.
"Council hadn't and still hasn't as yet adopted a formal flood plan policy but the planners used their option to take the draft into consideration.
"And this sea-level flood plan scenario is going to affect some 20,000 homes in our shire, plus thousands in Lake Macquarie which has already adopted the mapping in its flood plan."
Mr Hannaford said moving to the Central Coast and building a new home to live out his retirement started as a dream but has turned into a nightmare.
"Having spent $220,000 on the block we had no choice but to build the house with the 40-year approval in the hope that common sense would eventually prevail and the condition would be removed," he said.
Mr Hannaford said the flood and sea-level rise mapping had already seriously affected his insurance.
"Last year our insurance bill was $660. This year it is $4119 if we include $2281 for the flood cover," he said.
Cr Best warned that the flood plan link to sea-level rises and climate change was "out of control".
"This is just the tip of an iceberg about to surface."
