{
  "id": 14276897,
  "title": "More homes amid rising seas is the Gold Coast's dilemma",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/13/more-homes-amid-rising-seas-is-the-gold-coasts-dilemma",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-13T19:32:33.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "ABC News AU",
    "slug": "abc-news-au",
    "url": "https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-10-14/climate-risks-pose-new-gold-coast-housing-pains/107243574"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "In 1967, a cyclone exposed the Gold Coast's coastal vulnerabilities, prompting a decades-long effort to fortify the city against rising seas. The city's defenses include a 5-meter seawall, sand replenishment, and natural barriers, but these measures increasingly struggle to protect against climate change. The Gold Coast City Council has published updated maps identifying areas at risk from landslides and storm tides, with an additional 88,000 properties now threatened by extreme floods. Mayor Tom Tate stated that climate risks will be incorporated into the council's new planning scheme, but some areas, like the northern suburbs, remain viable despite being mapped as high flood risk, as long as water bodies are incorporated into development plans. However, urban planning expert Aysin Dedekorkut-Howes warns that these areas are essentially estuarine and that building there puts people at risk. The Queensland government projects a 0.8-meter sea level rise by 2100, but Dedekorkut-Howes believes this is outdated, with models predicting 1.5 to 2 meters of rise. This could lead to nuisance flooding in areas previously considered safe. Bond University's assistant professor of sustainable development, Ned Wales, notes that adapting to climate risks will increase housing costs and construction in increasingly risky areas may become unaffordable due to insurance issues. Councillor Glenn Tozer asserts that updated maps will not affect property values, but Dedekorkut-Howes emphasizes the need to plan for moving away from areas in high-risk zones, as entrenched development and insurance costs make it difficult to do so.",
  "summary": "The Gold Coast's push for more housing faces growing climate risks, with urban planners warning rising seas and worsening flooding will force up premiums and push people out of some suburbs.",
  "key_points": [
    "Gold Coast faces dilemma of building more homes amid rising seas",
    "Updated maps identify 88,000 additional properties at flood risk",
    "Climate risks to be included in city's new planning scheme"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}