The Central Coast could be left vulnerable and unable to respond if it experiences a major storm event as Central Coast Council transitions to a new Coastal Management Plan.
With no plan in place after December 31, approvals and funding for emergency responses such as those needed last year for Wamberal and North Entrance could be in jeopardy, Wamberal Seawall Advisory Taskforce Chair, Phil Watson, has warned.
Watson said at the August meeting of the taskforce that the community needed to be aware of the implications.
He explained Council was approaching some very important timelines for the project which everyone needed to be acutely mindful of.
“The Coastal Zone Management Plan (CZMP) that includes the key actions for protection and sand nourishment of Wamberal Beach will cease to have effect on December 31, due to transitional arrangements in the Coastal Management Act 2016,” he said, according to the minutes.
“This will have implications for the project that need to be clearly understood and considered in the context of implementing this project.
“Although Council is preparing a Coastal Management Program (CMP) under the new framework to replace the CZMP, it is likely this will take some time, leaving a gap between the expiration of the CZMP and the certification of the CMP.
“When the CZMP expires so too will funding assistance under DPIE’s Coastal and Estuary Grant Program to implement actions in certified CZMPs.
“Approval pathways for protection structures and emergency responses (such as those undertaken in 2020) will also change for the period between the expiration of the CZMP and start of the CMP.”
Watson said it was critical to ensure the community was aware of changes and implications so they understand what can and can’t be done, particularly if there is another major storm event early next year and Council is unable to respond as it did previously.
He reiterated it was important for Council to produce a timeline for the project given impending time pressures before the year’s end.
The meeting also heard that the feasibility of re-using spoil from a Sydney tunnel project for Wamberal Beach is likely to be known this week.
The committee was updated on the discussions between the NSW Government and three councils – Central Coast, Sutherland and Northern Beach.
Watson advised that weekly meetings had been discontinued over the past month, pending an outcome from the tender process on the Sydney Metro West infrastructure project.
He said he remained optimistic that the logistical and financial feasibility of the beneficial re-use of tunnelling spoil option for nourishment purposes may proceed.
“It’s likely a decision one way or another will be known before the next taskforce meeting,” the minutes show he said.
The next meeting is scheduled for September 7.
The committee is also expecting a stage six cost benefit analysis of the proposed seawall options by September.
Stages 1-4 reports are available on Council’s YourVoiceOurCoast web page, as well as concept render designs for seawalls and surveys, also active on the site until the end of September.
The committee heard the site was attracting a lot of comments and questions from community members.
One staff member explained why planned retreat is not viable for future protection of Wamberal Beach.
“Members agree it’s important to ensure that the community fully understands the operational, legal and financial issues pertaining to a so-called ‘planned retreat’ model and that these are being explored as part of the Cost Benefit Analysis report,” the minutes stated.
The NSW Government established the Wamberal Seawall Advisory Taskforce on July 31, 2020, to provide Council with support to implement a sustainable long-term solution to the coastal erosion issues at Wamberal Beach.
The storm event of 2020 saw the clean-up at Wamberal attract funding from the State Government but North Entrance did not as it did not have a CZMP in place.
Attending the August meeting along with Watson were Member for Terrigal, Adam Crouch, Council CEO David Farmer and staff from Council and the Department of Planning, Industry and Environment.
Merilyn Vale
Sad to see a huge sand erosion at The Entrance North beach stretch just before the Surf Club in the last few weeks, residents have not heard from the Council for any reactive or pro active measures to ease their worries. Who will look after them ?
Council needs to have the CMP in place before the CZMP expires.
It is ridiculous that our beaches could be left vulnerable while council plays with the new CMP