Council has reached a milestone in the development of a long-term strategy to address coastal erosion at Wamberal Beach.

The Wamberal Beach Terminal Protection and Sand Nourishment Investigation project is complete, now that the Coastal Monitoring Webpage is live, and the Cost Benefit Analysis has been released, and criteria have been identified for a preferred seawall design.

The Cost Benefit Analysis is available online at yourvoiceourcoast.com, with feedback welcome from the community up until Sunday 20 March 2022.

Chief Executive Officer David Farmer said that by identifying a long term solution, Council is fulfilling its role as a certifying authority for development, whilst ensuring legislative obligations are undertaken with guidance from community consultation.

“By completing the Wamberal Beach Terminal Protection and Sand Nourishment Investigation project, Council has delivered on some key management actions of the certified Coastal Zone Management Plan (CZMP),” Mr Farmer said.

“The review of all expert technical studies, extensive community consultation and consideration of Council’s role and legislative responsibility in relation to coastal erosion have highlighted specific criteria for a preferred seawall design as the most effective and viable long-term solution for beach erosion at Wamberal. The preferred seawall design will have the least impact on the beach, as it will be located behind current ad-hoc coastal protection works. Those ad-hoc works would then be removed which results in greater beach width.

“Without terminal protection and the implementation of the long-term strategy, coastal erosion will continue to threaten private homes, public infrastructure and expose ad-hoc structures. Beach erosion will incrementally get worse and require a continuation of expensive emergency works that are not designed for a long-term solution or a holistic approach,” Mr Farmer said.

"Works undertaken in an emergency situation are not only costly and ineffective for the long term, but they also detract from beach aesthetics and amenity and can potentially impact beach safety for the community.

“Council’s role as a local government entity is to serve the community - which includes both residents and visitors who use the beach, as well as landowners who have the legal right under an approved development application to protect their properties. However, works must not negatively impact beach access, public amenity, neighbouring properties, and the health of our coastlines.

“Staff are now in the process of engaging coastal engineers to develop ‘Minimum Engineering Guidelines’ which will outline more specific criteria to guide coastal protection development applications at Wamberal Beach. For example, specifications such as the minimum footprint, length of construction, material selection, landscaping, and maintenance requirements.

“These guidelines will reflect what the community said was of value and importance during the consultation period and will be used in conjunction with the Coastal Management Act 2016 and Coastal Management SEPP 2018 during development application assessments. The guidelines will be developed by coastal engineers and considered by Council, along with community feedback on the Cost Benefit Analysis."

Once finalised, the draft Minimum Engineering Guidelines will come back to Council as a report with recommendations in the coming months.

Council Administrator Rik Hart said the community has been waiting a long time for a long-term strategy to address coastal erosion at Wamberal Beach.

“Council has delivered on identifying a preferred terminal protection option based on extensive expert technical studies and data with high consideration to community feedback and Council’s environmental and financial responsibilities, and legislative obligations," Mr Hart said.

“I acknowledge that there are some groups and residents that are opposed to a sea wall and I understand their concerns. However, by not progressing with a viable long-term solution for coastal erosion at Wamberal it will only get incrementally worse and require additional emergency works which would negatively impact beach aesthetic and usability.

“The community can rest assured that all options have been investigated and relevant considerations undertaken to reach this milestone of identifying a viable strategy.”

The identified criteria for a preferred seawall design states that:

• the infrastructure is to be located as far landward as possible, to reduce interaction with coastal processes and maximise beach width.
• the asset is to be located wholly on private property where possible, and constructed, owned and maintained by property owners.
• the Seawall is to have the narrowest footprint, to reduce erosion/beach encroachment.
• the design is to have the least sand nourishment requirements (both upfront and ongoing).

While these criteria highlight two vertical seawall options as the preferred designs, similar designs that meet the same criteria may be acceptable.

The technical studies represent a $498,996 investment and were 50/50 funded by Council and the NSW Government through the NSW Coastal and Estuaries Grants Program, inclusive of an additional $36,380 from the NSW Government for the renders and additional engagement.

For further information, FAQs, technical studies and consultation reports from the Wamberal Beach Terminal Protection and Sand Nourishment Investigation project, and to provide comments or feedback on the Cost Benefit Analysis report, go to yourvoiceourcoast.com  

ENDS