Sea level rise threat to marina: MLC

Greens South Metropolitan MLC Lynn MacLaren claims State coastal planners are "burying their heads in the sand" over climate change and the pace at which sea levels will rise in the coming decades.

Ms MacLaren said she believed the Mangles Bay marina, if approved next week, could incur huge costs if sea levels rose by 1.1m by the end of the century. She said the Cedar Woods proposal only accounted for rising levels of 0.9m, which could put the marina at risk of erosion and flooding.

"If these projects go ahead, we will have a royal mess on our hands," Ms MacLaren said.

"More than ever, our coastal communities and infrastructure are at huge risk - 80 per cent of our population lives very close to the coastline and residences, roads, sewers, lighting and a range of services are in that corridor."

Cedar Woods managing director Paul Sadlier said the assessment on sea level rise and storm surge for the marina was in accordance with Department of Planning policy.

Mr Sadlier said the coastal assessment formed part of the Public Environmental Review, which represented the highest level of State Environmental Assessment.