Planning for Katrina II

Date: 28 September 2006
Author: Frank Sullivan

 

Learning the lessons of Hurricane Katrina and the impact of climate change will be highlighted at the world's largest waterfront development conference.

Overcoming the challenges facing developers and planners world wide in containing the effects of dramatically changing weather patterns will form the subject of a keynote address at WaterfrontExpo 2006.

Stephen Plunkard , Regional Practice Leader at Stantec Consulting Services, who has first hand knowledge of the new approach disaster planning in the region ripped apart by Katrina, will address delegates to the conference being staged in Glasgow, Scotland, from 17-19 October.

Plunkard, whose company represents many of the largest house builders and developers in North America , will present a paper on waterfront disaster planning and preparedness.

His presentation will show graphic illustrations of Katrina's impact and harrowing aftermath, particularly on Gulfport and New Orleans .

He will also highlight some of the programmes being put in place to avoid similar devastation in the future.

Plunkard believes that many waterfront cities, particularly those in the Hurricane Belt should “take this opportunity to recognise that climate change is real and that as a planet we need craft long term strategies based on sustainable solutions”.

Commenting on some of the issues hampering regeneration of the area he said, “Recent news reports show residents are not returning to New Orleans as quickly as first anticipated and a slight increase in mortgage lending rates has had an adverse impact to the housing market. Many of the families that were relocated to adjacent states have become settled and have decided to stay in their new locations. We do not anticipate a great deal of new housing starts in New Orleans until some of the inventory is used up and the mortgage lending rate is reduced.”

He added that population decline in the region has meant that in some areas businesses have also been slow to return.

Plunkard continued: “Planners and designers know that the paradigm for community development in the gulf region has changed. They are waiting for the politicians, government policy makers and regulators to catch-up. Even after the enormous flooding in New Orleans and the wind damage along the Gulf coast there is still a great deal of sentiment just to rebuild as it was before.”

Mark Beaumont, a director of WaterfrontExpo organisers, Media Generation Events, said:” Securing Stephen Plunkard as a guest speaker just a year after Hurricane Katrina wrought its unprecedented havoc is a major coup.”

“The impact of climate change was graphically demonstrated by the devastation and misery left in the wake of Katrina as it swept through the Gulf States .”

He added: “Global warming is inflicting enormous damage on our environment. As waterfront development becomes increasingly popular, planning to prevent catastrophic damage has never been more important.”

WaterfrontExpo 2006 is being held at the Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre (SECC) in Glasgow .

The venue lies at the heart of the £multi billion Clyde Waterfront ( www.clydewaterfront.com ) project that is breathing new life into the world famous River Clyde and its communities.

Editors’ Notes

For further information on WaterfrontExpo 2006 and how to register as a delegate visit:

For details of Scottish waterfront developments go to:

Issued on behalf of Media Generation Events Ltd by fs communications.

For further information contact:

Mark Beaumont: 02380 262238 or 07753817813
Frank Sullivan: 07718660122 or 01786 473289

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