Researchers discuss soil erosion is a major problem worldwide and there is a need to identify risks to infrastructure associated with erosion and interventions needed to reduce those risks. Throughout this study, researchers conducted case studies, interventions and stakeholder workshops in order to disclose the true impact of soil erosion when risks to infrastructure are not discussed. 

Llausàs, A., Buxton, M. and Beilin, R., 2015. Spatial planning and changing landscapes: a failure of policy in peri-urban Victoria, Australia. Journal of Environmental Planning and Management, 59(7), pp.1304-1322. 

This article summarises the socio-environmental impacts of land-use change expected to occur in high amenity Australian peri-urban areas, involving in particular, the effects of land development on agriculture, biodiversity, landscape character, bushfire risk and social factors.

Yu, M., Wiedmann, T., Crawford, R. and Tait, C., 2017. The Carbon Footprint of Australia's Construction Sector. Procedia Engineering, 180, pp.211-220.

This scholarly article discusses Australia’s immense contribution to green house gas emissions and how the construction sector is a substantial area for these mitigation efforts. 

·         Delivering an on-ground management and implementing of council policies, procedures, and operations to protect natural assets especially the highly valued ecological systems to avoid potential adverse environmental impacts and incorporates measures to minimise the environmental impact. 

·         Preservation of trees or vegetation is to ‘preserve the amenity of the area, including biodiversity values, through the preservation of trees and other vegetation.’ 

·         WLEP 2009 is designed to ensure that: (a) to maintain the existing flood regime and flow conveyance capacity, (b) to enable evacuation from land to which this clause applies, (c) to avoid significant adverse impacts on flood behaviour, (d) to avoid significant effects on the environment that would cause avoidable erosion, siltation, destruction of riparian vegetation or a reduction in the stability of river banks or watercourses, (e) to limit uses to those compatible with flow conveyance function and flood hazard. 

·         The site and surrounding areas are subject to flooding. The existing watercourses within the portions of the site identified to be developed are largely highly modified as a result of the previous uses and infested with weed vegetation. 

·         Flood hazard were determined for the catchment, and mitigation options were recommended to reduce risks. Instream works include modifications or enhancements to the watercourses, channel realignment, bed control structures, watercourse crossings and outlet structures will help prevent minimal damage to water ecosystems. 

·         Vegetated riparian corridors of 40m width will be required to be established and will enhance the natural character of the corridor, providing open space resources on site. 

·         Opportunity to connect all of these community recreational resources, the coast, and the site via a greenlink aligning with the Towradgi Creek corridor.

·         Local Environmental Plans are to maximise protection of ‘significant native vegetation’, ‘Regional Habitat Corridors’ and ‘other indicative habitat Corridors’. Development proposals will protect biodiversity values 

·         Two significant native vegetation communities were identified within the study area: 

o   0.68 ha of Moist Blue Gum Blackbutt Forest located along the eastern side of Towradgi Creek to the south of the site

o    approximately 0.6 ha of Coastal Grassy Red Gum Forest in the north-west corner of the site. The Coastal Grassy Red Gum Forest vegetation community forms part of the ‘Illawarra Lowlands Grassy Woodland in the Sydney Basin Bioregion’ Endangered Ecological Community (EEC) listed under the NSW Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995 (TSC Act). 

·         The proposed rezoning could impact approximately 826m2 of 0.61 ha’s of the Coastal Grassy Red Gum Forest and would be subject to the requirements of the NSW Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016. 

·         Moist Blue-gum Blackbutt Forest at the southern extent of the site, is largely avoided by the flood mitigation strategies and development footprint outlined in the preliminary concept plan. 619m2 of significant vegetation would be impacted of the 0.68ha of Moist Blue Gum Blackbutt Forest. 

·         The area where the grey-headed flying fox camp was observed on an irregular basis, has been largely avoided. 

·         The riparian corridor through the site is significantly degraded. A proposed creek realignment will improve riparian values and significantly reduce flooding of neighbouring properties.