Taip v. East Gippsland Shire Council

Summary:

L. Taip challenged a housing development approved by the East Gippsland Shire Council on the grounds that it was not sufficiently planned to be resistant to climate change impacts. The Council argued that climate change impacts had been taken into consideration by proposing to raise the level of the development above the projected flood and sea levels that were expected to result from climate change. The Tribunal held that the response to address climate change impacts was not sufficient and that a more full and proper assessment of the risks and hazards needed to be conducted by the Council prior to giving approval.

At Issue: Whether housing development had been approved with sufficient consideration of climate change impacts.