The Western Sydney Regional Organisation of Councils (WSROC) will set up heat refuges in summer for homeowners whose houses could become uninhabitable during the warmer months.

Planning regulations put in place by the NSW Government will look to reduce the effects of the urban heat island effect. Additionally a rating system has been put in place to determine the heat resilience of new and existing developments.

Blacktown City Council initially trialled heat refuges last summer, with churches and community centres offering air conditioning, food and drink and entertainment on days above 32 degrees. Given the success of the trial, there will be an increase of the refuges across Western Sydney.

WSROC’s President Barry Calvert tells the Sydney Morning Herald that heat waves can prove to be deadly if not treated like a natural disaster.

“NSW’s current heatwave emergency plan focuses on the distribution of heatwave warnings. This approach is inadequate for the level of heat being experienced in western Sydney.”

Around 47 percent of renters and 14 percent of homeowners leave their homes during warmer days and head to cooler locations, according to the Sweltering Cities’ Summer Survey.

“By planning for people to go to heat shelters we’re acknowledging that their homes aren’t safe and that staying at home could be deadly for vulnerable people,” says Sweltering Cities Founder, Emma Bacon.

“This should be shocking. If we know people’s homes won’t be safe, why aren’t we making simple changes to improve things now, starting with public and affordable housing?”

Western Sydney endures more than seven times the amount of days over 35 degrees that the eastern suburbs do. Additionally, the region has half the rainfall and amount of tree canopy cover. Penrith also sees triple the amount of heat-related deaths in summer in comparison to the CBD.

Blacktown Mayor Tony Bleasdale says a swift and immediate response to rising temperatures is imperative to community safety in the summer months.

“Without urgent action on climate change, the impact of increasing urban heat on our community could be catastrophic.”

Many councils have looked to improve their areas with increased canopy cover and cool materials, with emergency planning deemed a high priority by the WSROC. The recent scrapping of the Design & Place SEPP by NSW Planning Minister Anthony Roberts has been met with disappointment by many western Sydney councils.

Jarrod Reedie

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